Hidden Prague #11 - Bilá Hora and the Star Villa

Bilá Hora (White Mountain) is one of those names that has resonated with me since I first moved to Prague in 2014 and after four years after first seeing the name on the 22 tram and getting to understand a little of the history of the Czech lands, I finally made the trip last week.

Catch a 22 tram to Bilá Hora

It’s only a thirty minute journey on the 22 tram from Národní Divadlo, but unfortunately you will usually have to suffer the crowds of folk travelling up to Prague Castle - an early start is recommended, but the reality is that there is no escaping them, as you’ll get caught up on the return journey.

It’s worth doing your homework before you leave the centre of town. If you don’t have a decent data plan on your phone, download the maps before you leave (if you have got plenty of data you can still get a strong 4G signal once you get there). Few tourist maps cover much of the area to the west of the Hradčany but both Apple and Google Maps have enough detail to get you to the right place.  If you head in a general NW direction from the Bilá Hora tram stop, you’ll have a short walk through an expensive looking residential area before you end up on a completely empty plain, covered in yellow scrub. At the top of a little knoll, you'll find the understated monument denoting the Battle of Bilá Hora which took place on November 8th, 1620.

The battle site of Bilá Hora

The battle was fought in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War between the Catholic forces of the Holy Roman Empire, led by Emperor Ferdinand II, and the Bohemian Protestants under King Frederick V. The Bohemian army, of 15,000 men, was vastly outnumbered by 30,000 Catholic forces.   In fact, the battle was more of a skirmish than a full battle and lasted only for about an hour, but it was enough to end Bohemian involvement in the war. Forty-seven Bohemian leaders were put on trial, and twenty-seven were executed in the Old Town Square in Prague (marked by the 27 white crosses at the base of the Old Town Hall).

Monument to the Battle of White Mountain

The fate of the Czech lands was altered radically as a result of the Battle of White Mountain, ending some two hundred years of Protestant dominance, and triggering three hundred years of Catholicism and Habsburg influence, which lasted through to the late 20th century. The Habsburgs built a memorial chapel on the hill in 1700, and this was later converted to the Church of Our Lady Victorious. It is now also home to the nuns of the Venio Benedictine Community, and part of the wider Břevnov monastery.

Church of Our Lady Victorious

Today, little remains of the battle site other than the memorial and a few acres of undeveloped land which has been landscaped as a park. In the hour I spent in the area I encountered one other sightseer and two runners. Looking north from the monument you can see out towards aircraft activity around the airport, but over towards the east, jutting out from forested slopes, you can clearly see the Star Hunting Villa (Letohrádek Hvězda).

Star Villa - just right of centre

Originally, this was a game reserve, founded by King Ferdinand I in 1530. He commissioned his son Ferdinand II to build the villa which was completed in 1556. The villa derives its name from its shape - hvězda, meaning star, as the building is shaped as a six-point star.

Star Villa- Letohrádek Hvězda

I took a rather direct route from the Bilá Hora monument which I was to regret as it involved a very steep climb up through the forest surrounding the villa. It was well worth it but I'd suggest you find a better way and locate one of the main entry points from the road. The villa is set in beautiful parkland with magnificent tree-lined avenues extending in three directions from the main building. Once again, despite being the middle of summer there were very few people around - a few family picnics and some hardy runners, but no other tourists as far as a could make out.

Given this is only a thirty minute trip out of the madness of the centre of town this was a morning well spent; if only to find a little peace and quiet in a historical setting with a difference!

"Round Round Get Around, I Get Around, Yeah" - Prague Public Transport

You might recognise the title of this piece from the Beach Boys song, “I Get Around”. Believe it or not they played at the Lucerna Palace in on June 17th 1969, not long after the Soviet tanks rolled in. They returned some 50 years later in 2017, although only vocalist Mike Love had played at the previous gig. But this isn’t a music lesson so I’d best get back on track. Literally.

Having lived in Zurich for a couple of years, I was fairly sure that Swiss Public Transport was probably the best in the world. After all, they hold an internal enquiry if a railway train is late leaving the terminus by only a few seconds. Trams in Zurich are a little less predictable, but none the less still run as regularly as can be expected given ever increasing volume of traffic in the city.

Staromestska metro - for the old town square

The red and white trams of Prague are almost as iconic as London’s red buses or New York’s yellow taxis, but when I first came to live here it was with a certain amount of trepidation. My first apartment was about a thirty minute journey from the office, without any direct route on public transport. I also had little idea how much it would cost me over the course of my six month stay. My fears were unfounded.

The public transport system in Prague is fantastic - and cheap. There are three metro lines which pretty much span the whole city (although currently none link up to the airport), and a vast tram and bus network. In common with many European cities, the ticketing system is based on trust. You are expected to have a valid ticket before you board anything, and tickets are so cheap it is a disgrace for anyone to attempt to defraud the network. All tickets are valid on any form of public transport within the city zone (which includes the airport, but doesn't include the Airport Express bus).

Older type tram in the lesser town

A 30 minute ticket costs 24CZK (£0.80), 90 minutes cost 32CZK (£1.08), a 24 hour ticket is 110CZK (£3.75) or for 72 hours it is 310 CZK (£10.50). A monthly pass costs just over £60. In the four years since I started working in Prague the transport authorities have worked hard to make buying tickets as easy as possible. Tickets are available from ticket machines at metro stations, kiosks, and can be bought in advance as they do not become 'live' until you validate them.

More recently a number of apps have been made available on smart devices - my favourite is Sejf - which I top up from my bank account as required. This app can be used to buy e-tickets up to 72 hours - just bear in mind it takes 90 seconds for the e-ticket to become valid. Some newer trams also now have contactless ticket machines on-board so you can use your debit or credit card to get a ticket. In other words, there is no excuse not to have a valid ticket when you travel!

Mustek metro - for Wenceslas Square

If you are caught (plain cloths ticket inspectors either travel on board or lurk in the entrance/exits of metro stations, you can expect to pay a fairly hefty fine - 1500CZK (reduced to 800CZK if paid immediately) - and they will not listen to your plea bargains! Frequent violators will face much more severe penalties.

New type tram - many have contless ticket machines on board

I'm currently in Prague and in the 10 days since I arrived I've walked over 100 miles around town - but sometimes you just need to get from A to B as quickly as possible and it's great to know that the public transport service is there, easy to use, clean, and efficient - and a much more sensible alternative to walking in the rain when the need arises!