Prague – Vinohrady and Vršovice

The heart of Vinohrady is Jiřího z Poděbrad square with the monumental Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord by Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik. It is the Czech Republic’s most notable 20th century sacral building. Its unusual shape is inspired by Noah’s Ark, and the interior tells of inspiration from ancient Christian temples in the Mediterranean. Come in to witness the synergy of centuries.

Leaving the cool nave and coming back into the sun, you’ll find the stalls of regional vendors under the boughs of trees along the square – it was here that farmers’ markets reappeared in Prague, long before it became fashionable. Expatriot residents and others who have made Vinohrady ‘the place to be’ just love to come here for their bio-produce, fresh fruit and vegetables: leafy avenues line the streets, well-kept parks seem to invite you for a stroll, and each morning the stylish cafés spill out in a jostle of chairs and tables onto the wide walkways.

The food on offer here spans everything from the traditional to the experimental. Antonín’s bakery offers artisan loaves straight out of a historic novel, while KRO Kitchen bistro opposite keeps its finger on the present-day pulse; seasonal vegetables, free-range chicken from the farm and spices redolent of lands far away. The whole concept is one that the chef, Vojta Václavík, the co-owner and spiritual father of this city bistro with the finest fare, brought from a Michelin restaurant in distant Oslo. The local grilled chicken, despite being twice as pricey as usual, draws queues of aficionados. Anyone who has tasted it comes back.

Vinohrady enjoys the hallmark of being a modern district, through its emphasis on sustainability. The Vinohrady Market from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries has been sensitively turned into a shopping mall, and has long since become iconic. The local shops offer not only food from local suppliers, but also fashionable clothing, design and furniture sourced nearby.

Two large Vinohrady parks offer the promise of relaxation and recreational sport: Riegrovy sady and Havlíčkovy sady. The latter, always called ‘Grébovka’ by the locals, get the name from Gröb’s villa and gardens, established here at the end of the 19th century, – and the villa is still there in the middle of the park. In addition to many other buildings of Neo-Romantic garden architecture, visitors can also see one of the few still remaining Prague vineyards – which gave the whole Vinohrady district its name.

None of that prevents beer lovers from having their favourite drink here, too. Since 2013, the Vinohradský pivovar brewery has resumed the tradition of its predecessor from the end of the 19th century, and is currently the only local brewery in the district. They brew traditional Czech bottom-fermented pilsner lagers as well as top-fermented IPA and APA beers. The brewery’s name and fame have long since been going down well beyond Vinohrady.

You can cross these boundaries too, and go to neighbouring Vršovice, a district Vinohrady smoothly joins onto. Vršovice district is much more bohemian, and here you’ll will find the multi-genre kino Pilotů cinema with its three cosy screening rooms, for all sorts of quality features, anything from an original documentary to a classic blockbuster. Intellectuals will get their kicks at the renowned Vršovice bookstore and anyone at all can enjoy the bars thereabouts, always ready to come alive at dusk. You’re well advised to pay them a visit. Sample the life that Prague calls its own. 

 1. náměstí Míru (Peace Square)
2. Vinohradský pavilon, Vinohradská 50
3. Rieger Gardens
4. Jiřího z Poděbrad Square
5. Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord,  náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad
6. KRO Kitchen bistro,  Vinohradská 66
7. Vinohrady Brewery,  Korunní 106
8. Krymská Street
9. kino Pilotů cinema,  Donská 19
10. Havlíček Gardens

 

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