Prague Photo Piece

Last updated: 15 July 2023

Originally published Feb 2013. Vltava River looking towards Charles Bridge (or Karlův most)  is the most famous historic bridge in Prague.  It crosses the Vltava River and was built in 1357.  It was the only means of crossing the river until the 1800s.

At night Charles Bridge is an eerily quiet place where the statues are often shrouded in mist and fog making it feel a little creepy.  During the day it is a buzzing metropolis of budding photographers, artists and vendors alongside countless tourists crossing the bridge.

If you don’t have a map, GPS or a guide book to point you in the right direction you might struggle to find the Lennon Wall in Malá Strana.    This graffiti covered wall was created in the 1980s as a tribute to John Lennon and the things he stood for.  It became a monument to free speech and represented the rebellion of young Czechs against the communist regime which lead to the non-violent Velvet Revolution.

The authorities and wall owners condone additions to the wall so it continues to change and morph with the times.  It will forever represent the once-oppressed.

Located just outside the Franz Kafka museum in Prague 1 is this bronze sculpture by David Černý. Appropriately titled “Piss”, features two ‘life-size’ men pissing in a pond in the shape of the Czech Republic.

There used to be a plaque stating if you sent your a text message to a specific number your desired text would be ‘written’ by one of the men. However this has since been removed.

Visiting Prague in winter and the magic of Christmas was much more present with the plethora of Christmas markets. Featured in the image above under the red pitched roofs underneath the looming spires of the Church of Our Lady in front of Týn, everyone was out selling wares from tacky tree baubles, ‘authentic’ Czech jewellery (whatever that means), gorgeous scarves to the staples of beer and sausages. Proud to say I boosted the Czech economy by purchasing all of the above.

The Essentials

•  Just about everyone speaks English but have a go at Czech the locals appreciate any effort you make. 
• There’s no charge to enter the grounds of the castle. Here you can get some cracking views of the city.  To see main attractions and exhibitions you will need a ticket, entry will set you back about 300 czk.
• The hike up to the castle is gruelling for even the fittest.  Take tram 22 up the hill and walk back down into the town.
• Seeing Prague by Segway was great fun.  Easy on the legs, able to whiz around the Square without much hassle. You can see a lot in a small space of time. Highly recommended.
• Currency: Czech Koruna (roughly 33 CZK = £1 GBP)

If you’re looking to save some time so you don’t have to keep worrying about what you’re going to do in Prague then use the below to organise some memorable activities and experiences right now. Trust us, your future self will thank you.