Set in Prague’s New Town (Nové Město), this square was created by Charles IV in 1348 and was the largest town square in medieval Europe. Sprawling across around 7 acres (3 hectares), the space was once Prague’s cattle market; today, it’s one of the main city sights and a highlight of walking, scooter, and bus tours of the city. Charles Square is home to a number of landmark buildings, including the 17th-century Jesuit Church of Saint Ignatius, the New Town Hall, and Faust House.
Though the square bustles with visitors (and traffic in some sections), the central park area is a shady respite from the city for adults and kids.
Architecture buffs will especially enjoy comparing the buildings that ring the square and span from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
There are a number of restaurants, bars, and cafés in the square for a snack, meal, or drink.
The square is level and either paved or with paved sidewalks through the park section, so fully accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.
One of Prague’s central transportation hubs, Charles Squares is located in the middle of the New Town district and can be reached on foot from most of the top Nové Město sights or from other areas in the city via metro line B and various urban tram lines (get off at the Karlovo náměstí stop).
The square’s park section is most lively in the midday hours when locals and visitors retreat to the shaded benches to relax, picnic, and people-watch. The eateries ringing the square along its busy perimeter streets bustle with patrons until late into the evening.
The New Town district of Prague is bookended by the Old Town and Jewish Quarter and offers great dining and shopping, plus a buzzy nightlife scene around both the main Wenceslas Square and sweeping Charles Square. There are also a number of must-see cultural sights in the neighborhood, including the art nouveau Municipal House (Obecní Dum) concert hall, the medieval New Town Hall (Novoměstská radnice), the remains of Emmaus Monastery, and the Botanical Gardens.
