A guide to being a culture vulture in Prague
Prague is a city brimming with history and culture, from a UNESCO world heritage castle, opulent opera houses to contemporary sculptured art by native artists David Cerny. Here are some of the best cultural experiences to be had in the Czech capital city and of course some of our #FLOFavourites so you don’t miss a thing!
Dox
The DOX Contemporary Centre for Art is one of the best contemporary art galleries in Prague. Established in 2008, the name DOX has been derived from the Greek word Doxa, which among many things means a way of perceiving things, an opinion or a conviction. The gallery is a fantastic exhibition space spread across multiple floors and featuring some very quirky and thought-provoking art pieces displayed indoors and outdoors.
#FLOFavourite: A 42m long steel and wooden Airship sits on the rooftop of the gallery. Inspired by the shape of early 20th century airships, the airship was designed to be a space for public reading and discussion on literature.
Location: Poupětova 1, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice, Czechia
Price: 180 CZK
Opening Hours: Mon, Sat, Sun 10 am- 6 pm, Tues – Closed, Wed, Fri- 11 am – 7 pm
Prague Castle
The Prague castle is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most significant cultural venues in Prague. Overlooking the city, it is the largest castle complex in the world comprising a significant number of ecclesiastical buildings, several courtyards spread over 18 acres. On a visit to the Prague castle expect to find the Gothic St Vitus Cathedral a staple of the Prague skyline, the Royal Gardens, the Golden Lane and the Royal Palace. The Castle is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The Castle can often get quite busy so we would recommend heading there early in the day.
#FLOFavourite: The Gothic St Vitus, which can be seen in the distance from many locations in Prague. It is beautiful to see up close and the stain glass windows inside the Cathedral are equally impressive. The gardens are also a must-see for a serene and relaxing stroll!
David Cerny Crawling Babies
The crawling Babies sculptures by native David Cerny explores the idea of social dehumanisation. The facial feature of the babies has been replaced by barcodes, which explore the notion of individuals merely becoming a coded catenary. The lost of facial features takes away the thing that makes us individual. Although the sculptures were first installed on Kampa Island in 2008, they are relevant in the age of technology we find ourselves in over 10 years later. The babies are located in Kampa Park outside of the Kampa Museum and are free to view daily.
The Estates Theatre (Stavovské Divadlo)
The Estates Theatre is one of the oldest European Theatres and has seen performances from world-famous composers including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who premiered his Opera Von Giovanni at the Estates Theatre in 1787. The Estates has a full agenda of Opera and Ballet but is mainly concentrated on the performance of Mozart Operas. The Estates Theatre is part of the National Theatre of the Czech Republic. The National Theatre made up of four stages, The National Theatre (1883), The State Opera (1888), The Estates Theatre (1783) and the New Stage (1983). All four stages have a full agenda of the best in opera, ballet and drama.
#FLOFavourite: You can get opera tickets for as little as £12 pounds. The Estates Theatre Mozart Operas are well worth the visit.
Charles Bridge
The Charles Bridge named after King Charles IV of the House of Luxembourg, is one of the most iconic places in Prague, crossing the Vltava River, the arched cobbled pedestrian bridge is fixed with historic Baroque saint statues. The bridge is often very busy and you’ll find several souvenirs, artwork and food being sold along the bridge.
#FLOFavourite: We recommend watching the sunset and rise on the bridge. It is beautiful.
For more information about culture venues in Prague check out our Quick guides to visiting John Lennon’s Wall, and Quick guides to visiting the Klementinum