Petrin Hill

The Petrin hill (formerly one of King Charles' vineyards) offers beautiful views of Prague and several attractions for adults and childrens.

It rises some 130 m above the left bank of the Vltava River. The hill, almost entirely covered with parks, is a favorite recreational area for the inhabitants of Prague. The hill is easily recognizable by the Petrin Observation tower that is a small version of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

You can climb the tower for views and enjoy some other activities while up at Petřín. The green hill that stretches down into Malá Strana has something to offer any type of visitor. To get to the top of the hill, you can either walk (very pleasant, passing through gardens ) or take the funicular ( from Ujezd street in Mala Strana, for the cost of a normal tram ticket ). If you walk, you can stop by the statue of Karel Hynek Mácha, the great Czech romantic poet.

Major sights of Petrin hill :

Petrin lookout tower:
In 1889, members of The Club of Czech Tourists visited world exposition in Paris and got inspired by the Eifel Tower.

Later, they collected a sufficient amount of money and in March 1891 the building of the tower started. It was finished in only 4 months, was built in 1891 for the Jubilee Exhibition. Was used as an observation tower as well as a transmission tower. In 1999, the tower was completely renovated. The two observation platforms are accessible via lifts and stairs. The tower is 60m tall, this is not particularly high, but sits on the top of Petrin hill, overlooking the whole of Prague. The view from the top is awesome and well worth the visit, on a clear day it is possible to see the highest peak in the Czech Republic, Snezka, which is 150km from the tower.

Mirror Maze :
The Mirror Labyrinth is a very interesting building, something like a miniature Castle and it is situated on the Petrin Hill, next to the Petrin Tower.

It is a remaining of the Former Prague Exhibition Grounds from 1891. There is a hall of mirrors to explore (a small entrance fee applies). Kids will have fun getting lost and ogling their weird reflections in the Mirror Maze.

Hunger Wall :
The Hunger Wall, or Hladova zed, is another feature of Petrin hill that should not be overlooked. The wall, commissioned by King Karel IV in 1361, was created to provide work for the poor and unemployed during the famine. Is several miles long.

Petrin funicular :
The funicular that goes to the top of Petřín starts on Újezd street and runs every 10 to 15 minutes. You will need a public transportation ticket, which you can buy right there if needed. Lane Size: 510 m, Number of Station: 3, Number of Wagons: 2 Originally water-powered but replaced with electricity in 1932 - was built at the same time as the Petrin tower, but has suffered even greater neglect, finally reopening in 1985.

Stefanik´s Observatory :
The observatory was opened on June 24th, 1928. The observatory has three domes and one observation lodge. The domes are named according to their approximate position in the building (Western, Main and Eastern). Nowadays the observatory specializes above all in popularization of astronomy and related natural sciences. Undoubtedly the most interesting thing the observatory can offer are public daytime and nighttime observations of the sky which are run whenever the weather is suitable during the whole year.

Rose Garden ( Ruzova zahrada ) :
Don't forget to stroll through the beautiful, fragrant rose garden - a real treat! The garden area of 5.6 hectares large is enclosed by the marvellous perimeter walls of the City Baroque fortification built in 17th and 18th centuries and the Hungry Wall. The Rose Garden can be found at the very summit of the Petřín Hill and is accessible by means of a ride by the funicular from Újezd.

St Lawrence Church:
On top of the Petrin hill next to the view-tower stands the single-aisle baroque church of St. Laurence. First historical account about the church comes from the year 1135. This Church restored here the tradition of St. Laurence’s pilgrimages including pilgrimages around the chapels of Calvary. The contemporary appearance of the St. Laurence Church boasts three tower-like structures.

St Michael Church
The wooden church consecrated to St. Michael is situated in the upper part of Kinského garden on Petřín hill. Originally the church was built in the second half of the 17th century in the village of Velké Loučky near Mukačevo (today’s Zakarpatska Ukraine). The church was given to the Prague City and transferred in 1929. The transfer was financed by the National Museum with support of the Minister of education and national enlightenment.

Memorial to the victims of Communism :
22nd May 2002, the first memorial to victims of the Communist regime was unveiled in Prague. It consists of a line of quite scary statues representing different phases of a human figure’s destruction. Located at the base of Petrin Hill.