| Having become one of Europe's most popular | | | | southern wall of the Old Town City Hall. Also |
| holiday destinations since the end of the Cold | | | | known as the "Prague Orloj", the Astronomical |
| War, Prague is now considered by many as being | | | | Clock is said to date back to 1410 and is one of |
| overrun with stag parties and hen weekends. | | | | many astronomical clocks that were constructed |
| However, this image overlooks the inherent | | | | during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; |
| cultural and scenic beauty of Prague that made it | | | | other examples of which can be found in |
| such a superb holiday destination in the first place. | | | | Strasbourg, Padua and even Norwich. |
| Whether you're just after the cheap beer or you | | | | Also found in Prague's Old Town Square is a |
| want to immerse yourself in the sights, there's | | | | statue of the religious reformer, Jan Hus. Hus was |
| one place in the Czech Republic's stunning capital | | | | an important fourteenth century Czech thinker, |
| that's sure to leave you breathless - the Old | | | | philosopher and religious reformer whose |
| Town Square. | | | | teachings were considered heretical by the |
| The Old Town of Prague resides in the city's | | | | Roman Catholic Church at the time. His |
| UNESCO-protected historic quarter and was the | | | | condemnation and resultant execution by burning |
| original place of settlement in Prague before the | | | | at the stake in 1415 made him a martyr to the |
| New Town was built in the fifteenth century. The | | | | Protestant cause and a key influence on Martin |
| Old Town Square in Prague forms its centre and | | | | Luther King. Every July 6th, the Czech Republic |
| is one of the city's most visited attractions. | | | | celebrates Jan Hus Day and the statue of him in |
| Located between Wenceslas Square (the centre | | | | Old Town Square was erected in 1915 to mark |
| of the New Town) and Charles Bridge, which | | | | the 500th anniversary of his death. |
| crosses the Vlata River, the Old Town Square is | | | | Prague's Old Town Square isn't just all history, |
| streaming with tourists in the summer and plays | | | | however. Today, many important Czech hockey |
| host to Prague's popular Christmas market and its | | | | and football matches are shown on big screens in |
| New Year's celebrations in winter. | | | | the square and the area is enveloped in a flurry |
| Among the Square's most prominent attractions | | | | of activity when the clock strikes midnight on |
| are the gothic Tyn Cathedral, which has occupied | | | | New Year's Eve. And with so many flights to |
| the site since 1256 and St Nicholas' Church, an | | | | Prague departing from the UK on a regular basis, |
| example of Prague's ecclesiastical architecture that | | | | there's no reason not to visit. After all, you might |
| dates back to the baroque period. By far the | | | | not be able to shake-off the tourists, but there's |
| most popular feature of the Old Town Square is | | | | no reason you won't succeed in losing yourself in |
| the Prague Astronomical Clock, a medieval | | | | Prague's historic wonders. |
| astronomical clock that's mounted on the | | | | |