Prague royal road. Royal Route in Prague. Where to book a tour of the Royal Road

The “Royal Route” is a classic route passing through the historical center, along which royals went to be crowned at the Castle, in St. Vitus Cathedral. Today it is the most popular and most classic tourist route in Prague.

Let's start with the famous Wenceslas Square. There is no way around this square. No matter how hard you try to avoid the only place in Prague where life is in full swing even at three in the morning, you will definitely find yourself standing in its center, among crowds of hurrying people, under the signs of numerous restaurants and shops. Because Vaclavak, as Prague residents call it, is the heart of the city, driving away human flows, like a real heart - blood. The Czechs long ago gave Mala Strana, Grad and Stare Mesto to tourists for plunder. Vinohrady and Zizkov kept the new place for themselves. On Wenceslas Square, both meet, only to scatter a minute later: Prague residents to their pubs, tourists to their sights. Wenceslas Square was formed on the site of the former Horse Market in 1848, so it does not look like a square in the usual sense of the word - it is rather a wide boulevard. It begins with the equestrian monument to St. Wenceslas. Here, “under the tail”, 90 percent of appointments are made in the city center. And behind Vaclav stands the huge building of the National Museum, built in 1890.

3. Cafe-tram:

Once at the other end of Wenceslas Square, we cross Na Příkope Street and continue along the narrow streets towards Old Town Square - perhaps the main square of Old Prague. Stare Mesto lies on the right bank of the Vltava opposite Prague Castle. The first mention of Intercity, as the space between Castle and Visegrad was first called, dates back to the 10th century. The land between the two royal residences attracted merchants, who first set up markets here and soon began to settle. Then artisans arrived, and by the 14th century it was already the largest of the Prague settlements. In 1338, its own town hall was built here. Meanwhile, the kings moved from Vyšehrad to Grad and back, then left for Vienna altogether, but the merchants and artisans, deeply invested in their plots, remained. They continued to build and trade, despite the vicissitudes of big politics, and while the Castle was falling into disrepair, Stare Mesto was doing well, and most of the buildings remained intact - invaders and revolutionaries were always more interested in the City. And so it turned out that today the Stare Mesto is, in essence, Prague. Not a political, but a civic center. The vast majority of tourists begin their walk through this area from the Old Town Square. Here (or rather, a little further away, at the Powder Tower) the so-called Royal Route begins, leading through the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Lesser Town and further to the Castle. When the royal residence was moved from the Castle to the Royal Court in the 14th century, all royal persons passed this way to be crowned at St. Vitus Cathedral.

At the Old Town Hall there is an amazing clock made all the way back to 1410! They have two dials, one of which shows Central European and Old Bohemian time, and the other - a calendar, which can be used to determine the day, month and zodiac sign. Every hour, two windows open above the dials, in which twelve apostles appear in turn, and just below four more characters come to life - a skeleton (who turns the hourglass), a Turk, a proud man (who looks in the mirror) and a merchant (who rings his wallet). Every hour, hundreds of tourists gather around the clock to watch this show!

5. Church of Mary before Tyn (in some ways, by the way, similar to the famous castle from Disney cartoons - especially at night

6. Church of St. Nicholas:

7. Monument to Jan Hus:

8. Here, in the center of the square, until 1918 there stood the Marian Column, erected in 1650 to commemorate the victory over the Swedes, but in 1918 this column was destroyed by anarchists. Discussions about restoring the monument have been going on for many years.

The Old Town Square continues to the south with the Small Square, on which the Rott House stands, and then the Royal Route continues along the ancient Charles Street leading to the Charles Bridge. This is one of the most crooked streets in Prague, but it is impossible to get lost here, you just need to follow the crowd of tourists who, like you, follow the Royal Route. If the density of tourists around you, regardless of the time of day, is approximately equal to the density of passengers in a Moscow metro car, then you are still on Karlova.

