On our third day in Prague, we set out to explore Mala Strana and Prague Castle (Pražský Hrad).
Our hotel was in the Jewish Quarter, so on our way to Charles Bridge (Karlův most), we came across a few interesting statues and art pieces. First up was the statue of Franz Kafka. Kafka, who lived in Prague, has his own museum here, along with several art pieces dedicated to him scattered around the city. The statue is just as weird and surreal as his books.
As we got closer to Charles Bridge, down one of the narrow streets, we spotted another David Černý piece—“Hanging Man.” It’s a statue of Sigmund Freud, casually hanging from a pole high above the street. The story goes that it represents Freud’s struggle with his own fear of death and letting go.
After crossing Charles Bridge, we found ourselves in Mala Strana. One of the spots every travel blog mentioned was the John Lennon Wall—a symbol of love, peace, and resilience. It’s covered in Lennon-inspired graffiti, Beatles lyrics, and messages about various causes. But honestly, it’s kind of a mess. There’s graffiti on top of graffiti, and a ton of tourists all trying to snap a photo with the Lennon artwork. It wasn’t really worth the hassle.
On our way to Prague Castle, we couldn’t resist stopping by a puppet and marionette shop. The dolls were absolute masterpieces—so detailed and beautifully made. They’d make the perfect souvenir from Czechia… if it weren’t for the price!
When we finally made it to Prague Castle, we were greeted by a crowd—it was almost noon, and everyone was waiting for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. The full ceremony, complete with a fanfare and flag ritual, happens every day at 12:00 in the first courtyard.
Without the crowd, the place felt more intriguing. What caught my attention were the sculptures above the entrance to Prague Castle—quite intense and violent! I was a bit disappointed to learn that these giants above the Matthias Gate are allegorical figures rather than representations of specific mythological or historical characters.
Prague Castle was founded in 9th century and is not just a single structure but a sprawling complex that has evolved over centuries. It is one of the largest castles in the world, stretching over 70,000 square meters. The complex includes palaces, churches, gardens, courtyards, and historical buildings.
We decided not to go inside the complex—there was a massive line for tickets, and the entrance queue was just as bad. Plus, the heat was intense. So, we opted to wander around the courtyard and escape to the shade of the gardens. It was a much-needed break from the heat and the crowd. One of the coolest things we found there was the bricked tunnel running under the castle’s gate.
The bricked tunnel under the gate of Prague Castle is part of the old fortifications and moat that originally surrounded the castle for defensive purposes. This area, known as the Stag Moat (Jelení příkop), historically served as a natural defense, and the tunnel itself allowed for movement between different parts of the complex without being exposed to potential threats from outside.
After a short break in the gardens, we decided to wrap up our walk around Mala Strana by hunting down a few more of David Černý’s art pieces.
Our first stop was at the Kafka Museum garden, where we found one of David Černý’s most odd works—the two peeing men. It’s two bronze figures peeing into a fountain shaped like the Czech Republic.
Next up were giant crawling babies in the park. These huge bronze sculptures of faceless babies crawling around are both strange and creepy.
Before leaving the neighborhood, we checked out the narrowest street I’ve ever seen. It’s so tight that they’ve actually put up a traffic light! Seriously, it’s so narrow that only one person can pass through at a time. Turns out it’s actually a tiny path leading to a restaurant with a fantastic view of the Vltava River.
The last thing on our agenda before wrapping up the day was checking out the Beer Museum. It’s a pretty small place, packed with posters detailing the history of beer. It’s super interesting if you’re into reading about it, but if you’re not, there’s not much else to see. The exhibit ends in a cellar where you can taste three different beers. After a long day of exploring, we were exhausted and thirsty, so that beer tasted like absolute heaven!
Prague is beautiful during the day, but at night it turns into something truly special. The soft lights make the streets feel magical, and the reflections on the Vltava River only add to the charm.
