Karlovo Square (Karlovo namesti) is the largest square in the Czech Republic. The whole central part of the square is occupied with a park. The square is surrounded by buildings interesting from a historical point of view.
Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square)
In the northern part of the square you can see the New Town Hall (Novoměstská radnice) the construction of which started in 1348.
Over centuries it has served as a court, a prison and the administrative centre of Prague’s New Town Quarter, or “Nové Město”. The building got its final modern appearance in 1905. The last reconstruction was carried out in 1996.
New Town Hall (Novoměstská radnice)
In the middle of the western part of the square there is the Church of Saint Ignatius (Kostel sv. Ignáce). It was constructed between 1665 and 1677. On the top of the church face you can see the statue of of St. Ignatius with the aureole surrounding the saint´s body.
Church of Saint Ignatius
Near the southwest corner of the square you can see the well-known Faust House. It is connected with dozens of various legends and mysteries, stories about alchemists, mysterious deaths, skeletons of cats found walled up in the bottom of the building after American air attacks. Apart from connection with mysteries, Faust House is a small medieval building that currently contains a pharmacy, offices and accommodations.
Faust House (Faustuv Dum)
A few dozen meters south of Karlovo namesti you can see the Emauzy Monastery. It’s an ancient building in foundation of which Charles IV took part in 1372. The building was partially destroyed during World War II.
An ancient building of Emauzy Monastery
During the reconstruction of the building white concrete bell towers were added to it. Due to those towers the monastery became easily recognizable. After the monastery we made our way toward Vltava River embankment.
