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Church of Sts Peter & Paul
The Church of Sts Peter & Paul has been built and rebuilt over the centuries, culminating in a neo-Gothic work-over by Josef Mocker in the 1880s. The twin steeples, a distinctive feature of the Vyšehrad skyline, were added in 1903. The interior is a swirling acid trip of colour
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Underground Plzeň
This extraordinary tour explores the passageways below the old city. The earliest were probably dug in the 14th century, perhaps for beer production or defence; the latest date from the 19th century. Of an estimated 11km that have been excavated, some 500m of tunnels are open to th
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Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce
Telčs stunning town square is a tourist attraction in its own right. Most houses here were built in Renaissance style in the 16th century after a fire levelled the town in 1530. Some facades were given baroque facelifts in the 17th and 18th centuries, but the overall effect is harm
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Olšany Cemetery
Huge and atmospheric, Prague’s main burial ground was founded in 1680 to handle the increased deaths during a plague epidemic. Jan Palach , the student who set himself on fire in January 1969 to protest the Soviet invasion, is buried here. To find his grave, enter the main gate (fl
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White Mountain
The 381m-high White Mountain – more of a gentle hillock, actually – on the western outskirts of Prague was the site of the 1620 collapse of Protestant military forces that ended Czech independence for almost 300 years. The only reminder of the battle is a small memorial cairn locat
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Holy Trinity Column
The towns pride and joy is this 35m-high (115ft) baroque sculpture that dominates the square and is a popular meeting spot for local residents. The trinity column was built between 1716 and 1754 and is allegedly the biggest single baroque sculpture in Central Europe. In 2000 the co
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Lesser Fortress
The best way to see Terezín’s Lesser Fortress is to take a self-guided tour through the prison barracks, isolation cells, workshops and morgues, past execution grounds and former mass graves. The Nazis’ mocking concentration camp slogan, Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Makes You Free), han
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Hluboká Chateau
This delightful noble confection is the goal of one of the most popular day trips from České Budějovice. The castle dates from the 13th century, but it changed hands several times until it landed in Schwarzenberg brood in the 17th century. The English Tudor face it wears today was
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Sedlec Ossuary
When the Schwarzenbergs purchased Sedlec monastery in 1870 they allowed a local woodcarver to get creative with the bones piled in the crypt (the remains of around 40,000 people), resulting in the remarkable ‘bone church’ of Sedlec Ossuary. Garlands of skulls hang from the vaulted
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Archbishops Chateau
The Unesco-protected Archbishops Chateau dates from the late 17th century and is Kroměříž’s big-ticket sight, with an 84m-high baroque tower visible for miles around. Main attractions include impressive interiors, boasting baroque and rococo murals, as well as the tower, the castle
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Charles Square
With an area of more than seven hectares, Charles Square is the city’s biggest square; it’s more like a small park, really, and was originally the citys cattle market. Presiding over it is the Church of St Ignatius , a 1660s baroque tour de force designed for the Jesuits by Carlo L
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Mělník Chateau
This Renaissance chateau was acquired by the Lobkowicz family in 1739; the family opened it to the public in 1990. You can wander through the former living quarters, which are crowded with a rich collection of baroque furniture and 17th- and 18th-century paintings, on a self-guided
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Italian Court
Just east of St James Church (kostel sv Jakuba; 1330) lies the Italian Court, the former Royal Mint – it gets its name from the master craftsmen from Florence brought in by Wenceslas II to kick-start the business, and who began stamping silver coins here in 1300. The original treas
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Valtice Chateau
Valtice’s 12th-century castle is one of the countrys finest baroque structures, the work of JB Fischer von Erlach and Italian architect Domenico Martinelli. Entry is by guided tour only, with two different tours on offer (in Czech, with English text available). The grounds and gard
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Rudolfinum
Presiding over Jan Palach Square is the Rudolfinum, home to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. This and the National Theatre, both designed by architects Josef Schulz and Josef Zítek, are considered Prague’s finest neo-Renaissance buildings. Completed in 1884, the Rudolfinum served
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TV Tower
Prague’s tallest landmark – and, depending on your tastes, either its ugliest or its most futuristic feature – is the 216m-tall TV Tower, erected between 1985 and 1992. But more bizarre than its architecture are the 10 giant crawling babies that appear to be exploring the outside o
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Wallenstein Palace
Valdštejnské náměstí, a small square northeast of Malostranské náměstí, is dominated by the monumental 1630 palace of Albrecht of Wallenstein , general of the Habsburg armies, who financed its construction with properties confiscated from Protestant nobles he defeated at the Battle
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Slav Island
This island is a sleepy, dog-eared sandbank with pleasant gardens, river views and several jetties where you can hire rowing boats. In the middle stands Žofín , a 19th-century cultural centre that has been restored and opened as a restaurant and social venue. In 1925 the island was
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Royal Garden
A gate on the northern side of Prague Castle leads to the Powder Bridge (Prašný most; 1540), which spans the Stag Moat and leads to the Royal Garden, which started life as a Renaissance garden built by Ferdinand I in 1534. It is graced by several gorgeous Renaissance structures. Th
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Powder Gate
The 65m-tall Powder Gate was begun in 1475 on the site of one of Staré Město’s original 13 gates. The tower above the arch houses exhibitions of medieval weapons and instruments, many of which were used in films shot in Prague, including Van Helsing, Chronicles of Narnia and Blade
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