The Royal Route of Prague

Opening my #wednesdaywalk's with the Imperial Island set the bar high. Well, almost unbeatably high, as no mortal can surpass emperors, right? Perhaps threescore of kings could rival them... And then, inspiration struck. The Royal Route of Prague, a path the Bohemian kings treaded for four centuries to reach the Prague Castle for their coronation. Unlike the Imperial Island, this route is a tourist highlight, and I felt like one marching through my own hometown. Allow me to take you on that journey, revealing some lesser-known spots along the way, as there are countless hidden corners in old Prague. Plus, there's a peeing statue of Charles IV. Unlike the famous Manneken Pis in Brussels, this one pees by coincidence. How come? Keep reading!

The journey commences with the Powder Tower from 1475. Its magnificent Gothic appearance is not original but dates back to the late 19th century when it underwent a "purification" to achieve the expected Gothic gate look. Such renovations were common back then and often tied to the pressing need to re-establish a Czech national identity within the Austrian Habsburg monarchy. It was a way of making our past seem grandiose.

You might wonder why the kings of Bohemia chose this city gate as the starting point for their coronation route. What astute readers you are! Surprisingly, the kings didn't rule from the Prague Castle until the 16th century. Back then, the court resided in a palace adjacent to the Powder Tower. This is the Municipal House from 1912, standing on the grounds of the original Royal Palace. Its restaurant, often recommended by tour guides, is a bit overpriced and overrated.

There are better options nearby, and most serve even better beer. If you're adamant about having a Pilsner Urquell or Budweiser Budvar, the two most famous brands abroad, here's a tip: skip the main entrance and explore the back of the building. There's a taproom (výčep in Czech) offering the same beer in a less fancy but more authentic Czech atmosphere, along with some snacks or even dishes. I find it more stylish than the snobbish restaurant. Anyway, there are better beers to sample in Prague (check out some of my #beersaturday posts to learn more about them).

Let's pass through the gate and stroll along Celetná Street towards the Old Town Square, home to one of Prague's top landmarks, the famous Astronomical Clock.

But before that, here are some tips for you. I may have saved you from sampling beer in the Municipal House, and in that case, you must be thirsty. To quench your thirst, there are three places on Celetná. Culture enthusiasts might find themselves at home in Café Gaspar on the mezzanine of this building. The café is part of the V Celetné Theatre and offers cakes and snacks plus one to three craft beers on tap. Considering you're in the heart of Prague, the prices there are a bargain.

While Gaspar caters more to locals, the Medieval Tavern U Pavouka on the ground floor and in the cellars is undoubtedly a touristy venue. However, I genuinely recommend it and am always ready to take my foreign friends there. Don't bother with the menu, as there's a medieval show with live music and performers every night. For about 60 euros, you get a 5-course menu with some truly Czech dishes, like houbový kuba (groat and mushroom dish traditionally served for Christmas), and unlimited refills on your beer mug, wine chalice, or 21st-century glasses in case of non-alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, the beer is from Staropramen, the largest Prague industrial brewery. I couldn't enter this time, the show was just in progress.

Speaking of beer, hundreds of crafted microbreweries are scattered around the entire country. There's one on Celetná either, just across the street. I haven't been there yet; it feels too touristy, but I'm sure it's a much better option than Staropramen and Pilsener Urquell.

Whenever I urgently need a great beer around the Old Town Square, I sneak through this passage to Café Kamzík. This hidden gem is popular among tour guides, reception clerks, and other workers in tourism, yet they hardly ever recommend it to protect their work-free haven. Guests here are usually a mix of locals and tour guides on a break. I hope they won't learn that I gave that secret away.

But let's get back to the route. The 14th-century Church of Our Lady before Týn can be intimidating when it first rises above the city houses, especially at night. You might recognize its tall, slender towers from postcards; it's undeniably one of the most photogenic landmarks in old Prague.

The renowned square is gearing up for the Christmas markets – Prague typically ranks among the top ten cities for them. The Christmas tree was just being decorated, which usually takes two or three days, and so were the stalls.

The Prague Astronomical Clock is a somewhat tricky attraction. On one hand, the "show" where the apostles march around is rather dull and tends to disappoint the crowds—I'm being entirely honest here. On the other hand, it's an absolutely incredible clockwork machine that has been measuring Prague and cosmic time for over six centuries. It displays the position of the sun and moon, their rising and setting, and the current date. And that is quite remarkable.

