page About the Old Town Astronomical Clock The Old Town Astronomical Clock has been showing the time at Old Town Hall for six hundred years. The original simple mechanism was constructed before 1410 by Mikuláš of Kadaň. At the end of the 15th century, master clockmaker Hanuš of Růže perfected the clock mechanism to such an extent that it was a unique masterpiece unrivalled in all of Europe. page About the fiery man An old moneylender once lived on Karlova Street. He lent money to people in need, but his interest rates were so high that few were able to repay the loan. Yet the moneylender knew no mercy, and he managed to deprive many a poor soul of even the roof over their heads. As his wealth grew, so did the fear for his money: he socialised with nobody, hardly ever left the house, and when his neighbours saw him on the street, he did not even respond to their greetings. Every evening, the lights in his cottage burned late as he counted the gold coins in his chest. page About the bridge made of eggs and cottage cheese In ancient times, before the first bridge was built across the Vltava River, carts crossed the river at several fords. Many ferrymen also practised their craft here. Old chronicles preserve the story of the great ship of the legendary 9th-century prince Křesomysl, which comfortably transported people and carts to the other side of the river. However, by the 10th century, the first wooden bridge had already been built across the Vltava River. And in 1158, the first stone bridge was built, which was considered a wonder of the world at the time. page About Bruncvík Thirty sculptures of saints were placed on Charles Bridge in the mid-18th century. The sculptures decorating the bridge were commissioned by nobles, the church, the Prague municipality and universities, and were created by prominent artists of the time, many by Matyáš Braun and Jan Brokoff and his sons. For centuries, Prague residents have been tormenting foreigners with the question: How many statues are there on Charles Bridge? This seemingly simple question is tricky: there are not thirty statues on the bridge, but thirty-one. The thirty-first statue is Bruncvík with a golden sword, standing on a bridge pier in Kampa. page About the Hunger Wall One year, during the reign of Charles IV, a great drought struck the land, causing crop failure and a shortage of food. Especially in the cities, the prices of flour and bread rose so high that the poor could not afford them. As a result, many began to steal and rob so their families would not starve to death. Soon the prisons in Prague were full. page About Daliborka Even today, Prague Castle gives the impression of a medieval fortress, which is particularly evident when viewed from the Deer Moat, from where you can clearly see the sturdy Gothic fortifications from the time of King Vladislav Jagellonský in the 15th century. There are also several defensive towers, called Daliborka, Bílá věž (White Tower) and Mihulka, which also served as prisons when necessary. The most famous of these are the dark dungeons and torture chambers of the Daliborka Tower, named after its most famous prisoner, Dalibor of Kozojedy. page About the oldest synagogue in Prague When the Jews arrived in Prague, the ruler designated a place for them to settle on the right bank of the Vltava River. Before they began building houses for their families, they discussed how to build a synagogue as quickly as possible. The arguing went on and on, until a wise old man spoke up. He advised the others to start digging on a nearby hill. Then they would see for themselves how to acquire a synagogue. page About the House of Faust In the corner of Charles Square opposite the Na Slovanech monastery stands an ancient house, more like a small palace. It is said to have once belonged to Doctor Faust, who was rumoured to have sold his soul to the devil. One night, the devil came for him, and all that remained of Faust was a smoke-filled hole in one of the rooms. No one could wall it up because the masonry always collapsed overnight. The house remained abandoned, and everyone was afraid to spend even a night there, until a student named Mladota dared to enter the building. page About Libuše and Přemysl Legend has it that the first Slavs were led to our territory by the Voivod Čech, after whom the country was named. After Čech, Krok took over the reign, and when he died, he left behind three daughters: Kazi, Teta and Libuše. Kazi was knowledgeable about the healing powers of herbs, so she was able to help people with all kinds of illnesses and injuries. Teta knew the old rituals and taught people how to worship the gods of nature properly. The youngest Libuše was the wisest; she could prophesy and see into the future. Therefore, after Krok’s death, the elders called upon her to rule the country. Libuše accepted and settled on a high rock above the Vltava River in a castle called Vyšehrad. page About the founding of Prague One summer afternoon, Libuše, Přemysl and their entourage were looking out from the walls of Vyšehrad. The sun was setting in the west, its rays bathing the surrounding landscape in gold.