11. When driving along the Royal Route, before entering the bridge, tourists are greeted by the Old Town Bridge Tower. You can climb it and look out over the entire center of Old Prague from above. Without hesitation, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity. If you are in Prague, I highly recommend you do this too. Beautiful views from above:

13. Charles Bridge is one of the symbols of Prague. The first bridge that stood on this site was called Yuditin, but in 1342 it was demolished by an ice drift. And soon, on July 9, 1357 at 5:31 a.m., Charles IV laid the foundation stone for the new bridge. Since then, for more than 600 years, this bridge has connected the two banks of the Vltava. The bridge often suffered from floods, the largest of which, the Hundred Year Flood on September 4, 1890, carried away two supports, three spans and several dozen lives. We were very worried about the bridge during the recent flood of 2002. But the Charles Bridge survived.

14. Musician on the bridge

15. We cross the Charles Bridge to the other side.

17. Sculptures... From the Mala Strana and the Old Town side, the bridge ends with the Lesser Town and Old Town bridge towers, respectively, and on the bridge itself there are more than 30 sculptures. The oldest and most popular statue depicts St. John of Nepomuk, an iconic Czech saint who, according to legend, was once thrown from the Charles Bridge in this very place.

18. Stone guard with a sword on the left bank:

19. Having crossed the Charles Bridge to the left bank of the Vltava, we continue moving along the Royal Route and slowly climb the hill, heading towards the City...

20. Malostranska Square, above which the Castle rises:

22. View of the tiled roofs of Old Prague and St. Nicholas Cathedral:

24. And here are the gates of the City, guarded by the President’s guards:

25. Classic - the facade of St. Vitus Cathedral (the sun is out, and this makes it look especially bright)…

28. Basilica of St. George:

29. One of the main attractions of Prague Castle is Zlata Street. It appeared in the second half of the 16th century - gold minters and archers lived in small houses. Popular rumor persistently calls Golden Street the street of alchemists - supposedly Rudolf II ordered all court alchemists to settle here so that it would be impossible to hide a successful transmutation. In general, Zlata Street is a series of tiny doll houses, one more beautiful than the other. It feels like hobbits or Carlsons from all over the world lived here!

Having walked along this mysterious street, we leave Prague Castle through the northern gate and head to Letna Park, located on one of the nearby hills - it is slowly getting dark, and from there you can admire the wonderful views of evening Prague. Letná Park is located on a steep hill on the banks of the Vltava. It offers simply stunning views of the city!

34. Prague Castle from the Malostranska metro station. Below is the silhouette of the Prague tram, familiar to each of us.

For many centuries, future Czech kings, “in a hurry” for their own coronation, invariably made the same path through the streets of Prague - from the royal residence in the Old Town (now the Public House is located on this site) to St. Vitus Cathedral, located in and " guardian of the royal regalia.

All the streets along which the royal procession moved were richly decorated, and the citizens of Prague greeted their future ruler with cheers and threw flowers at the entire procession from the windows of their houses. During the journey, the royal procession periodically made stops on the streets of the city, near significant Prague buildings, where representatives of the clergy, nobility, merchant or craft guilds, etc. paid tribute to the king.

The first ceremonial procession of the royal procession along this route took place in 1438 - it was the coronation of Albrecht II from the Habsburg dynasty, and the last one took place in 1836 (coronation of Ferdinand V), and it was quite large-scale: more than three thousand horses were involved in it even four camels. But Leopold II especially distinguished himself in September 1791. His procession was led by the royal cavalry, followed on horseback by trumpeters, drummers, soldiers and members of the nobility, and followed in more than 80 carriages (some of the most luxurious ones were drawn by six pairs of horses) by the highest nobility and clergy.

The Road of Kings today

Today, the path along which the coronation processions of kings followed and which, accordingly, bears the name Royal, can easily be considered one of the most exciting and interesting excursions around the city, because it allows you to see all the “salt” of Prague. A walk along the Royal Route, in the footsteps of the Czech monarchs, “opens” to guests of the Czech capital the narrow and winding streets of the city, “breathing” with fascinating antiquity, provides an excellent opportunity to see the most famous ones in a few hours, many of which are symbols of the city, and better learn the history of one one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Europe - the hundred-towered Prague...

