Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague
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Some come for the vibrant nightlife, others for the history spanning more than 1,000 years, and others still for the timeless beauty of the architecture. However, if you’re visiting Prague looking to spot a movie location, the capital city of the Czech Republic has that covered, too! It’s home to Barrandov Studios, which, founded in the 1930s, is one of the largest filming facilities in Europe and has played host to productions from all over the world. Luckily for travelling film fans, those movies often venture outside of the studio walls and take advantage of Prague’s many wonders. Join us as we wander around the City of a Hundred Spires to recapture the adventures of international spies, superheroes and even a musical genius.

By Victoria Luxford

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Václav Havel Airport Prague (Casino Royale, 2006) – Most cities in our Movie Capitals series have had an encounter with 007. As it happens, Daniel Craig’s very first scenes as James Bond were shot in Prague; the black-and-white prologue was filmed in the modern Danube House. However, we thought a more accessible hotspot to feature would be the city’s international airport. It plays Miami Airport in the film, where Bond chases the mysterious Ellipsis, with explosive results. You may not have the run of the place as Craig did, but as you land on the runway, you may recognise the areas where one of the more thrilling moments in the film took place.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Charles Bridge (Mission: Impossible, 1996) – The beginning of another one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood history happened in the city, as Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) witnesses the murder of his team in a mission gone terribly wrong. The crescendo of the first act happens in the area around Charles Bridge (Karlův Most), where Cruise witnesses a car exploding and his superior, Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), falling. There are half a dozen memorable spots used in this part of the film, in which the city is bathed in dramatic light from street lamps. However, this is perhaps the easiest to access if you fancy yourself a super spy!

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Vinohrady Theatre (Spider-man: Far from Home, 2019) – Twenty-three years later, Peter Parker would have his own problems in Prague, as his school trip is mysteriously diverted from Paris so that Tom Holland’s superhero could do battle with various CGI baddies. One slightly more sedate scene between Peter and MJ (Zendaya) happened in the Vinohrady Theatre, posing as an opera house that their school party has visited. Fans can either take a peek inside or explore the grand exterior, both of which were featured in the film. It would not be the last time the Marvel Universe would visit the area, as we will find out later in this tour…

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Petschek Palace (The Bourne Identity, 2002) – From a former bank playing a hotel, to a former bank playing a fictional one. Prague stood in for Zurich in the first entry of Matt Damon’s hit action franchise, where the amnesiac hero enters the bank to find out his name and, well, identity. Prague played a big part in the production of Doug Liman’s 2002 film, and was at the centre of the European aesthetic that changed the game for the genre during the decade. The interior is closed to the public, but as it was anyway dressed up to look like a bank, checking out the exterior is perhaps the most authentic experience!

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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St Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle (A Knight’s Tale, 2001) – The late Heath Ledger was seen in front and inside of this remarkable Roman Catholic cathedral in A Knight’s Tale, the 2001 medieval action film that takes certain liberties with history and location. Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral stood in for a location in Paris, where Ledger’s hero, William Thatcher, continues to woo the love of his life, Lady Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon). The playful scene makes the most of the opulent surroundings, the real-life seat of the Archbishop of Prague and the burial place of many kings of the past.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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The Estates Theatre (Amadeus, 1984) – The Oscar-winning 1980s film told the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) and Atonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), a rivalry that would make Hollywood history – even if it was not entirely accurate in terms of actual history. Prague’s Estates Theatre boasts the illustrious claim to fame of having been the venue for one of Mozart’s real-life premieres, the opera Don Giovanni in 1787. Director Miloš Forman seized the opportunity for art to imitate life, recreating performance scenes in the building where they actually happened two centuries previously. The venue still hosts productions of theatre, ballet and opera, the latter of which is still inspired by its most famous headliner.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Žatec (Jojo Rabbit, 2019) – Another Oscar winner, Taika Waititi’s satirical look at Nazi Germany was filmed in the town of Žatec, around 50 miles outside of Prague. Due to the sensitive nature of the storyline, we’ll point to the entire town rather than a particular scene or location, but those who are familiar with the comedy will immediately recognise the pastel-coloured buildings and unique monuments. The town has its own World War II history, having been occupied by German forces toward the end of the conflict. However, historically it has a far more pleasant reputation as a famous beer producer.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Ministry of Transport (Hellboy, 2004) – Guillermo del Toro’s first Hellboy film utilised a lot of locations in the city to achieve the dark and gloomy look of Mike Mignola’s comics. Prague’s National Monument is the lead character’s home, while the Ministry of Transport played Machen Library in one of the movie’s first big action scenes, with the building’s exterior featuring prominently as Ron Perlman’s cigar-chewing anti-hero went to work on a supernatural situation. The large building should be easy to pick out, located in the very prestigious Prague 1 area alongside Prague Castle and many government buildings.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Old Town Square (xXx, 2002) – Close to Charles Bridge and famous for its seasonal markets, Old Town Square will be a picturesque spot that also boasts a connection to action movie royalty. xXx, Vin Diesel’s other big franchise after Fast & Furious, opened with a secret agent walking across Old Town Square as he followed a target into an underground rock club, only to find some unfriendly faces waiting for him. Sadly, you can’t follow that exact route (the club was a creation for the movie), but the square’s architecture and art museum should more than make up for it.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague.
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Živnostenská Banka Building (Falcon and the Winter Soldier, 2021) – We take a slight thematic diversion here. Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a TV show, not a film, however it is a very big-budget adventure that is part of the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, populated by characters from the movies, so we’ll take it! The gorgeous Živnostenská Banka building plays the role of a hotel in a nightmarish flashback for Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), in one of the signature moments in the Disney+ show. The building was the original headquarters of the Czech Republic’s largest commercial bank, and while it was sold in 2015, its memorable façade is a must visit for many tourists.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Prague

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