My favourite 5 things to do at Shooters Island + Visiting Information & History
Střelecký Island or Shooter’s Island was also called in the past Trávník or Little Venice. You can find this green island in the middle of the Vltava River between Ujezd and National Theatre and you can walk there from either direction on the Legion Bridge, one of the main bridges in Prague.
You can can’t miss the island, as it’s fairly big, about 2.5 hectares, with a length of approximately 480 meters and a width of around 85 meters at its widest point near the Legion Bridge.
I always find the history of the island fascinating as it goes back to the 12th century. From the 14th century, it was used as a training ground for archery and crossbow shooting, which is how it got its name. In 1882, the first Sokol gathering took place on the island with a synchronised exercise display (which later moved to the purposefully built Strahov Stadium on the top of Petrin Hill).
My favourite things to do at Shooter’s Island
The Shooter’s Island is my perfect place to chill out – have a leisurely walk amongst the trees, homemade lemonade at the Cocoavan coffee place, listen to the free concerts or have a meal at the restaurant which has panoramic views of the Legion Bridge, the National Theatre, and Žofín.
There are also great views of Charles Bridge, the art gallery at Kampa Island and Charles Spa Buildings from the far end of the island.
I also love visiting Shooter’s Island in the summer, when it’s a summer heatwave and the streets of Prague get way too hot to walk around.
1. watch the nutrias
There are around 16 nutrias ( large furry aquatic rodents) living on the island. They are great fun to watch as they run from the water up the river banks and back to the river.
Saying that, please don’t feed them as they are not native to Prague, don’t have any natural predators in the wild and the local town government is currently trying to keep their numbers down.
The original nutrias started to appear in Prague when nutria farms (for farming animals for fur coats) became redundant and the animals probably escaped to the wild (or were let to go…)
2. Take photos of Charles Bridge
You’ll find the best views of Charles Bridge (the most famous out of all the Prague’s bridges) at the end of the island as well as fab views of the Charles Spa buildings and Kampa Gallery buildings (originally a water mill).
From the side of the island, you can also get an unusual view of the National Theatre and the beautiful 19th-century town houses along the river.
3. Have a drink at Cocovan Cafe
One of my favourite coffee shops is also there during the summer season, so I always make sure I visit. The coffee shop is run out of a little camper van with boho decorations and you can enjoy your coffee and homemade cake sitting on the old-fashioned iron bed with comfy cushions. It’s a great place to watch the world go by.
4. Listen to the Outdoor Concert at the Stage Bar
In the evenings (mainly during the summer), there are also free concerts on the open air stage – just buy a drink, sit down and enjoy the music! There are also lots of large events held here through the year, for example the ‘Prague Island’s Music’, Prague Pride Festival, Comedy festival and lots more.
The Cocovan also runs the stage bar. One thing I should mention that they will initially charge you extra 100 CZK for a glass, which is fully re-fundable. Just don’t forget to return the glass later to get your money back. I’ve known people forgetting to do this and thinking that their drink was quite expensive!
5. Have a picnic in the shade of the tall trees
This is another great reason for visiting the Shooter’s Island. Just pick up freshly baked bread from one of my favourite Prague bakeries and buy everything else you need in the local supermarkets in the centre and head over to the island. There is plenty of space under the tall trees and you get some great views of Charles Bridge from over there.
Shooter’s Island History
The first ever mention of this Prague island goes back to the 12th century when it was called simply the Trávník (Grass Lawn). At the time it was owned by the Knights of St. John and was used as a garden. But in 1393, the Knights of St.John sold the island to the pharmacist Augustin.
The original use of the island for shooting activities
During the reign of Bohemian King Charles IV, Prague’s archers were granted the privilege to practice archery and crossbow shooting there and also to held shooting competitions.
In 1472, the island was purchased by the Prague Old Town, but after an unsuccessful rebellion, it was confiscated by King Ferdinand I of Habsburg in 1547. In 1562, he returned half of the island to the city, while the other half was used by the Prague shooting guild, which held annual competitions until the 19th century.
