Karlov: Mystical and Mundane

Karlov is a part of Prague where medieval mysticism intertwines with modern technology and research. Once inhabited only by monks and winemakers, today there is nowhere to park.

You will learn who Saint Apollinaris was and why a church and maternity hospital bear his name, but not a statue. The walk will feature stories of monks, visionaries, doctors and eccentrics, as well as Prague's galleries. There will be talk of Dan Brown and his underground laboratory. At the end, the guide will invite you to a newly opened bowling alley near the fortifications.

Participants will discover which Karlov the district is named after and where his giant crown stands, where Prague's first anti-alcohol station was located and what made it unique, as well as where bombs fell during the Valentine's Day raid in 1945. The discussion will cover famous figures who died in Kateřinky, a secret maternity ward and why the maternity hospital looks like Hogwarts, who got lost in the Ztracenka garden and what happened with the Díra hotel - and who Emilie Paulina Jindřiška Kittlová was and how she made her mark on history.

Practical information: meeting point at Ke Karlovu 462/20, in front of Michna's Summer Palace (Antonín Dvořák Museum). The walk lasts 2 hours and is led by Jana Nováčková. Tickets can be purchased on site only if capacity has not been reached - current availability must be confirmed with the organizer. The organizer reserves the right to cancel the walk if there is insufficient interest, in which case participants with tickets will be notified and refunds will be made to their accounts.