Top 5 Must-See Hidden Spots in Prague

This past summer, I visited Prague. The city is filled with Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Beaux-Art architecture. But what really caught my attention was the incredible amount of street art in every corner of the city. Each street offered a new surprise. Here are a few lesser known or hidden pieces you should check out:

1. LIGHTBULB STAIRCASE– this staircase is found at the Czech Cubism Museum located in Stare Mesto in the House of the Black Madonna. The museum has a small quaint collection of cubism furniture and art. You’ll enjoy seeing these unusual pieces. They also provide maps where you can see cubism architecture in the city. Head to the bottom of the building (it has about 4 or 5 floors). At the very bottom,  sit down and lay back. What you’ll see is a little hidden treasure– the staircase is in the shape of a lightbulb.
2. MAN HANGING OUT– this 7-foot sculpture of Sigmund Freud hanging off a side of a building can be found between Husova and Skorepka but you have to look up to see it. Sigmund Freud was born in Freiberg now a part of the Czech Republic. “During his life, Freud suffered from a number of phobias, including the fear of his own death. Artist David Cerny chose to depict the psychoanalyst in his constant struggle with this trepidation.”[1] It’s a fun piece to find as you’re walking through the streets of Prague with your head up- but a very challenging one to photograph.
3. LAUNDRY DAY– this is not a picture of someone’s laundered clothes on drying lines. It’s actually an art installation. The colours and patterns of the clothing being hung are bold and each drying line is colour coordinated. I stumbled on this walking by. It’s located in a residential courtyard. I don’t have any other information on this art installation. I tried Googling but found pictures and information about laundromats in Prague. My GPS tells me it’s located in Dlouha 729/37.
4. METAMORPHOSIS– the city of Prague has paid homage to Franz Kafka with a museum, buildings, several monuments, and sculptures. You can even visit the home he grew up in at the Golden Lane. Kafka is a Czech-born German writer who is best known for his short story Metamorphosis.[2] One of the most stunning and impressive tributes is the 36 foot tall, 39 ton, 42 mobile tiered sculpture of Kafka’s head named after his famous story, Metamorphosis. David Cenry, the same Czech artist of Man Hanging Out also designed this beautiful piece. This is located at the Quadrio business centre. I stayed and watched this sculpture for over half an hour. It is beyond stunning.
5. DANCING FOUNTAIN CZECH MUSICIANS– located on a small cement peninsula south of Henry’s Bell Tower in Nove Mesto, this beautiful fountain features four bronze figures, each blindfolded and holding an instrument. “Each musician represents the world’s main rivers: Indian Gang with the mandolin, South American Amazon with the flute, Danube with the violin and Mississippi with the trumpet.”[3] There’s a fifth figure, not part of the fountain a few steps away who’s trying to free himself and he represents the Nile. The artist is Czech sculptor, Anna Chromy. The movement and fluidity expressed in these figures are absolutely beautiful.

There’s so much to see and explore in Prague. I  love how Prague embraces art and supports its local artists. But art is everywhere- we just have to look. Get out there and explore some art galleries in your neighbourhood. You might just find some hidden spots, too.

[1] https://theculturetrip.com/europe/czech-republic/articles/5-must-see-sculptures-in-prague/

[2] http://www.online-literature.com/franz-kafka/

[3] https://egallop.com/2017/01/30/czech-musicians-statues-at-senovazne-square-prague-czechia/