Prague (Praha) Žižkov

Church of Saint Procopius, Čajkovského 36 (☎775 609 952), In 1881, Žižkov became a city independent of Prague. Amidst jubilations over their newfound autonomy, the residents of Žižkov realized that they did not have a Catholic place of worship big enough to accommodate the population within the new city's limits. Eight years after Žižkov's independence, Archbishop Cardinal Frantisek Schonborn ceremonially laid the foundation stone, and the neo-Gothic style church was completed five years later. Of note inside is the side altar adorned by a statue of Madonna with Jesus, an artifact protected during the 30 Years' War in a house in Nové Město. Trams 5, 9, or 26: Lipanská. Head west 2 blocks on Seifertova. Confession M-W 8:30-11:30am, Th 8:30-11:30m and 1:30-4:30pm. Wheelchair access.

Žižkov Television Tower, Mahlerovy sady 1 (☎242 418 778; www.tower.cz), From a distance, the Žižkov TV Tower looks like a Soviet launch missile that never left Earth. Like the Dancing House and other strikingly modern structures in Prague, the tower was initially met with great hostility during its construction in the mid-1980s, in part because some feared that the tower would hurt infants living around the area with its radio transmissions. After more than 20 years, however, people have grown to at least accept, if not totally embrace, its unusual architecture. In 2000, controversial Czech artist David Černý cast nine figures of babies—perhaps in reference to that earlier paranoia—and attached them to the tower, where they have been suspended ever since. The tower hosts an overpriced restaurant and three observation decks, allowing for impressive views of the city minus the hassle of walking up hundreds of stairs. A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the Metro, cross diagonally through the park and then take Milešovská toward the enormous tower (duh). Relative level of physical fitness required to reach observation deck. 150Kč, students 120Kč. Observation deck open daily 10am-11:30pm. Does not take credit cards.

Jan Žižka Statue and Vitkov Hill, In June 1420, Hussite general Jan Žižka repulsed an attack from King Sigismund of Germany and Hungary on Vítkov Hill, breaking the siege of Prague. The grateful citizens named the area after their savior, and in 1950, an enormous statue by Bohumil Kafka was erected on the hill to commemorate his great leadership. At more than 30 ft. high, the statue remains the largest equestrian statue in the world. Though you can't get very close, the statue is still impressive and worth making the trip uphill. Once there, you can join dogwalkers and picnickers in the surrounding park. Tram 5, 9, or 26: Husinecká. From the tram stop, follow Husinecká, then turn left on Jeronýmova and walk up the hill. Wheelchair access.