MONUMENTS

Bethlehem Chapel

The Bethlehem Chapel, which is located in the square of the same name, is one of the symbols of the entire Czech state. This is mainly due to the religious reformer and martyr Master Jan Hus. From 1402 to 1413, while he was preaching there, the chapel became very popular. Both nobles and ordinary people were coming to listen to his sermons. The place gradually became a cradle of a reformation movement, which later resulted in the Hussite wars. The original building was erected at the end of the fourteenth century. After Jan Hus's death and the Hussite wars it was a centre of the Utraquist church.

In 1661 it was bought by the Jesuits and transformed into a Catholic church. After the dissolution of the order the chapel was deconsecrated by order of Emperor Josef II and pulled down in 1786. In 1950s it was newly erected based on its original medieval appearance, which was determined on the basis of original depictions. Architect Jaroslav Fragner designed a copy of the original building, while the original elements were incorporated into it. Since 1962 the Bethlehem Chapel has been a national monument.

Old Jewish Cemetery

The Old Jewish Cemetery, which is situated not far from the Old Town Square, was established in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The oldest preserved tombstone is dated from the year 1439. The cemetery had to be enlarged several times, through purchase of adjacent plots. Burying stopped in 1787 when Emperor Josef II in his decree banned burying within inhabited city districts. There are 12,000 tombstones in total.

However, many of them are deposited in bottom layers and other, especially the wooden ones, have been destroyed over the course of time. The best-preserved tombstones are decorated with plastic symbols and signs of families, names, states and professions. Tombstones from the Baroque period are dated the in the form of strange little quadrilateral houses.

Prague is the only place in Europe, where such a great number of them remain preserved. For instance one of the Renaissance-Baroque sarcophagus covers the grave of the most important thinker of the Prague ghetto and chancellor of a Talmud school Rabbi Jehuda Löw. Since 1995 the Jewish cemetery has been a national monument.

Lookout Tower Petřín

On the Petřín hill, at the altitude of 318 metres, there is a replica of the famous Eiffel Tower. The Petřín Lookout Tower is five times smaller than the original and its construction commenced in March 1891. The ceremonial opening of the lookout tower took place only a few months later on 20 August 1891. It has a light eight-sided construction, for which approximately 175 tons of steel was needed. The staircase leading up to the lookout cabin at the height of 51 metres has 299 steps.

There is a magnificent view of the city from the cabin. Thanks to an elevator, the cabin is accessible to handicapped people too. On the ground floor there is an entrance hall, a cafeteria, and an exposition of the Czech Ramblers Club. The underground space is left open, it is possible to see the pillars, on which the lookout tower stands.

Loreto

The name Loreto is derived from an Italian place of pilgrimage, where Santa Casa (Holy Hut), a little house allegedly inhabited by Virgin Mary in Nazareth, is situated. Derived from the Italian pattern of architect Donato Bramante, several more Loretos were built in other Catholic countries. Construction of the Prague Loreto, which can be found close to the Prague Castle, started in 1626. Five years later it was consecrated by cardinal Harrach, but it took several more years to complete it. The Holy Hut, under which is a crypt of the famous Lobkowitz kindred, is situated in the centre of the yard, surrounded by six chapels.

The Hut is decorated with marble bas-reliefs. One of them retells the legend of the transport of the hut. Among the ambit chapels, the chapel of Virgin Mary Sorrowful is the most famous. The oldest sculptural composition of the entire complex – the Gothic „pieta“ from the first half of the fifteenth century, can be found on its main altar. On the side altar there is the crucified St. Starosta with a beard. Legend says that the beard is the result of her prayers, so that the pagan, who was to marry her on her fathers wishes, would take dislike to her.