Old Town Square

Praque, Czech Republic

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

A small town square that can cater to a number of distinct groups at the same time.

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Why It Works

You could easily and enjoyably spend a whole day here in the heart of Prague watching the comings and goings of happy tourists and locals. Although not a huge square, it caters to a number of distinct groups at the same time. The numerous young people gravitating to Prague sit on the edges of a striking art nouveau fountain while tourists head for a the stalls of a small souvenir market and well-heeled café society types take a seat at the outdoor restaurants in front of a historic Catholic church. And everyone waits for the famous clock to chime at the hour. It’s also the crossroads of the city, with pedestrian links to the nearby Charles Bridge, the famous Jewish quarter, Charles University and the much larger Wenceslas Square.

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User Comments:

06/05/06 Katie Salay said:
This square and the surrounding churches, buildings and town hall are so stunningly beautiful, they could almost be mistaken as recently-built replicas, if you didn’t know they were constructed centuries ago. Unfortunately, the overwhelming touristy atmosphere of the square somehow managed to detract from this authenticity. At first glance, an Easter Market seemed like a wonderful opportunity to buy interesting souvenirs, maybe some locally made crafts, but every stall sold the same assortment of cheap and cheesy souvenir beer steins, key chains and t-shirts. (Incidentally, the market in Wenceslas Square sold exactly the same items.) But the experience of sitting on a bench in the square, enjoying a beer and kielbasa and watching the world go by, was unbeatable.

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