Prague opens new tourist information centre, the first of its kind at Prague Castle. Mayor Svoboda says further cooperation between Prague City Hall and Prague Castle is on the way
Prague, 25 September 2023 – The City of Prague and destination organisation Prague City Tourism have opened a new tourist information centre at Prague Castle. This is the first time that a company responsible for the capital’s tourism will have its own on-site facilities at Prague Castle. The castle is the city’s most popular landmark, welcoming 1.4 million domestic and foreign visitors every year. This marks another milestone in the culturing of tourism, as the tourist information centre replaces the unsightly exchange office that previously stood there.
The City of Prague believes that the opening of its official branch here symbolises the beginning of further work with Prague Castle. “The opening of the new information centre makes a lot of good sense. For one thing, it’s another opportunity for people to learn more useful and interesting facts about the metropolis, and for another, it signals the start of further cooperation between two of the city’s giants – Prague City Hall and Prague Castle. Together, these inextricably linked institutions will offer a unique opportunity to experience and enjoy Prague. We are grateful to everyone who has been and will be involved. And, of course, we hope that visitors will be interested and happy,” says Mayor of Prague Bohuslav Svoboda.
“I am delighted with the opening of the new tourist information centre at Prague Castle. I think of it as emblematic of a new era now that we have a new head of state. “Our common goal is to showcase the metropolis as a European city of the highest calibre, offering quality services that tourists are sure to enjoy in the new tourist centre,” adds Jiří Pospíšil, deputy mayor responsible for culture and tourism.
Prague City Tourism has sensitively reconstructed the new premises of the tourist information centre to replace the unsightly exchange office that used to stand on the site. The new information centre will offer visitors practical advice about the city, the Prague Visitor Pass and the opportunity to buy tasteful souvenirs.
“The third courtyard is Prague Castle’s focal point. So it’s fantastic that we are able to take care of visitors to Prague here, too. From here, tourists can head straight for St Vitus’ Cathedral, which stands in the middle of the courtyard,” says Jan Wolf, chairman of the Prague City Tourism supervisory board, adding: “The new tourist centre is housed in sensitively renovated premises on the ground floor of a historic castle building.”
“I am extremely pleased that we have invested in this new site and that, in partnership with Prague Castle, we are opening another refurbished facility to serve tourists,” says František Cipro, chairman of Prague City Tourism’s board of directors, adding: “The tourist centre will also be the starting point for two regular guided tours. Visitors will also be able to buy the Prague Visitor Pass, the introduction of which has seen tourists venture increasingly beyond Prague’s classic monuments.”
The grand opening is accompanied by an afternoon programme, which the company is putting on primarily for the people of Prague as a way of thanking them for their goodwill. It is also the symbolic culmination of the year-long celebrations of the company’s 65th anniversary. Besides witnessing the opening of the new TIC premises, visitors can also look forward to guided tours that will take them to normally inaccessible areas of Prague Castle, such as the crypt of St Vitus’ Cathedral and the Old Royal Palace’s observation deck.
Prague Castle has long been one of the most visited and popular sights in the metropolis, attracting some 1.4 million visitors a year. Estimates indicate that as many as 3.7 million people pass through the castle grounds throughout the year.