Excursion route on the map

As you can see from the route map, a walk along the Royal Road in Prague will take about 40 minutes (about 3 km). If you want to explore all the sights in detail along the way, then such an excursion will last half a day.

Sights of Prague on the Royal Route

So, the Royal Road begins in the Old City. Here, near the royal residence, the future monarch and a fairly large group of people accompanying him, which included representatives of the clergy, nobles and foreign ambassadors, were greeted by the “city fathers”.

Public house (Obecní dům)

Now on the site of the former royal palace there is a Public House, the largest room of which is reserved for the central concert hall of the city named after the great Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. Other smaller halls host exhibitions, offices, cafes and restaurants.

The public house (Obecní dům) in Prague is often called the Municipal House.

Powder Gate (Prašná brána)

Next to the Public House is the Powder Gate, which is a 65-meter high Gothic tower with a passage arch and was intended as a gift to Władysław II Jagiellon in honor of his coronation from the city council. Today, the Powder Gate, richly decorated with Gothic and neo-Gothic sculpture and with an observation deck located at a height of 44 meters, is the starting point of many excursion routes around the city.

Celetná ulice

From the Powder Gate, the royal procession continued to move along one of the oldest streets of the city - Tseletnaya, which was once famous for the unusually delicious braided bun - tsalta - baked here. Here, in the house at number 36, there was a mint for a long time. On Tseletnaya Street, the future monarch was greeted by representatives of craft workshops and the Jewish community. Today, almost every house on this street, with its own unusual emblem, is a historical monument: in the basements of many houses, rebuilt in the Baroque and Rococo styles, the masonry of Romanesque and Gothic buildings has been preserved, and in some houses Gothic interiors have also been preserved. Particularly noteworthy are such houses as “At the Black Mother of God”, “At the Red Eagle”, “At the Vulture”.

And it is worth noting that similar house signs (stone ram, black sun, three violins, white peacock, two suns, golden snake, etc.), representing various symbols, emblems and coats of arms, will be found throughout the entire Royal Route. Until 1770, there were no numbering of houses, and the house signs decorating them testified to the profession of the residents of the house, their name or nickname, or were the result of some legend associated with the building. All these secrets hidden behind the walls of old houses make walking around the city even more exciting.

Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)

Tseletnaya Street led the procession straight to the heart of the Old Town - to Old Town Square. Here the monarch stopped at the Temple of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn (Tyn Temple), which attracts attention with its 80-meter pointed, fairy-tale towers. Tyn Church is a monument to Prague Gothic of the 14th-15th centuries, and its interior is considered one of the richest in the city. The oldest organ in Prague, dating back to 1673, is also located here.

Tyn Church

Near the Tyn Temple, the future ruler listened to the oath of allegiance from Charles University, founded by Emperor Charles IV in the middle of the 14th century. It was the first university in Central Europe, and today it is the main university in the Czech Republic.

Old Town Hall

Further, the monarch’s path to the crown passed by the Old Town Hall, on the tower of which there is a world-famous astronomical clock. Every hour a huge number of people, both tourists and Prague residents, gather here to watch an amazing performance given by puppet figurines, each of which has its own symbolic meaning. It is better to see this short theatrical performance once than to talk about it hundreds of times. According to legend, the chimes cost the watchmaker his eyesight: city councilors, fearing that similar clocks might appear in other cities and Prague would cease to be unique in this sense, blinded the talented watchmaker.

Small square (Male namesti)

Immediately behind the house “At the Minute”, decorated with straffito, the Small Square opens, which is a continuation of the Old Town Square. Here the royal procession was greeted by representatives of different church denominations, traders and merchants. One of the most remarkable houses on Small Square is the Renaissance house “U Rotta” (“At Three White Roses”).

