PRAGUE - 100 reasons to visit - Part III

More places to explore

The fortress Vysehrad -  from the 10th century is located on the hill above Vltava River. Explore the neo-gothic church, the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Vysehrad Cemetery where many famous Czechs were laid to rest.

The Vysehrad Cemetery

The Karolinum is one of the oldest dormitory in Central Europe, build shortly after establishment of Charles University as a place for teachers and students to stay, serves today as a seat of Charles University. If you are interested in history and architecture, there are many more historic buildings in Prague. In 862, the missionaries from Tessalonica, Cyril and Methodius came to Czech lands and brought Christianity, so there are many beautiful old Romanesque,  Gothic and baroque churches to visit. There are many other interesting buildings to explore, such as the Dancing House or, as locals like to call it, the Ginger and Fred building. It was designed by Czech and American architects.

Dancing House 

Czechs are the art and music lovers and all year round you can attend an opera, ballet or concert in one of the many theaters, concert halls or churches, and visit their museums and art galleries.

Prague National Theater, a beautiful building and the most important Czech institution, is the embodiment of the will of the Czech nation for its national identity, as it was built by money collected from Czech people in the second part of 17th century. You may catch your favorite opera or ballet and if you are lucky they may play my favorite Czech fairy tale opera Rusalka by famous Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. He lived for years in America where, in New York in 1893,  he wrote his Symphony No. 9 "From the New World".

It is a treat to see Mozart's Don Giovanni at Stavovske Divadlo, which had a world premiere there in 1787, and was used for filming of the Oscar wining film Amadeus by Czech director Milos Forman. The theater is the only one still standing where Mozart performed himself. Also, in 1791, Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito was staged there for the first time in celebration of the coronation of Emperor Leopold II.

National Theater in Prague

State Opera House is the most beautiful of Prague opera houses,  formerly the German Theater, where Caruso, Gigli, Mahler and Strauss performed. Opera's repertoire is rich in mostly all the famous Italian but also other operas performed by wonderful Czech singers.

The State Opera House

Enjoy a concert in one of many Prague's halls or churches, such as St. James Church built in 1232, which is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Prague. Its great acoustics make a wonderful venue for concerts or church music.

Another very interesting place to visit is Laterna Magica, an unusual theater, created in 1958 for the wold exhibition EXPO 58 in Brussels, Belgium. No words are spoken,  several other mediums are used instead: dance, sounds, lights, pantomime and  the combination of life stage media and film projection.

The Bedrich Smetana Museum is honoring much loved Czech composer Bedrich Smetana who is the author of several operas and the famous symphonic cycle Ma Vlast (My Country). One of the symphonic poems is about the river Vltava.  He was loosing his hearing, and unfortunately, was never able to hear his finished work.

View of Prague Castle from Bedrich Smetana Museum

If you are still not tired, after all that sightseeing, there is a night life in Prague with many night clubs open, where you can dance, listen to jazz or have a night cap.

So good night for now. Next time we will finish our blog about Prague with the information where to stay, dine, shop and how to get there. Until then enjoy traveling!

PRAGUE - 100 reasons to visit - Part II

Places to go

Prague is home to many famous cultural attractions which survived the violence and destruction of the twentieth century Europe. From Romantic to Gothic Style to modern Cubist, Prague has it all. 
The Vaclavske Namesti (Venceslas Square) is what Time Square is to New York or Champs Elysee to Paris. 

Venceslas Square

The main city square, actually a long boulevard, is the center of business and cultural activities in the New Town. Take a walk along the many shops and restaurants or stop at the sidewalk cafe and watch the world go by. The upper part is dominated by neoclassical National Museum and a beautiful statue of the saint patron of Bohemia - St. Venceslas.

The northwest end Na Prikope (on the moat) divides the New Town and the Old Town. From there on you can experience a medieval part of this beautiful city. Since 1992, the extensive historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Prague Orloj

Walk through the narrow streets, lined by quaint shops, till you get to the Old Town Square, where the Old Town City Hall, built in 1364, is situated with its main attraction Orloj - a medieval Astronomical Clock. It is the oldest clock in the world still working. Every hour on the hour you may observe the ceremony of the 12 Apostles and other moving figures, notably a figure of Death (represented by a skeleton) striking the time, and a calendar dial with medallions representing each month of the year.

Old Town Square - Tyn Church 

There are two beautiful churches near by, the Gothic Tyn Church and the baroque St.Nicholas Church. You cannot miss the monument of Jan Hus, a Czech priest, philosopher and master at Charles University who, before Martin Luther, tried to reform the church. For his preaching against the doctrines of the Catholic Church he was burned at the stake. If you like to learn more about Jan Hus, visit a little medieval chapel Betlemska Kaple where he was preaching in the 14th century.     

While in the Old Town, stop by the Jewish Cemetery (the oldest preserved tombstone dates back to 1439) and visit the Jewish Museum. 

