Vladislav Hall, Old Royal Palace, Prague 1
The intricate late Gothic ceiling in Vladislav Hall is the work of Benedikt Rejt, the Norman Foster of his day. Completed in 1500, Vladislav Hall has hosted banquets, councils, coronations and, occasionally, indoor jousting tournaments. The smell must have been… concentrated. Prague’s Old Royal Palace is also the scene of
Riders’ Staircase, Vladislav Hall, Old Royal Palace, Prague
In bad weather, Vladislav Hall did double duty as a stadium for indoor jousting tournaments. That’s why the Riders’ Staircase is wide enough – and tall enough – to admit a knight a horseback. Beats the Astrodome.
Loreta, Prague
Founded in 1626, the Loreta houses a replica of the Santa Casa, the Virgin Mary’s “sacred house”. Scores of these replicas were built in Bohemia as part of the Catholic church’s PR efforts. If you can manage it, arrive on the hour. Then you’ll be able to hear the church’s