Petřín is a famous hill in the middle of Prague, Czech Republic. It rises 426 feet above the nearby Vltava River. The hill has many parks and is a very popular recreational place for the citizens of Prague. The hill’s top can be reached by using the Petřín cable railway that first opened in 1891.
History
Petřín was once a very large forest. Areas of the forest were transformed into orchards and garden areas in the middle ages. There still are many fruit trees on the hill. From Lesser Town there are winding pathways that lead to the summit.
In 1891, an exhibition was held for the Land Centennial in Prague. One of its main attractions was a tower that looked similar to the Eiffel Tower. In 1930, the tower was relocated to its present location and is called the Petřín Tower. In order to reach the top of the tower one must climb up over two hundred stairs. The lookout at the top offers an excellent panoramic view of the city.
Petřín Cable Railway
The cable railway begins at the bottom of Petřín and the Petřín tower is the last stop. The railway was used for the exhibition and it makes a stop at the halfway point where there is a restaurant.
Hunger Wall
Another interesting feature of the hill is the Hunger Wall. It was a very long defensive wall that was built from 1360 to 1362 by King Charles IV. He started the construction of the wall to produce jobs, and also to prevent famine during a period when many people did not have jobs. This is why the wall was given its name. There is only about 4,000 feet left of the old wall.
Observatory
Also, found on Petřín is the Prague observatory which is open to the public. Visitors can use some of the powerful telescopes in the facility. Additionally, there is an exhibit of some very historic astronomical instruments.
