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More than anywhere else, Mala Strana , the "Little Quarter", conforms to the image of Prague as the quintessential Baroque city. Its focus is the sloping, cobbled Malostranske namesti , a busy square split in two by the former Jesuit seminary and church of sv Mikulas (daily 9am-4pm; tower daily April-Oct 10am-6pm, Nov-March weekends only, 10am-5pm), possibly the most magnificent Baroque building in the city. Nothing of the plain west facade prepares you for the overwhelming High Baroque interior - the fresco in the nave alone covers over 1500 square metres, and portrays some of the more fanciful feats of St Nicholas. Follow Tomasska north from the square and you'll arrive at the Valdstejn Palace . The largest palace complex in the city after the castle, it was built by Albrecht von Waldstein, who demolished 21 houses to make space for a palace befitting the most powerful man in central Europe. It currently houses the Czech Senate and is only rarely open to the public. You'll have to make do with the view from the formal gardens (daily: April & Oct 10am-6pm; May-Sept 9am-7pm), access to which is from a concealed entrance off Letenska. South of the main square, a continuation of Karmelitska brings you to the funicular railway up Petrin hill (daily 9.15am-8.45pm, every 10-15 minutes; 8kc, or included in travel pass), a better green space than most in Prague, and a good place for a picnic and views from the 60-metre Petrin tower (June-Oct, 10am-6pm).
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