Did you know? Facts about Prague’s neighbourhoods

Verified facts about the places that give neighbourhoods their face: 19 places, each with a photo, a source and the day we checked it.

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  1991 Žižkov TV Tower

  Prague’s tallest structure is 216 metres high and has broadcast since May 1991. Ten giant babies by David Černý have crawled up it since 2000: made for Chicago originally, Praguers liked them so much they stayed.

  Žižkov, Praha 3 · Source: Tower Park Praha · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  Gorlice in the Vyšehrad casemates

  The Gorlice hall inside the Vyšehrad casemates covers 330 m² under a 13-metre vault. Since the 1990s it has housed six original baroque statues from Charles Bridge, such as Braun’s St Ludmila with the young Wenceslas; copies stand on the bridge.

  Vyšehrad, Praha 2 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1891 Petřín Lookout Tower

  The tower opened on 20 August 1891: members of the Czech Hikers’ Club were taken with the Eiffel Tower at the 1889 Paris World Fair and wanted one above Prague. 299 steps lead to the top.

  Malá Strana, Praha 1 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1973 Nusle Bridge

  The 485-metre bridge opened on 22 February 1973 and metro line C runs inside its deck. For the load test in November 1970, 66 tanks drove onto it.

  Nusle, Praha 4 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1962 The metronome where Stalin stood

  The Letná metronome stands on the plinth of the Stalin monument: the 15.5-metre sculpture group was unveiled on 1 May 1955 and blown up as early as 1962. Praguers called it "the meat queue".

  Holešovice, Praha 7 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  993 Břevnov Monastery

  The oldest male monastery in the Czech lands was founded by Duke Boleslav II and Bishop Adalbert (Vojtěch); its first buildings were consecrated on 14 January 993.

  Břevnov, Praha 6 · Source: Břevnovský klášter · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1932 Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord

  The church by Slovene architect Jože Plečnik on náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad was built in 1928–1932. The clock in its 42-metre tower is 7.6 metres across, the largest in Czechia.

  Vinohrady, Praha 2 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1931 Prague Zoo

  The zoo opened on 28 September 1931 on 24 hectares as an unfinished building site; it was founded by ornithologist Jiří Janda. Today it covers 43 hectares and keeps the international studbook of Przewalski’s horse.

  Troja, Praha 8 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1737 Invalidovna

  The home for war veterans was built by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer in 1731–1737 on the model of Les Invalides in Paris. Only a ninth of the plan was built; it had counted on housing 4,000 invalids with their families.

  Karlín, Praha 8 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1869 Staropramen brewery

  The Smíchov brewery was founded as a joint-stock company in 1869; brewmaster Petr Quaiser brewed the first batch on 1 May 1871. The Staropramen brand was only registered in 1913.

  Smíchov, Praha 5 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1918 Kbely airfield

  The first aircraft took off from Kbely in December 1918, and civil flights followed from 1920. Kbely was the centre of Czechoslovak aviation until Ruzyně opened in 1937; the Aviation Museum has been here since 1968.

  Kbely, Praha 19 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1909 Bohnice Psychiatric Hospital

  The first patients arrived in Bohnice as early as July 1904, and the asylum became an independent institute in 1909. Between 1906 and 1912, 28 treatment pavilions rose on 64 hectares.

  Bohnice, Praha 8 · Source: Psychiatrická nemocnice Bohnice · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1680 Olšany Cemeteries

  The largest cemetery in Czechia began with a plague epidemic: its first part was consecrated on 29 January 1680. About two million people are buried on its 50 hectares.

  Žižkov, Praha 3 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1891 Industrial Palace

  Architect Bedřich Münzberger’s palace was built for the Jubilee Exhibition, which opened on 15 May 1891. The left wing burned down on 16 October 2008; the rebuilding was finished in September 2026.

  Bubeneč, Praha 6 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1963 Hostivař Reservoir

  Prague’s largest body of water was built in 1961–1963 and filled in 1964. At full level it covers 42 hectares; the dam crest is 110 metres long.

  Hostivař, Praha 15 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1930 Villa Müller

  The villa for builder František Müller was designed by Adolf Loos and built by Karel Lhota in 1928–1930. The City of Prague Museum has run it since 1995.

  Střešovice, Praha 6 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  Prague Castle

  According to Guinness World Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world: 570 metres long and 128 metres wide. A fortified settlement stood here as early as the 9th century.

  Hradčany, Praha 1 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1410 Old Town Astronomical Clock

  The clock was built in 1410 by clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň, probably to a design by astronomer Jan Šindel. It is the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest still working; the apostles have appeared on it for certain since 1866.

  Staré Město, Praha 1 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

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  1932 Libeň gasholder

  The spherical gasholder, 20 metres across, was built in 1932 by the Vítkovice ironworks company. Since 1949 it has belonged to the Aerospace Research and Test Establishment and serves as the vacuum vessel of the largest wind tunnel in Czechia.

  Libeň, Praha 8 · Source: Wikipedie · checked 31. 10. 2026

We checked every fact at its source on the day shown and wrote it in our own words. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences, with the author credited.

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