Nerudova Street, Prague

Nerudova Street, Prague

You'll encounter the picturesque Nerudova Street nestled within the Lesser Town area, and if you're up for a bit of a climb, it promises a fascinating excursion, especially if you have a penchant for collecting house-signs. Formerly the concluding stretch of the "Royal Way", the path of the king's procession preceding his coronation (naturally, he rode a horse rather than scaling the hill), it was more recently named after Jan Neruda, a Czech writer who found inspiration for his stories and essays in this very area.

Before the 18th century, Prague had no system of house numbering, with each building instead identified by a unique name depicted pictorially on its façade. Nerudova boasts numerous examples of these fascinating house-signs. Take, for instance, No. 12, "At the Three Fiddles", once the dwelling of the Edlinger violin-making family, or "At the Golden Cup", adorned with the symbol of goldsmiths dating back to 1660. You'll also spot "At the Golden Horseshoe", where a genuine horseshoe was placed at the foot of a painted horse in 1559.

Be sure to pause at two palaces designed by baroque architect Giovanni Santini: the Morzin Palace at No. 5, featuring an allegorical "night and day" façade crafted in 1713 by Ferdinand Brokoff, famed for his Charles Bridge statues. Across the street at No. 20 stands the Thun-Hohenstein Palace, sporting an eagle gateway designed by another prominent bridge statue sculptor, Mathias Braun. Keep an eye out for the winding passageway under the arch of No. 13, a characteristic feature of this quarter. And don't miss No. 33, the Bretfeld Palace, where Mozart and Casanova lodged during the world premiere of "Don Giovanni" in 1787.

Tips:
Swing by the Gingerbread Museum at No. 9 for a tasty treat, or visit Czech Marionettes at No. 51 to explore an array of linden-wood marionettes, ranging from classic characters to eerily reptilian wizards and princesses in pink—plus a few modern politicians!

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Prague. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Nerudova Street on Map

Sight Name: Nerudova Street
Sight Location: Prague, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Prague)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Prague, Czech Republic

Create Your Own Walk in Prague

Create Your Own Walk in Prague

Creating your own self-guided walk in Prague is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Town Souvenir Shopping

Old Town Souvenir Shopping

Strolling through the Old Town of Prague, souvenir shopping becomes a delightful adventure. Indeed, it would be a pity to leave Prague without having explored its specialty shops and bringing home something truly original and unique to the city.

One of the prime spots for such endeavors is the Municipal House, a majestic Art Nouveau building that houses various shops and boutiques. Here,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Prague Introduction Walking Tour

Prague Introduction Walking Tour

Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” Prague is home to a wealth of attractions, including more than ten major museums, numerous theatres, galleries, and plethora of historic sights.

The Czech name Praha derives from an old Slavic word práh, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava river. The legendary...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Hradcany (Castle District) Walking Tour

Hradcany (Castle District) Walking Tour

Hradcany, or the Castle District, is a historical neighborhood in Prague brimming with cultural landmarks and architectural marvels.

The area is centered around Prague Castle, reportedly the biggest castle complex in the world. Dating back as far as the 9th century, the castle has been the residence of Bohemian kings, Holy Roman emperors, leaders of socialist Czechoslovakia, and currently the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour

Old Town Walking Tour

The Staré Město (Old Town) of Prague is a former medieval settlement that is now a lively cobblestoned hub with landmark attractions.

The area was once separated from the outside world by a semi-circular moat and a wall, hugged by the Vltava river. The moat is now covered up by streets, which form the official boundary of the Old Town. One of them, called Na Příkopě (literally “On the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Lesser Town Walking Tour

Lesser Town Walking Tour

Mala Strana (or "Lesser Town") is a district in Prague situated on the left bank of the Vltava River. Renowned for its architectural beauty, this is one of the capital's most historically significant neighborhoods. Back in the Middle Ages, it was predominantly populated by ethnic Germans and, in later years, despite the prevalence of Baroque in its architecture, largely retained its...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Jewish Quarter Walking Tour

Jewish Quarter Walking Tour

The Jewish Quarter, also known as Josefov, is a part of the Old Town (Staré Město) of Prague.

The area breathes history and is a captivating blend of ancient synagogues and other monuments that collectively reflect centuries of Jewish life in the city. Some synagogues are still acting, and others have been converted into art galleries and museums.

One such is the Spanish Synagogue, a...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


Czech Sweets and Pastries

Czech Sweets and Pastries

Once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Czechs have duly absorbed the dessert-making know-how of their Austrian neighbors to complement their own confectionery heritage deeply rooted in the Eastern European, Slavic tradition. The end result of such cultural blend is the abundance of pastries,...
Prague Shopping: 16 Distinctively Czech Products to Bring Home

Prague Shopping: 16 Distinctively Czech Products to Bring Home

Previously known mainly for its beer and ice-hockey (both for a very good reason), today's Czech Republic - and, primarily, its capital city Prague - is seen among the top European tourist destinations emerged following the breakup of the Soviet Bloc. A shooting ground for some Hollywood...