On the left bank of the Vltava River is Petřín, a hill 327 meters high. The hill is forested, has some Prague sights and belongs to the recreational area of the city.
We set out and explored the Petřín. In any case there is a lot to discover.
Memorial to the victims of communism
At the foot of the Petřín hill you pass a very interesting monument before reaching the valley station of the funicular.
Five emaciated men, half men stand there at the foot of the Petřín. In 2002 the work of the Czech sculptor Olbram Zoubek and the architects Jan Kerel and Zdeněk Hölzel was unveiled. What is special about the figures is that they dissolve further and further away from you. The first figure is still complete, although very lean. Little by little they lose limbs, the body seems to disappear.
In the center of the memorial runs a strip with many numbers. These numbers show the estimated number of victims of communism in Czechoslovakia. A memorial stone with a plaque commemorates the victims.
I am impressed by the monument, it has touched me very much.
High above the city on the Petřín
If you leave the top station of the funicular after the short ride, you will find yourself on the Petřín. There is a lot to discover up here. For example, a historical labyrinth of mirrors (dating from 1891) and the St. Laurentius Church.
The small church was already built in the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the 18th century in baroque style. The church is dedicated to St. Lawrence and is the cathedral church of the bishop of the Old Catholic Church in the Czech Republic.
You can visit the church, it is said she is beautiful inside.
Observation tower
From the church it is only a few steps to the observation tower Petřín.
It is one of the main attractions on the Prague Hill and attracts many visitors.
If you would like to know more about this unusual tum, you can read about it in our article “Viewing tower Petřín“.
Our next destination was the somewhat unnoticed part of the Petřín.
Petřín – off the beaten track
The Štefánik Observatory is an observatory that aims to make astronomy understandable to everyone. In front of the building there is a statue of Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a Slovak astronomer, right next to a sundial.
The observatory offers events that are popular with the people of Prague.
From the observatory we went to the beautiful rose garden, which was created on the Petřín. A beguiling scent of flowers passed through our noses and on a bench you can find some peace in the hustle and bustle on the mountain.
Free viewpoint on the Petřín
After our visit to the Rosengarten, we set off again to walk down the Petřín
At first the path led us to a great free viewpoint. On a small bridge, which runs directly over the rails of the funicular, it is worth stopping. Not only a great view of the moving railways, but also a fantastic view of the valley awaits you there.
Afterwards you can follow the partly quite steep but well developed paths into the valley. The paths are serpentine and there are always turn-offs to make a new path possible. During our walk downhill we passed a small lake. It was a dreamy little place which we only had to share with the ducks and a sea lion.
It is worthwhile to visit Petřín a little away from the famous tower.
Leave a Reply