From the 1619, a patron from the Czech nobility was elected annually for the guild, and the festival became one of the 17 most significant folk celebrations in Prague (alongside Easter, Corpus Christi, the Feast of St. John, and All Souls’ Day). For example, in 1791, on the occasion of his coronation, Czech King Leopold II donated seven of his silver coronation medals as prizes for the shooting competition, as well as 100 gold ducats to pay for the expenses associated with the celebration.
The island also become part of Prague history, because it has a strategic position. For example in the years 1648, 1740, and 1742, various armies attempting to seize the Prague Old Town were successfully turned away by guns fired from the island.
During the Thirty Years’ War, the island fell into disrepair, but in the 18th and 19th centuries, it once again hosted various folk festivities.
From the 18th century, St. John’s celebrations, which included shooting and fireworks, were held on the island.
The shooting was banned here in 1913, but in 1937 it was permitted again, but only for the Prague National Guard.
The first ‘Sokol Slet’ Event
The island also hosted the first ever Sokol Slet (get-together) in 1882. The Czech Sokol, founded in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner in Prague, is a gymnastics and physical education organization that has played a crucial role in fostering Czech national consciousness and community spirit. Originally focused on gymnastics, Sokol expanded to include various physical activities, cultural events, and educational programs, promoting values such as discipline, responsibility, and patriotism.
The Sokol Slet event used the whole area of the island. The exercise display area covered 1,200 square meters and the specially built visitor’s stands were packed with 2,500 spectators.
In 1890, the first May Day (International Workers’ Day) celebration in Bohemia was also held here. In 1926, the VIII Sokol Slet was ceremoniously concluded on the island. During the 2nd World War, when Prague was occupied by the German Army and turned into a German Protectorate, the island was used by the Prague division of the Hitler Youth.
The Restaurant Building
When the original wooden shooting range burned down, the Prague Shooters Guild built a new brick two-story Empire-style building with an inn on the island in 1812, designed by architect J. K. Zobel (today it has a No. 336, but no orientation house number).
By 1842, the building already needed to be repaired, and between 1935 and 1937, it was expanded with a glass terrace and a café based on the designs of architects Jan Zázvorka and J. Libánský.
At the same time, cinema hall was also built on the upper floor. You can still admire the building today, because it is protected as a cultural monument. The facade of the building has an inscription “Nobis et posteritati” (For us and our descendants).
The restaurant building survived all the major floods of 1890, 2002 and 2013, although the whole island was covered with mud and sand and had to be cleaned first before being opened back to the public again.
Connecting the island with the riverbanks
Until 1841 people had to rely on a river ferry boat to get from one banks of the Vltava river to the island. The access to the island got much easier when between 1839 and 1841, the Emperor Francis I Chain Bridge was built across the island. Fun fact, if you’ve seen old photos of Prague with what looks like a Tower Bridge in London, that’s exactly what this bridge looked like.
In 1898-1901, the chain bridge was replaced by the new Legion Bridge, which you can see today. The access is now by the large and beautifully decorated staircase in the middle of the island. There used to be also a tram stop there (Strelecky Ostrov), which is now only used on special occasions.
The tree plantation
The island was originally left as it was, just covered with grass. But by the 1791, it can be clearly seen on Herget’s plan, that four rows of trees were planted, all leading to the shooting range building in the middle of the island. The trees are now very tall and are great to hide under when it’s really hot in the summer.
Facilities at Shooter’s Islands
- Public Toilets – the public toilets (payable) are located under the stairs as you walk down to the island
- Children’s Playground
- Refreshment Stand – there a refresment stand next to the music stage and also on the other side of the island near the restaurant
- Cafe – There is a cafe next to the music stage (Cocovan) or inside the restaurant building on the other side of the island
Practical Information
- Location: In the middle of the Legion Bridge, Prague 1 (nearest underground is Narodni Trida – line B and tram stop Narodni – trams 9, 22 etc.) Also accessible from Smichov side – Ujezd (tram stop) – about 10 minutes walk (under the Petrin Hill)
- Opening Times: All the times (not restricted)
- Tickets: Free
This blog post was originally written on 19 August 2024 and last updated on 19 August 2024
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