Prague's Old Town Hall & Tower ~ Scenic Views, Beautiful Murals, & Mysterious Caverns

While strolling through Old Town Square, one comes across a town hall and tower dating back to the early 1300s. From its early days as Prague’s administrative seat, the town hall has bore witness to key moments in history from elections to fierce political debates to the Prague Uprising during World War II. Inside one finds magnificent council and assembly halls, an ornate chapel, a labyrinth of underground caverns, and a tower with scenic views of the city.

This site was not included in my tour so I visited the Old Town Hall during my solo adventures. I picked Old Town Hall as a must-see for various reasons ~ its role in Prague’s history, the opportunity to see the statues of the 12 apostles (the ones featured in the astronomical clock), the Romanesque-Goth underground, and of course, the scenic views from the top of the tower.

To see the chapel, halls, and underground caverns, travelers need to participate in a guided tour. These tours are offered throughout the day in multiple languages and 2 formats are available. The first format covers all areas – chapel, halls, and underground – while the other just visits the underground portion of the Old Town Hall. I took the comprehensive tour and it lasted about an hour.

Highlights of my tour ~ I loved the stained glass windows and murals in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary. It was interesting to see the mechanism that moves the 12 apostles at the hour. Old Council Hall was just wow – the history, the colors and details of the woodwork and ornaments, and the fact people threw their opponents out the window. George Hall was fascinating in that one can see pieces of the original murals and brickwork behind the current plaster. The underground portions were interesting as they offered a unique perspective into both the early years and dark chapters of Prague’s history. As for my tour guide, he was a charismatic young man who did a great job presenting the information and capturing one’s interest.

You do not need to take the tour if you just want to climb the tower and enjoy the views. The climb is not too bad as it is a series of ramps and not stairs. When you get to the top, you are free to walk around at your own pace enjoying the views of Prague.

Visiting Old Town Hall and Tower

Tourists need to purchase one ticket to access the tower and another ticket for the tour.

The tour that includes everything is 150 Kč while the tour of just the underground costs 100 Kč.

The price to access the tower is 300 Kč but reduced admission is offered for certain age groups and people with disabilities. If you wish to take the elevator in the tower, that is an additional fee of 100 Kč but seniors are charged 50 Kč. Those with disabilities and their travel companions can use the elevator at no charge.

The ticket office is located behind the two glass doors right next to the Astronomical Clock. I highly recommend visiting this site early in the morning as lines do get long and the tower can get crowded. You can purchase tickets online but there is a fee.

Early Bird Discount ~ Tuesdays through Sundays, the 1st hour after opening, admission to the tower is reduced by 50%.

Old Town Hall has an entrance on Mikulášská Street for wheelchair users. This entrance provides access to the elevator, which takes you to the 3rd floor, the entry point to the tower. From there, one takes a second elevator to the top of the tower. Unfortunately, the chapel, halls, and underground are not accessible.