Czech name: Zrcadlové bludiště na Petříně
The popular Petřín Mirror Maze is world-famous. It is also one of the most visited attractions in Prague in the Czech Republic. The building’s design was inspired by the Vyšehrad defensive tower Špička.
Location & How to Get There
The Mirror Maze is a charming building near Petřín Tower on Petřín Hill in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. You can get there via the Petřín funicular from the Újezd tram stop (tram number 12, 20 or 22).
The nearest metro station is Malostranská (line A).
Opening Hours & Entry
The Mirror maze is open seven days a week. During the months of March and October, the maze is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
From November through February the hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
From April through September the hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Note: Final daily entrance into the maze is 30 minutes prior to closing time.
Admission is 70 CZK for adults, 50 CZK for children 15 and under, and 20 CZK for children 6 and under. Discount prices are available for journalists, the disabled, families, and groups.
What to Do & What to See
Your Prague sightseeing wouldn’t be complete without stopping at this favorite of both locals and visitors alike. It’s a fun, family-friendly place for children of all ages. The building looks like a little castle.
Inside, however, you will discover a labyrinth made of mirrors. Upon exiting the maze you will also see an impressive painting of the infamous Thirty Years’ War between the Czechs and the Swedes on Charles Bridge (Karlův most) in 1648. From there you will head to what the locals call the happy “hall of laughter.”
It is called that because this place reportedly makes hundreds of people laugh every day of the year and is the most popular section of the attraction. There you will find yourself surrounded by an odd assortment of weird, warped, and twisted mirrors reminiscent of those in a classic carnival funhouse. If you make it to the roof, you will see a collection of vanes that feature the first names of all the construction workers who worked on the maze.
History
Erected in 1891, the building was originally an exhibition pavilion built for the Czech Tourists Club at the Prague Jubilee Exhibition. It resembles Peak, the Gothic gate erected in the 1300s by Charles IV at Vyšehrad. It comes complete with nine spires.
The Mirror Maze was the work of architect Wiehl and was built by Prague builder and carpenter Matěj Bílek. The maze itself was first located near the Industrial Palace, then relocated two years later. The painting to which the maze currently leads spans a canvas of 80 square meters. It was painted by two artistic brothers, Adolf and Karel Liebscher, who was assisted by Vojtěch Bartoněk and Karel Štapfer.
The “hall of laughter” was added in 1911. The entire mirror maze was probably inspired by the mirror maze at Prater located in Vienna. In total, it includes 31 normal and 14 distorted mirrors.