Mirror Maze in Petřín

The Mirror Maze in Petřín is located right next to the lookout tower and it is definitely worth visiting. It was originally constructed as a pavilion of the Czech Tourist Club for the Prague Anniversary Exhibition in 1891 – in the same year as the lookout tower.

It is a loose copy of a Gothic gate called Špička, which was built in the late 14th century during the reign of Charles IV as part of the fortifications of Prague’s Vyšehrad. It was embellished by nine spires. After the pavilion was moved to Petřín, a mirror maze with diorama-like effects was installed in the right section of the building instead of a panorama with diapositives. The diorama captures a memorable scene from 1648, when the Swedish army attempted to cross the Charles Bridge and conquer the Old Town, but the city was saved due to the valiant resistance of students and professors of the Jesuit College. An elaborate combination of plastic foreground with a flat painting of Hradčany in the background gives an authentic impression of the roaring battle.