Bohemian Prague Legends & Fun Facts

Bohemian Prague Legends & Fun Facts

In the heart of Europe lies a city shaped by emperors, authors and artists. With its gothic exuberance, 19th-century opulence and 20th-century modernism, Prague truly is a city like no other. From graffiti walls to shocking beer facts, here are the legends and facts you never knew about this glorious European capital.

  1. Prague Castle is the largest in the world. The 130-metre wide medieval castle, 70,000m2 land is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Prague Castle spans an impressive 18 acres and is home to stunning cathedrals, chapels, royal palaces and gorgeous ornamental gardens.
  2. The Rolling Stones liked the Prague Castle so much that $32,000 later, their stage light technician created the lighting of the castle, still in use today.
  3. Charles Bridge, connects the city’s Old Town to Mala Strana over the Vltava River, was built in the 1300s. It is said to be haunted by ghosts whose heads ended up on nearby spikes.
  4. The Charles Bridge has some rather mathematical significance. Former Czech king Charles IV laid the first stone of the bridge at precisely 5.31am on July 9, 1357. The king was so into astrology and numerology that he chose this date because of its written form: 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1.
  5. Charles Square was once the largest town square in the whole of medieval Europe.
  6. Vltava River is the longest in the Czech Republic.
  7. Astronomical Clock Tower: an exact replica of the Astronomical Clock can be seen in the Hongdae district of Seoul in South Korea!
  8. Every hour the Prague Astronomical Clock strikes: a whole procession sets off including the 12 Apostles and Death and finishing off with a golden rooster crowing. The clock gives accurate information about: Day of the Year, Zodiac Signs, and Medieval Perception of the Universe with the Earth in its center.
  9. Prague Is Home to the World’s Second Ugliest Building: Zizkov Tower building, tall and grey structure. It has statues of climbing babies on it. Czech artist David Cerny was said to disrupt Prague’s medieval skyline.
  10. The Petrin Lookout Tower stands atop Petrin Hill – climb the 299 stairs and admire the best views. Called TV Tower, it has a one-room hotel with an amazing view over Prague from 70 m.
  11. The narrowest street in Prague (Vinarna Certovka) is barely 50 cm wide and has its own traffic light, which prevents pedestrians from meeting in the middle. (Mala Strana, Hlavni Mesto, Praha)
  12. The city’s famous Dancing House was inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Designed in collaboration with Canadian-American Frank Gehry and Croatian-Czech Vlado Milunić, the building symbolizes yin and yang.
  13. Beer Spa: you can BATHE IN BEER and drink unlimited amounts! Apparently the high oil content in the beer helps open pores, gives a glowing appearance, improves immunity, stimulates metabolism and eases stress.
  14. Locals drink more beer per capita than any other nation in the world (Pilsner). Each Pragueite consumes roughly 155 liters of beer a year!
  15. The sculpture of the hanging man depicts the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud and can be found in the Prague Old Town.
  16. There is a graffiti wall devoted to John Lennon. Since 1980, it’s been repainted numerous times and is laced in graffiti lyrics from Lennon and The Beatles…
  17. Karlovy Lázně Night Club in the city centre, is central Europe’s largest club