Let us now move through this picturesque arcade to Malé náměstí (Small Square).

Now, let's delve into a bit of commercial and tourist bizarro, like this house adorned with marvelous Sgraffito that dominates the square. On its facade, a prayer implores the patron saint of Bohemia, Saint Wenceslas, to protect the Czechs and their descendants from perishing. It looks great combined with the Hard Rock Café, wouldn't you say? I'm relieved that St. Wenceslas was stabbed and not stoned to death like some other saints; otherwise, the hard rocks would take on a rather grim connotation.

Charles Street, linking the Astronomical Clock with the Charles Bridge, begins at Malé náměstí. It's not a straight path; you'll encounter about half a dozen right-angle turns. Brace yourself for a plethora of tourist traps, like the "Old Czech Chimney Cakes" or Trdélník, boasting a tradition of about 15 years, although it's never been baked in the Czech Republic before. As you stroll, you'll notice Hemp Stores offering technical hemp and CBD. It's worth noting that while marijuana containing THC can be grown and consumed here, it is not legal to sell it. And then there's the beer museum that, at first glance, looks as fake as a Monopoly bill.

On the bright side, even on this street, I've got a place I can genuinely recommend. It's the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts. Apart from a student-run theatre, there's a café, that offers lunches and fantastic drinks at student-friendly prices. Forget about all the touristy craps around and refresh yourselves in Kafe Damu instead!

The Charles Bridge is just a stone’s throw away from the Theatre Faculty, and the street is so narrow that I could spot the first of the two bridge towers in a matter of minutes.

I promised you a peeing statue, and here it is. In this angle, Emperor Charles IV holds a decree ordering the construction of a bridge over the Vltava River.

And in this angle, Charles IV holds his little emperor, engaging in the very human activity that even the greatest monarchs must attend to personally. I hope it’s visible in the photo, as it becomes quite obvious when you see it from the right spot.

I've already covered the Charles Bridge in this post, feel free to peak there for further information. Now, I'll swiftly take you across it and share several views of Prague and the bridge statues. Some have been recently renovated, while others are currently undergoing reconstruction. Due to the cold weather and the low tourist season, the bridge was less crowded than usual and almost busker-free.

This canal is called Čertovka, the Devil’s Stream. I might delve into its history and tales in a future post, it's pretty rich.

It's time to leave the bridge and ascend to the castle; the coronation cannot wait. Surprisingly, the Lesser Town side of the bridge is a tad less touristy and boasts marvelous city houses, like those just behind the tower.

The main landmark of the Lesser Town is, of course, the Baroque Church of St. Nicholas. Here, I managed to capture a picture of it with a typical Prague tram. This church, the most significant Baroque building in Prague, took fifty years to build. Believe it or not, its bell tower served as a base for the communist secret police, who covertly filmed and eavesdropped on dissidents living in the surrounding streets.

The last stretch of the path leads along Neruda's Street. I'm aware that Spanish speakers who read this post might be mistaken. However, this street is not named after Pablo Neruda, the Nobel Prize winner in Literature, who likely just borrowed the last name of the Czech poet Jan Neruda. Yes, this Neruda lived and worked here, hence the name.

There are hotels, luxury apartments, embassies, and apparently happy cars in this old-fashioned street.

And this Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus overseeing a cannabis shop.

The last curve, and I'll reach the Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world. We haven't had a monarch since the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, but our first president took over the castle, so it remains the seat of the head of the country. Today, the entire castle was strangely dark, whereas it usually shines into the night. I don't know if it's because someone didn't pay the electricity bill, the president's office is trying to save money, or they are just being greener. Perhaps it was because some event was taking place at the castle; otherwise, there wouldn't be so many vehicles from Czech television here.

I would be horrified if I had to patrol under those overtly aggressive statues. This soldier must have balls of iron!

The Second courtyard of Prague Castle.

The Third courtyard & St. Vitus Cathedral. The most significant Czech cathedral would also deserve its own post. Its history stretches back more than a thousand years, with the oldest foundations laid around 930. The construction of the current three-nave cathedral began in 1344... and it was finished in 1929. No, I didn't make a typo there; seriously, it took almost six hundred years. While my ancestors struggled to build it up, I struggled to capture it with my camera.

And that's it! I took you from the Royal Palace to the Cathedral where the monarchs were crowned. I was not, though; the gates were sealed. Seems I am not the right one for that job. How did you like my #wednesdaywalk, anyway?