Old Town, Medieval city center and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Prague, Czech Republic.
Old Town is a medieval city center in Prague with a mix of Gothic churches, Renaissance townhouses, and Baroque facades lining the cobblestone streets and squares. The area stretches from the Old Town Square to the Vltava riverbanks and is marked by fortifications and bridges that define its edges.
Old Town began as a settlement in the 9th century and became a fortified city district from the 13th century onward under royal control. Over centuries it experienced periods of trade prosperity, religious conflicts, and rebuilding under different rulers that shaped its architecture.
The Old Town Square serves as the neighborhood's gathering place, where residents and visitors sit in cafés and the streets fill with conversation and activity. The Astronomical Clock marks the rhythm of the day, drawing crowds to watch the apostle figures emerge on the hour.
The area is well served by metro lines A, B, and C, with Staroměstská and Můstek stations positioned at key squares. Most sites are walkable from each other, and many streets are pedestrian-only or shared with buses, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Within the Jewish Quarter are seven surviving synagogues and a cemetery where graves stack upward due to former space constraints. This layering reveals how a confined community adapted to live and bury their dead over many generations in a restricted area.
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