Karlova street

From the Small Square, the king followed Charles Street, which “runs away” into the distance, the most crooked in Prague, where several Gothic and Renaissance houses have been preserved, almost all of which have now been converted into shops. It is worth paying attention to such houses as “At the Golden Well” and “At the Golden Snake”.

Clementinum

The next “royal stop” is Clementinum, a Jesuit complex built in the 16th century and representing the largest architectural and historical monument in Prague after Prague Castle. Near the Clementinum, where the State Library is currently located, the royal procession was greeted by church ministers.

Křižovnicke náměstí Square

Walking a little forward, the monarch and those accompanying him found themselves on Krizhovnitskaya Square (Square of the Knights of the Cross), from where a wonderful view of the opposite bank of the Vltava opens.

Charles Bridge (Karlův most)

Then, through the Old Town Bridge Tower, which is a monument of Gothic architecture and built at the end of the 14th century, the royal procession stepped onto the famous one, also dating from the 14th century and connecting the Old Town with. This is one of the symbols of Prague and a true masterpiece of architecture. There are 30 sculptural groups on the bridge, most of them were installed in 1683-1714. No matter what time of year and no matter what weather you find yourself in Prague, Charles Bridge is a place that is never empty: crowds of tourists from various countries are always strolling and taking photographs here. And some sculptures, when touched, “fulfill” your most cherished desires, which attracts special attention to them from guests of the Czech capital. The Charles Bridge ends with two Lesser Town Bridge Towers: the smaller one, originally built at the end of the 12th century in the Gothic style, was rebuilt in the Renaissance style at the end of the 16th century, and the larger one, very similar to the Old Town Bridge Tower, dates back to the second half of the 15th century.

Small Country (Malá Strana)

Ahead lies Malaya Strana – one of the most picturesque urban areas. When the solemn procession reached its territory, its burgomaster presented the future monarch with the keys to the city, and after this an artillery salvo was heard.

Mostecka street

Next, the king’s path passed along Mostecka Street, one of the busiest streets in Prague today, with a row of houses with narrow facades and richly decorated stucco. Here it is worth paying attention to the Kounica Palace (now it houses the Yugoslav Embassy), built in the Rococo style, and the Saxon House, which over the centuries of its existence has undergone more than one architectural transformation (Gothic, Renaissance) and now appears before us in the classical style.

Lesser Town Square

Mostetskaya Street “led” the procession to Malostranska Square with the Baroque Church of St. Nicholas (Nicholas), the emerald dome of which reigns over the entire square. The temple was built in the first half of the 18th century and is today the calling card of Mala Strana. Thanks to its amazing acoustics, the temple often hosts classical music concerts. As the coronation procession passed by the temple, bells rang here in honor of the future ruler.

Nerudova street

Having passed Malostranska Square, the monarch and his entourage ended up on Nerudova Street, where the poet and writer Jan Neruda lived in the house “At the Two Suns”, who immortalized the local residents in his collection of stories “Malostranska Stories”. Nerudova Street is the pride of Malaya Strana - and for good reason: it is unique in that almost all the houses here have retained their house signs - “At the Golden Horseshoe”, “At Three Violins”, “At the Golden Bowl”, “At the White Swan”, “At green cancer" etc. There are also several Baroque palaces (Thun-Hohenstein, Morzin, etc.), where foreign embassies are now located.

Hradčanské náměstí

At the end of Nerudova Street, turning right, the royal procession ascended to Hradcanska Square, from the observation deck of which magnificent views of the city open up. Hradcany Square can boast of a number of palaces (Martinitsky, Schwarzenberg, etc.), each of which is distinguished by its unique architectural appearance and has a rich history.

