Around the concert
An Old Town evening by St Giles'
How to build an Old Town evening around an hour of music in St Giles' Church: Husova street, the Bethlehem Chapel, Hus, UNESCO and the Estates Theatre.
Book your seat at St Giles' ↗Quick answer
St Giles' Church sits on Husova street in Prague's Old Town, part of the Historic Centre of Prague that UNESCO inscribed in 1992. Husova street also holds the Bethlehem Chapel, founded in 1391, where Jan Hus preached. Pair the concert with a walk through these streets, and book dinner before or after the music, not during it.
Start on Husova street
Husova is about 300 metres long and one of the oldest routes in the Old Town, once part of the medieval road from Prague Castle to Vyšehrad. It is named after Jan Hus, and its palaces include the Clam-Gallas Palace at Husova 20. The church stands at Husova 8, so you can arrive early, walk the street and be at the door before the concert. Allow time for the main door rather than a side entrance, since tickets are scanned at the main door.
The Bethlehem Chapel
The Bethlehem Chapel was founded in 1391 by Wenceslas Kříž and John of Milheim. Jan Hus became its rector and preacher in March 1402. After his excommunication in 1412 the Pope ordered the chapel demolished, but the Czech majority on the Old Town council refused. Under the communist regime the building was restored to its state at the time of Hus. It sits on Husova street at number 3, so it belongs on any walk that ends at St Giles'.
A Historic Centre
UNESCO put the Historic Centre of Prague on its World Heritage List in 1992, an area of about 1,106 hectares. The Old Town had borough status in the Middle Ages and was bordered by walls and fortifications. Old Town Square saw the execution of 27 Czech Protestant leaders in 1621, and the Jan Hus Memorial there dates from 1915. In 1784 Joseph II merged the Old Town with Malá Strana, Nové Město and Hradčany into a single city.
Old Town Square and the Týn Church
Old Town Square is the heart of the district, and the Church of Our Lady before Týn is the landmark above it. The Týn Church is Gothic, with construction of the present building starting in the 14th century and its southern tower finished in 1511. Its two towers are 80 metres high. A pipe organ by Jan J. Mundt, built from 1670 to 1673, is one of the three oldest preserved pipe organs in Prague. A second church concert is held in the Týn Church, which makes it an easy pair with St Giles'.
Mozart's theatre
The Estates Theatre, where Don Giovanni premiered on 29 October 1787, is also where Miloš Forman shot scenes for Amadeus. St Giles' Church appears in the same film, so a concert here and a look at the theatre make a small Amadeus route through the Old Town. The film was shot on location in Prague, and Forman used the church for some scenes in the early 1980s.
Plan the order
Put the concert first or last, not in the middle. Eat before if you want to sit through an hour without hunger, or after if you would rather talk about the music over dinner. Do not plan a long museum visit on the same afternoon, since a concert in a church is easier when you are not tired. Leave a margin for the walk, and keep your confirmation handy for the door.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Bethlehem Chapel?
At Husova 3, on the same street as St Giles' Church.
Is the Old Town a World Heritage Site?
It is part of the Historic Centre of Prague, inscribed by UNESCO in 1992.
Where did Don Giovanni premiere?
At the Estates Theatre in Prague, on 29 October 1787.
Should I eat before or after the concert?
Either works. Eat first if hunger distracts you, or afterwards if you would like to talk the music over.
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