Prague Travel—Visiting Lobkowicz Palace

A magnificent panoramic view of Prague from Lobkowicz Palace's balcony

Built in the mid-16th century, the Lobkowicz Palace ⭐is one of the most significant cultural sites in the Czech Republic and the only privately owned palace in the Prague Castle complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It was opened to the public for the first time on 2 April 2007 as the Lobkowicz Palace Museum. Set in 22 galleries, the museum displays a selection of pieces from the Lobkowicz Collections, including works by artists such as Antonio Canaletto, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Diego Velázquez, as well as decorative art, military and hunting paraphernalia, musical instruments, and original manuscripts and early prints of composers including Beethoven and Mozart.

Photo Gallery

At the site, it offers a museum including an outdoor balcony featuring a magnificent panoramic view of Prague, a café & restaurant, 1-hour classical music concerts starting at 13:00 on selected days.  I really enjoyed its family narrated audio guide which explores Bohemian and European history through the unique perspective of the Lobkowicz family.  It's really a gem in Prague Castle, which should not be missed out.

The below photos were taken on 04/22/2022—a cloudy day (52H 37L).

Narrated audio guide which explores Bohemian and European history

Prague's Quirkiest Street: Must-See Golden Lane in the Castle

Nestled within Prague Castle, Czech Republic, lies Golden Lane⭐ (Czech: Zlatá ulička). Originally built in the 16th century to house Rudolf II's castle guards, the street acquired its name from the 17th-century goldsmiths who called it home. Initially known as "Goldsmith Lane," it eventually transformed into the captivating "Golden Lane" we know today.

Photo Gallery

Wander through Golden Lane, and let your imagination transport you to another era. Hear the echoes of defenders' boots on the cobblestones, the clatter of the Castle marksman's musket, and the gentle clink of goldsmith's tools in House No. 15. On this crisp April day, with clouds casting long shadows, the past feels closer than ever. Step back in time and discover the stories that whisper from the walls of Golden Lane.

Outside View of Golden Lane

Museum of Medieval Armory

Miscellaneous

Prague Travel—Visiting Vyšehrad

Vyšehrad (Czech for "upper castle") is a historic fort in Prague, Czech Republic, just over 3 km southeast of Prague Castle, on the east bank of the Vltava River. 

It was probably built in the 10th century. Inside the fort are the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Vyšehrad Cemetery, containing the remains of many famous Czechs, such as Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, Karel Čapek, and Alphonse Mucha. It also contains Prague's oldest Rotunda of St. Martin, from the 11th century.

Video 1.  Vyšehrad, Prague (YouTube link)

Hard to Reach without Guide

To reach Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Vyšehrad, it's not straightforward.   For example, my hotel Corinthia Hotel Prague is next to a metro station named Vyšehrad too.  However, I didn't connect two dots together until my last day of visit.  It turned out that it's easier (but not straightforward) to walk from my hotel to the Basilica.

Because of Vyšehrad is located in the hilly region, my Google map app using T-Mobile 2G network was not working.  

The below photo shows one tunnel sometimes you find it on the way to Vyšehrad.

Corinthia Hotel Prague

Photo Gallery 

Without doubt, Vyšehrad is one of the tourist's attractions in Prague not only because of the Basilica, but also it's a good site to view Vltava River and sunset.  The below photos were taken on 04/22/2022 (a cloudy day—68H 48L).

Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul

View of Vltava River from the ridge in Vyšehrad

View of Vltava River from the ridge in Vyšehrad

Inside view of Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul

View of Vltava River from the trail around Vyšehrad

St. Vitus Cathedral: A Must-See for Fans of Gothic Architecture

Prague Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, consists of a large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, from the remains of Romanesque-style buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications of the 14th century. 

One of the gems in the Prague Castle complex is St. Vitus Cathedral⭐:

St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and the most important temple in Prague. Apart from religious services, coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place here. The cathedral is a place of burial of several patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops.

Photo Gallery

The photos below were taken on 04/22/2022, a cloudy day with a high of 52 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 37 degrees Fahrenheit.

The main tower is 102.8 meters or 30 stories high

Side view of St. Vitus Cathedral

References

1. St. Vitus Cathedral