Prague Castle

And here, finally, is Prague Castle itself, founded in the 9th century. This is the largest architectural complex in the Czech Republic, the former residence of the Czech kings and the current residence of the Czech president. Here the monarch was greeted by nobles and heads of district departments to the sound of bells and cannon fire.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Through Matthias Gate, guarded by guards, the procession passed through the first courtyard of Prague Castle and went straight to the second - to the Cathedral of St. Vitus, where the coronation took place. The cathedral surprisingly harmoniously combines three architectural styles - Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Many architectural monuments and works of art have been preserved inside the cathedral. The tomb of many Czech rulers is also located here.

Old Royal Palace

Well, the kings completed their path to the Czech crown here, but tourists should not stop there. The best continuation of this excursion will be a visit to the Royal Palace with the famous Vladislav Hall, a tour of the Romanesque Basilica of St. George (XII century) and, of course, you should definitely take a walk along the famous and secretive Golden Street with picturesque miniature houses, where jewelers used to live, and now there are souvenir shops.

Where to book a tour of the Royal Road

It is better and cheaper to book such an excursion at one of the many travel agencies located in the city center. You can also find a private guide who will gladly and for little money will guide you and tell you in detail about all the sights of Prague on the Royal Route.

Not taking a walk along the Royal Route, exactly following the route of the Czech monarchs or deviating slightly from it, showing a bit of curiosity, is the same as not seeing such an amazing and beautiful European city as Prague at all! The Royal Road will give you a lot of unforgettable impressions and the most vivid emotions! This is exactly the route from which you should start your acquaintance with Prague in order to discover all its beauties!

Our journey through Royal Road (Královská cesta) the Czech capital will begin right here, at the luxurious hotel "Art Deco Imperial", located in the southern part of New Place, on the corner of Zlatnitskaya street and Porzhichi street. This hotel opened recently, immediately after the restoration of the building in which it is located. Many tourists and vacationers begin their walk from this place.

If you go left from the hotel, you will come out to department store "White Swan", famous not only in Prague, but throughout the Czech Republic. Residents of many cities in the country come here to shop. For now, we will refrain from visiting stores and devote time to more exciting and interesting activities.

First, let's cross the road, then a few more steps - and we are already standing on. On the right side is a row where barracks stood in the old days. The famous playwright Josef Kajetan Tyl served in these barracks. He was a forager of the legendary 28th regiment, also called “Children of Prague”.

If you look straight, your gaze will rest on. The townspeople call it completely differently, so when asking the way from passers-by, it is better to use the word "Repre", which is short for the adjective "Representative". To the rulers of those times, this name seemed more majestic than the current one. The construction of this building dates back to the first years of this century. It is considered one of the most significant monuments of the Art Nouveau era. Throughout its existence, the Prague Public House has been one of the most famous cultural and social centers of the capital. The famous Smetana Hall, located within the walls of this building, has been hosting performers of the grandest scale for several hundred years.

Opposite the Public House building you will see a luxurious Palace "U Gibernu". In the past, this building was a monastery in which Irish Franciscans began growing potatoes on these lands. It is worth noting that at that time potatoes were not considered at all as a food product, but as flowers. Also, at one time there was a customs point in the palace, and now it is a huge hall in which exhibitions are held, and sometimes (most often before) fairs.

The site on which the Public House is located was previously occupied by the Royal Court. The son of the great ruler Charles, Wenceslas IV, was the first to become bored with living in the city, and therefore he built a Royal Court for himself on the border of the Old Mesto and the New Mesto, and settled in it. Rumor has it that the emperor’s son decided to take this action because of his uncontrollable love for the old town taverns, which King Wenceslas loved to visit so much, and which were so far from Prague Castle.

