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Nerudova Street – a street that never sleeps
Czech name: Nerudova ulice
Located in Prague’s Lesser Town district, Nerudova Street links the Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) and Charles Bridge (Karlův most). Named after a famous Czech writer Jan Neruda, the steep roadway is a popular tourist attraction full of fascinating features.
Location of Nerudova Ulice in Prague & How to Get There
Nerudova Street is in Malá Strana, aka “the Lesser Quarter.” By metro, take the A green-line to Malostranská. From there, hop on the 12, 20, 22, or 23 tram for one stop. When you get off, Nerudova Street is just up the hill.
Opening Hours & Entry to the Nerudova Street
Since it’s a public street, Nerudova Street never closes. You’re free to stroll up and down it day or night. But be warned: Nerudova Street is very steep!
What to Do & What to See in Nerudova Street
A postcard-perfect city landscape, Nerudova Street is an homage to earlier times. Burgher buildings — once the homes of wealthy merchants that now serve as embassies, restaurants, boutique hotels, and shops — line both sides of the street. Adding to the charm are street lights that resemble the original gas ones.
Notably, many of the buildings have names displayed above the doors. That’s because Prague didn’t use numbers for addresses until the modern era; back in the day, they used words. Remarkably, many monikers survived and can still be seen today.
Famous named buildings on the Nerdudova street include:
- Three Little Fiddles: the former home of a luthier’s family
- At Three Black Eagles: adult home of Jan Neruda
- At Red Lion: former home of a painter Petr Brandl
- At Golden Lion: owned by the National Museum and operated as a permanent exhibit that explores pharmaceutical work between the Renaissance and the 1800s
- At Red Eagle: a Gothic house dating back to the 15th century
The most famous building on the block is “At the Two Suns,” the childhood home of Jan Neruda, Nerudova Street’s namesake.
Baroque stylings dominate the block and surrounding area, so if you’re a fan of old-world design and architecture, make sure your phone is charged! The pics you’ll get will wow your social media followers.
Nerudova Street History
Before it got its current name, Nerudova Street was known as the Kings Road and the Royal Way. Back then, the Lesser Quarter was a royal neighborhood populated by wealthy German merchants and tradespeople who’d been exiled from the Bohemian right bank.
In 1834, a boy was born to a Lesser Town grocer and his wife. The small family lived on Kings Road in a house named “At the Two Suns.” That baby grew up to be Jan Neruda, a venerated journalist, novelist, and poet who wrote many stories about his childhood neighborhood and the block.
When Neruda’s father died, he moved into another house on Royal Way, “At Three Black Eagles.” It was there that he penned his first volume of poetry. Neruda passed away in 1891, and Kings Road was renamed Nerudova Street in 1895.
When in the Czech Republic, make time for Nerudova Street, a Prague sightseeing gem!
