This video is all about Prague.
A city so choc-a-bloc full of history,
picture perfect architecture
and arts and culture
that it’s become a very popular spot for visitors from all around the world.
I wanted to make a video about the more hidden parts of Prague.
Places that are so tucked away you would never find them, or they’re hidden in plain sight such that
you could just stroll by without even realizing it.
I love making these kinds of videos and have more coming
so if you enjoy seeing the more hidden parts of a place, don’t forget to subscribe.
Don’t get me wrong though, some of the more popular spots in Prague are definitely worth visiting too.
So before getting into hidden Prague, there are just a few I want to mention.
Of course there’s the main square in the centre of town
with buildings so colourful and gorgeous
that my inner luddite thanks god for digital cameras
so you can take a bajillion photos without running out of film.
Prague is so photogenic that it could easily bankrupt you or, me at least, if I had a film camera.
The astronomical clock is nearby the square and it serves as a good reminder
that even though Prague’s narrow alleyways and cathedrals
and that well preserved skyline might seem frozen in time,
that the city is very much still ticking.
The clock has been measuring the passing of time since 1410.
The clock measures time in more ways than one -
not only does it track the hour, it also has a calendar that notes the days of the week,
the month and the year as well as a zodiac ring
that shows the path of the sun and moon through the sky.
To see the clock in all its glory,
don’t miss seeing it strike the hour when you’ll get to see a little show.
And the marking of time is a major theme in Prague
because they also have an enormous metronome installed on the other side of the river.
It’s 23 meters tall.
So big that you can see it swing dutifully back and forth from quite a distance.
The location of the metronome is also significant
because it’s where a statue of Stalin used to stand watch over the city.
Now the metronome serves as a clear reminder of Prague’s not-so-distant history
and the enormous change that time can bring.
The nearby Charles Bridge is one of the most iconic sites in Prague and there’s very good reason.
It’s over 500 meters long and it’s been bridging the river since construction on it finished in 1402.
Brave the other visitors, there are lots of them and pickpockets
and walk across feeling very thankful
that the bridge tower no longer displays severed heads
as it did during a particularly violent bohemian uprising in 1621.
Across the bridge across from the old town is Prague Castle,
which I enjoyed because it’s a gigantic complex of buildings and laneways
and it makes it easy to believe you’ve stepped back in the long history of the castle.
It’s the largest ancient castle in the entire world
and the best part to me is that you can walk around the grounds for free without buying an entry ticket.
It’s also a fantastic place to get an amazing view of the old town on the opposite side of the river.
Those are a handful of some of my favourite well-known spots in Prague
and I just couldn’t make a video about the city without at least giving them a quick mention.
So now onto the more hidden spots that don’t get as much attention,
some of which you can literally stare at on the street without anyone else taking notice.
The first spot is for all my fellow book lovers and bibliophiles.
If you’re like me and jump at the chance to visit bookstores and libraries, then this is perfect.
It’s a giant tunnel made of 8000 books located inside the front entrance of the Prague Municipal Library.
The tunnel measure more than 5 meters high and 2 in diameter
but the best part is that because of two mirrors installed on either end,
when you look inside it appears that the tunnel is infinite.
You can look up and down and all you see is this glorious tunnel of books
and I can just imagine falling down it like Alice in Wonderland
and arriving in a new world that you can only reach through the pages of a good book.
Speaking of books, Prague is a city full of salutes to Franz Kafka who was born there
and one of the absolute best is a moving sculpture of Kafka’s head that looms large at 11 meters tall.
The head is made up of 42 layers that move around and around and around
until they briefly reveal the proper physical form of Kafka’s head before breaking up again.
This is one of my favourite installations I’ve ever seen.
It’s instantly relatable to anyone who’s ever felt like their mind is spinning around
torn to pieces like this and I think it’s a very fitting tribute to Kafka and his inner torment.
Outside the Franz Kafka Museum tucked into a cute little courtyard,
you’ll find another animated sculpture.
This one keeps a sense of humour and it’s a little controversial.
It’s a fountain of two men made out of bronze holding their penny whistles,
which spout a constant stream of pee.
The statues swivel and the stream of pee is actually programmed to write out Czech literary quotes.
You can interrupt the quotes, however, if you’d like by texting a number that goes straight to the fountain
and instructs the statues to spell out your text message.
And you might think that the controversy comes from statues peeing out messages
but it’s actually more about the shape of the fountain basin itself.
It’s shaped like a map of the Czech Republic, which means that those men
are peeing on the country itself.
This is not the only mocking art you’ll find in Prague either.
Another excellent example is hidden in a passageway of the Lucerna Palace.
Prague is full of these passageways where you’ll find shops and places to eat
and they’re worth exploring because you might find a gem like this.
It’s a man proudly riding an upside down dead horse hanging from the ceiling.
It’s a completely ridiculous and very provocative image
that pokes fun at a famous statue of King Wenceslas in nearby Wenceslas Square.
The same artist is responsible for something so hidden
that I stood on the street looking up at it and nobody else stopped.
It’s a sculpture of Sigmund Freud hanging off of a long pole dangling above a busy street.
It’s very lifelike and it’s quite disconcerting to see because at first you think it’s a real person.
I saw it at night which made it extra difficult to spot
but it’s a fun feeling to stand in a crowd and see something no one else takes notice of.
Prague is full of narrow streets but I found one so small
that a traffic light has been installed to direct foot traffic.
The passageway leads down to a restaurant and there’s only enough space for one direction to walk at a time.
You press a button like a crosswalk and wait for the light to turn from red to green.
It’s definitely not the easiest for moms with carriages or dads carrying the kids behind the carriages.
I thought it was really fun and it’s got to be one of Prague’s cheapest thrills.
Not too far away in a nondescript street is the Lennon Wall,
which has been a place for Beatles-inspired graffiti
since the first image of John Lennon was painted after his death in 1980.
The police tried to whitewash it many times but people just kept coming back.
And now it’s a place for graffiti of peace, love and lyrics.
You’ll find candles along the wall,
people taking selfies with it,
or asking people like me to take a photo for them
and musicians playing.
I’ll let you guess what the music is.
If you’re in Prague and want a souvenir that’s unique and cool and made in the Czech Republic,
then you need to go to Botas 66 for a pair of sneakers.
The walls are covered in yellow boxes and it would be easy to walk by the shop
without knowing the history behind these Czech shoes.
Botas was a sport shoe brand in Czechoslovakia
that created an iconic sneaker in 1966 called the Botas Classic,
hence the name of the store, Botas 66.
The shoes got a reboot in 2008 by two designers who wanted to bring back the shoes
and make them over into cool streetwear.
They’re super popular now and come in all sorts of designs and colours.
It’s definitely a unique piece of history that you can take home on your feet.
Thanks so much for watching!
I hope you enjoyed this tour around Prague and some of its more hidden nooks and crannies.
I’d love to hear what your favourite places in Prague are
and if you happen to know of any more of Prague’s secret gems that you don’t mind sharing,
that would be amazing so please make sure to leave a comment.
Like the video if you enjoyed it and remember to subscribe for more travel videos.