Some time later, Vaclav passed away, and his court was orphaned. The palace was empty for quite a long time until his brother Sigismund, the Hungarian emperor, appeared, impudently making his way to the Czech throne. In his quest to seize the throne, he made more than once attempts to seize power, but they were all unsuccessful. All except one - one day Sigismund still managed to achieve his goal, but a few months later he died. Some time later, the courtyard began to be used as the residence of Sigismund's descendants. The reign of George of Poděbrady (1458-1471) is considered the height of the glory of this palace. After another change of ruler, the palace again became deserted. Vladislav Jagiellon, who came to replace Jiří, did not consider it necessary to pay attention to this structure. Just at that time, there was a severe civil war in which the nobles fought with the cities for power. The Prague poor were fleeced by the highest ranks, which constantly caused outbreaks of popular anger. In 1483, when the king felt that the atmosphere had become tense, he chose to sit out in the City, which could guarantee much greater security. When the unrest subsided, the king returned back to the royal court, but after an attempt on his life, during which he miraculously did not receive a fatal bullet, the ruler again moved to the City. This time it's forever.

Near the courtyard stands one of the most beautiful towers in Prague. We are talking about buildings erected by the same Vladislav Jagiellon. The construction of this building began in 1457 by residents of the Old Town. The tower is located where the old fortress gates previously stood, which were so dilapidated that they could collapse at any moment. At first, the king’s interest in the building was enormous: he wanted to quickly look at his possessions, and at the city as a whole from above. However, after a while, battles for gold and power resumed, and the king's attention turned to state adversities.

The existence and, in fact, the historical significance of the Prague Royal Road is known not only in the Czech Republic, but also in many other countries of the world. For inquisitive travelers, this is the No. 1 road in the capital, although not a single plan, even the most detailed, will show it to you.

The Royal Road ran along Tseletnaya Street. Further, going around the city, the road of kings went along Charles Street, and then crossed the Vlatva along the same road and ended up in Mala Strana. Its continuation went along Mostetskaya Street, right up to . The last section of the Royal Road runs along Nerudovaya Street and leads straight to Grad. Most likely, our contemporary will associate such a route with the king’s route to work and back.

However, things are not quite like that. Not very official negotiations, which were more of a working nature, often took place in the Royal Court, while the Castle was a place for ceremonies. There were also cases when the ceremony necessarily required the presence of the king, regardless of his wishes. In such situations, the ruler gathered his retinue and set off for the City along the Royal Road.

The townspeople knew that if the procession marching along the Royal Road looked particularly magnificent and colorful, then something important was happening. If, in addition to everything, the bells rang, and the retinue accompanying the king threw coins into the crowd of townspeople, this was a harbinger of the coronation, or the royal wedding, or the christening of the heir to the throne. Foreign ambassadors who arrived in the city for an official reception also passed this road.

There is no point in arguing that since the 12th century, the Royal Road has been the main thoroughfare of the capital. Getting a home, a workshop, a shop or a wine cellar on this road is like digging a gold mine. Often even the kings and queens themselves, as well as their entourage, passing along the road, bought something from the local merchants. What an honor it was for the sellers themselves! Many foreigners often left here small coins of both local and foreign coinage.

The very first section of the Royal Road, stretching from the Powder Gate to the Old Town Square, goes through Tseletnaya Street. Previously, this name was written differently - Tsaletna, since the name of the street was given to small braided buns that were baked for Christmas - “tsalty”. In the Middle Ages, artisans were often housed in groups: each specialty had its own street. Bakers, or, as they were called then, “Tsaltners,” settled on this street.

Near the Powder Gate is the Fruit Market Square.

On one of its corners is located Pakhtovsky Palace, built in Baroque style. The text written on it indicates that Czech coins have been minted here since 1420. After 1784 the building lost its main function. Previously, there was a Gothic building on this site, which was the property of King Wenceslas IV.

The centuries-old history of this street remembers many interesting events. Many basements of the local houses still contain fragments of Baroque style interiors, looking at which an experienced specialist will understand that the Prague architects of that era were professionals in their field. It’s almost impossible to get there just like that, but you shouldn’t get hung up on it, because there are many other beautiful ones around. For example, Palace of the Grzanovs from Harrasova (Palác Hrzánů z Harasova) is a superb structure erected at the height of the Baroque era. This name was given to the palace in honor of the Grzanov family, which once owned it. The structure has remained virtually unchanged since its construction was completed, although most other buildings of that time have been reconstructed more than once. Thus, you can see the centuries-old palace in its original appearance. The movement of cars and other types of transport on this street is prohibited, and now only pedestrians can be seen here, although just a few years ago tram number 1 ran here, taking passengers straight to the Old Town Square.

