If you want to escape crowds and still immerse yourself in the magic of our capital and you’re up for exploring some of the hidden beauties of our city, put a pair of comfy shoes on and take a hike through Šárka valley. Your final destination? The Baba Housing Estate.

The Baba hill, which offers a view of the whole city, is home to a super neat villa district that used to be home to the cream of society. The villas are the work of elite architects and the city planning was in the hands of Pavel Janák, one of the most significant names in Czech architecture of the 20th century. His aim was not as much to design a villa district for wealthy Praguers as it was to come up with an idea for a standardized house, which could later be a part of new housing districts anywhere. Janák drew inspiration from Stuttgart where Le Corbusier erected the functionalist housing development Weissenhof.

A beautiful location with a stunning view, together with the cleanness and timelessness of functionalism, have, however, completely dazzled the Czech upper class resulting in a complete twist in the original purpose of Baba. In any case, the estate has become a unique set of functionalist buildings, a piece of history and the best example of the 20th century architecture that Prague has to offer.