“They call this the city of a hundred spires,” the guide told me as we walked the cobblestones of Old Town. But the truth is, there’s more. A lot more. Estimates vary, but Prague probably has between 500 and 1,000 towers, steeples, and other lovely spires reaching into the sky.
The capital of the Czech Republic is, in so many ways, a living, breathing, open-air museum. Spared most of the bombing that devastated so many other historic European cities during the Second World War, much of the medieval and baroque architecture here has been preserved. But it’s not just the buildings.
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Over the course of perhaps a dozen visits, I’ve learned that Prague’s a city that rewards those who wander. Where you can find so many wonders, away from the crush of the crowds. So, yes, start with the main attractions. Go to Old Town Square, and marvel at the Astronomical Clock and its procession of the 12 apostles. Ride to the top of the Old Town Hall Tower and enjoy sweeping views. A visit to the square at dusk or after dark is particularly dramatic. The twin gothic towers of the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn rise more than 250 feet over the crowds—they also glow slightly ominously.
Tim Johnson
Author
Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson is always traveling in search of the next great story. Having visited 140 countries across all seven continents, he’s tracked lions on foot in Botswana, dug for dinosaur bones in Mongolia, and walked among a half-million penguins on South Georgia Island. He contributes to some of North America’s largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.