Rails are a thing of the past, but here is what was famous in its time Prague tavern "At the Soup", which closed almost 300 years ago, is now welcoming visitors again. It has its own brewery, but there are no specialists left here capable of brewing a real Czech drink, since almost all of them left the country after the Battle of White Mountain. The owner of the house in which this establishment is located was once a German nobleman. Some time later, this house was equipped as a jewelry workshop, but now it belongs to the Charles University, and on the ground floor, as several hundred years ago, there is a famous restaurant.

Among all the interesting stories associated with this establishment, there is one very funny one, so we can come here for a glass of beer. You can rest a little, and in the meantime we will tell you about it.

It happened like this: one quiet Prague evening, sitting over a glass of beer, a rich and very influential councilor of the magistrate named Bilek attacked the local artist Matej Gutsky from Krišvoklat. He did this not because he was an expert in art, but rather because he imagined that everything was allowed to him. This is not surprising, because the influence of this man could only be matched by his enormous fortune. The artist silently endured all the insults, but did not even think of coming to terms with them. The magistrate's councilor accused Gutsky of being unable to convey the resemblance, and that only the Flemings could do it. The artist was at that time working on an altar for the Church of St. Benedict, and taking advantage of the opportunity, he painted Judas in “The Last Supper” who resembled Bilek like two peas in a pod. A huge scandal broke out. The case even went to court, but Gutsky lost nothing. He only had to correct the image of Judas, and the famous official was forever covered in shame.

The first mention of this building has reached us from the 14th century - an ancient house “with a cooking right”. Recent research by archaeologists has discovered masonry in the basements of this building dating back to the 13th or even 12th century. The history of this building remembers one extremely unusual event: during the coronation of Leopold II in 1791, the latter decided to visit this house in order to listen to a lecture by Joseph Dobrowski, which was taking place at that time in the university auditorium.

Now let’s pay attention to the Old Town Square, as well as the buildings surrounding it. First of all, the gaze stops at Storch's house standing on the corner. It is richly decorated with various frescoes by Mikulas Ales. During the hostilities that unfolded in Prague in May 1945, the Nazis greatly damaged the building. On those same days, they burned part of the Old Town Hall and destroyed the chimes. Then the square itself suffered. However, now the Storch house has its former appearance, as well as the chimes. Only an empty space near the town hall reminds of the heroism of the defenders and the barbarity of the fascists.

The building located near Storch's house has a curious name. "At the White Horse", which in Czech sounds like “U bilego konička.” Sometimes they say to it “U the golden unicorn” (“U the golden unicorn”). As we can see, the fashion of giving houses numbers is inherent to a greater extent in our time, and then real names were assigned to houses. The White Horse House was not quite ordinary, since several different styles were mixed here. The basements of this building were made in the Romanesque style, the arch was in the Gothic style, and the decoration of the facade was in the Baroque style. In the past century, the music school of Berdjich Smetana was located within the walls of this building.

Aesthetic experts say that Prague's beauty is based on its quirky mixture of different architectural styles, which blends wonderfully with the city's rugged terrain. According to these same experts, only a few European cities can compare with the Czech capital in this regard. The creations of the Romanesque era in this city remained, perhaps, only underground. This is due to the following: after the construction of the first dams, the level of the Vltava began to rise, and, accordingly, the Old Place began to flood. Residents saved themselves by creating embankments, thus raising residential floors. The result was that all the first floors, at that time Romanesque in style, ended up underground, that is, they turned into magnificent vaulted cellars. The Romanesque style in such places is perfectly preserved to this day, recalling the existence of that era. If you would like to visit such a cellar, take a look at the Bindru wine cellar. He is in house "At the Blue Star". When you find yourself in the cellar, go down the stairs to the Knights' Hall. Almost three quarters of a millennium have passed since the construction of this room, so it can be called a kind of micro-museum of architecture. Don’t ignore the opportunity to visit here, because this is the oldest wine cellar in the capital!

