Michael Linder

Live from Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is an extraordinary European city with a remarkable history — the cultural and economic center of the Czech Republic for more than 1,100 years. The webcam is located at the spectacular Pachtuv Palace Hotel [right]. Its primary shot shows the Vltava River with Prague Castle looming above but the camera prowls the cityscape every few minutes. Check your watch when the camera zooms in on Prague’s Astronomical Clock which dates from 1410.

Among the sights broadcast by the webcam…

Prague Castle is the largest castle in the world. Begun in the 9th Century and once home of Czech kings, it’s now the seat of the Republic’s president. St. Vitus Cathedral, housing the Czech crown jewels, is part of the complex.

Charles Bridge is the oldest standing bridge over the Vltava River in Prague. Construction lasted 45 years beginning in 1357. Look for thirty monumental statues lining both sides of the bridge.

St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and most important Prague cathedral, site of the coronation of Czech kings and queens. It was founded by Charles IV in 1344. The Great Tower was completed in 1532.

Petrin Tower was built for the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891. On a clear day, Bohemia can be seen from the 60-meter structure. On a WWII tour of occupied Prague, Adolf Hitler proposed tearing down the tower, thinking it spoiled the view.

St. Nicholas’ Church is probably the most significant building of the new baroque style. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played the organ here, surrounded by sumptuous decorations and frescoes.

Kampa Island, known as Prague’s Venice, is an artificial island first developed with gardens and mills in the 1600s. On the edge of the square is John Lennon Wall where fans light candles every December in his memory.

Church of Our Lady Victorious in the Lesser Karmelitská Street is the first Baroque church in Prague, built by Giovanni Filippi in 1613 and home to the statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague, revered for miraculous healing powers.

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