Old Town Square in Prague provides many of the picturesque images you’ll have seen of the city. It’s a beautiful cobbled space surrounded by historic and attractive buildings and dominated by the incredible gothic towers of the Tyn Church on one side and the Old Town City Hall on the other. Wandering around the square is like stepping back in time. Much of what you see hasn’t changed for centuries. There are shops here of course, but for us the joy of this square was the buildings themselves. The Old Town Hall is now the tourist information office, so we’d recommend calling in. You can also then pay to climb the tower for stunning views of the square.
The photo below was taken at the foot of the Old Town Hall tower looking away from the Tyn Cathedral. This is just one of many open areas that lead away from the square along the various thoroughfares. As such the shape the Old Town Square is actually really irregular, due mainly to the buildings being constructed at different times. There’s easily 700 years of visible history in the square though. Other highlights in square include the famous Astronomical Clock which is located on the wall of the Old Town Hall and the statue right in the centre of religious reformer Jan Hus, who was burned at the stake for his beliefs.
At many times of the year, you’ll find markets and fairs in the square, notably at Christmas time. We enjoyed sipping a hot Glühwein and wandering around the various craft stalls. On any visit to Prague, you’ll find yourself pottering around this square regularly. It really is a great place to hang out.
LOCATION & MAP
Address: Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), Old Town, Prague, Czech Republic
MORE ON PRAGUE OLD TOWN SQUARE
Hotels near the Old Town Square – Great deals from Hotels.com
Old Town Square – Wikipedia
Prague Guide Books – Amazon.co.uk