However, the ancient underground establishments do not end there, since in the same building there is another equally interesting basement, formed in a most amazing way. During the creation of embankments that saved townspeople from flooding, the Romanesque first floor, like many others, became a basement, although before that the building already had a Gothic basement. Thus, in this place, architectural eras are literally turned upside down. This basement, the lowest, receives visitors, as does the Knights' Hall. To enter here, you will have to go around the building from the street, since the basement belongs to the wine cellar "At the Golden Jug".

The Royal Road, or Royal Route (Královská cesta) takes pride of place in tourist guides and includes most of the most popular historical sites and. However, the Royal Road is not only one of the favorite and most beautiful tourist routes, it is also a route of important historical and cultural value, and for many it represents a real symbol of Old Prague.

A little history of the Royal Road

The Royal Road is the name given to the route followed for centuries by processions of the Czech nobility to crown a new monarch in . The coronation of the first Czech sovereign took place in June 1086, then Prince Vratislav II ascended the throne, and for the next eight centuries all Czech monarchs were crowned during a solemn mass in the spiritual center of the kingdom -.

Statue of King Charles IV

King Charles IV, based on Czech customs and traditions, created for himself and all his successors the “Coronation Code of Czech Kings”, according to which all future monarchs on the eve of the coronation had to bow to the founder of the Přemyslid dynasty and pray in the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, and the next day The coronation procession was supposed to go to Prague Castle. In the festive procession, among the gold and red clothes of the nobility, the figure of the future king had to stand out strongly: he was dressed in simple clothes so that everyone would remember that the greatness of the Czech king originated from Přemysl the Plowman, the king of peasant blood.

However, with the advent of the Habsburg dynasty to the Czech throne in the mid-15th century, the tradition of starting the coronation procession in Visegrad was abandoned. One of the reasons was the reluctance of the Habsburgs to honor their Premyslid predecessors. A crowded procession began to leave the Royal Court, located at that time not far from the present one. In the following centuries, almost all the monarchs of the Czech lands began their coronation processions here.

Route "Royal Road"

So, the Royal Road begins at the Royal Court, that is, at the modern Republic Square, and past the Powder Tower it goes along the street to. At the Old Town Hall from the Royal Road turns to the Lesser Square and follows Charles Street, and then through to. After the Charles Bridge along Mostetskaya Street, the Royal Road comes out, climbs along and turns onto Uvoz Street. Having risen to Pohořelec Square, the Royal Road turns onto Loretanska Street, and then exits and enters Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral.

Route “Royal Road: the path of the Czech kings”.

Historical and cultural significance of coronation processions

Modern man is skeptical about pomp and splendor. We are always in a hurry and it is not easy for us to understand what the coronation meant for our ancestors. The coronation of a new sovereign was a very important event in people's lives, and from the point of view of public perception of the monarch, perhaps the most important. The king not only took over the management of the country with all the royal rights and responsibilities, but, at the same time, confirmed the integrity of the country; he, as it were, entered into a vassal agreement with the people and confirmed all the existing rights of the inhabitants and the entire state.

The festivities surrounding the coronation were consistent with the importance of the event. The city streets along the route of the coronation procession were decorated with precious carpets and fabrics hung from the windows, people welcomed the king and threw flowers and small coins onto the procession, this custom promised to bring prosperity and wealth under the rule of the new monarch. Representatives of the city authorities greeted the king with speeches, members of guilds and churches, students and soldiers introduced themselves to the sovereign during the frequent stops of the procession, and in Prague Castle the monarch was greeted by the best representatives of the provincial administration from the high and low nobility. The entire event was usually accompanied by the ringing of bells, music, singing, volleys of weapons, poetry concerts and theatrical performances.