Jewish Cemetery

From there you are not far from the edge of the Old Town and  Prasna Brana, a Gothic tower which is one of the 13 old gates to the city of Prague. Walk through another Gothic tower Mostecka Vez and you are on the beautiful Charles Bridge decorated with 30 baroque statues. At the other side of the bridge, after you walk through Lesser Town bridge tower, you are in the Lesser Town, the center of medieval Prague. From there follow  the cable stone streets up to the castle. The buildings and palaces here are mostly Baroque and you may notice that some of them are decorated with emblems such as the house At the Unicorn, one of the oldest houses in Prague, with Romanesque core from 12th century. Prague houses did not have numbers until 1770, and by these way-markings, the people could find a house they were looking for.  Today the House of Black Madonna is a museum of Cubism. 

House at The 3 Fiddlers

Some, like the house at the Three Fiddler's, indicated the occupation of the owner.The main square Malostranske Namesti lies at the heart of this part of town. Visit the primary landmark, the baroque St. Nicolas Church, where over the organ is a fresco of St. Cecilia, patron saint of music.   The organs were played by Mozart in 1787. By now, on the way to the castle, you may want to stop at one of many old pubs for some typical Czech meal and a glass of famous Czech beer.

The Prague Castle is the largest medieval castle complex in Europe and it is Prague's premier attraction.  Wander around its courtyards, visit many buildings, museums and art galleries. Enter the magnificent St.Vitus Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece dominating Prague skyline and the coronation and burial place of many Czech kings. On the outside, in the third courtyard, notice the mosaic over the side doors, which was restored by the Getty Museum of Los Angeles. 

St. George at the Prague Castle

Statue of St. George slaying a dragon is also there as well as the St. George Basilica, the oldest surviving church building on the grounds of Prague Castle. Don't forget to walk through the Zlata Ulicka (Golden Lane) dating from the 15th century, a small street lined with tiny historic houses, originally dwellings for people working at the castle. Famous writer Franz Kafka spent some time in the house No. 22.

View of the Prague Castle from the Charles Bridge

Once outside of the castle stately gates, from the large terrace, you can enjoy the panorama of the city and the charming red roofs of Lesser Town houses. On the right side you will see the Petrin Hill with its TV tower resembling smaller version of the Eiffel Tower. It's a place where the local people go for recreation and it is most beautiful in the spring when the cherry trees blossom. There are several interesting things to explore, among them the rose garden and the previous mentioned Hunger Wall. You can access the top by the funicular and admire the view of the castle and the city which look amazing from there. 

Prague Castle from Petrin

Rose Garden at Petrin

Next time we'll talk about more places to explore. Until then enjoy traveling!

PRAGUE - 100 reasons to visit the city of 100 spires

Prague has acquired several names throughout the centuries:

The Golden Prague -  under the reign of Rudolph II and Charles IV
Prague – the city of 100 spires (presently there are over 500 of them)
Prague – the heart of Europe – distance of the city to the seas

Prague, the capitol of Czech Republic, is one of the most beautiful and enchanting cities in the world, with the magnificent panorama of the Prague Castle and many old bridges reflecting in the Vltava River. The oldest one, the Charles Bridge, was commissioned by the Czech king Charles IV in 1357 and for 450 years it was

Bridges over Vltava River

the only bridge connecting two banks of the river. The story goes that when the bridge was being built the builders put raw eggs in the mortar to make it hold together. And sure enough, after 6 centuries, the bridge is still standing! 

Prague is the real center and heart of Europe. The city is famous for its historical sights but it is also an ideal place for rest and relaxation, for business activities, for fun and entertainment. Prague offers its visitors unforgettable views of the hundreds of golden towers and turrets and views of charming red roofs of the Lesser Town houses. Prague invites guests to its streets and parks and attracts them by many exciting walking and boat trips, splendid cuisine and wonderful services. The residents of Prague are very hospitable and will delight admirers of all good food and drinks.

Hradcany panorama

The history of the Czech lands goes back to 512 when Slaves were first mentioned living there. In the second half of the 9^th century the first Czech farmer-prince Borivoj Premyslovec ruled, after he married his wife Princess Libuse. She had many visions and in one of them she prophesied of the glory of Prague:

"I see a vast city, whose glory will touch the stars! I see a place in the middle of a forest where a steep cliff rises above the Vltava River. There is a man, who is chiseling the threshold (prah) for the house. A castle named Praha (Prague) will be built there. Just as the princes and the dukes stoop in front of the threshold, they will bow to the castle and to the city around it. It will be honored, favored with great repute, and praise will be bestowed upon it by the entire world.”
I must agree that her prophesy came to past.

The city itself was found in 10 century, when Vysehrad  and later Prague Castle was built. The golden age of Prague dates to the 14^th century when Bohemia was ruled by the son of John of Luxemburg - Charles IV, the Czech king and the Holy Roman Emperor.

Charles IV

He spoke fluently 5 languages in times when many crowned heads could not read and write. He is known as the Father of the Czech Nation. He was a lover of arts and a great diplomat. Under his rule Prague became one of the most prosperous city of Europe as the capitol of the Holy Roman Empire. He initiated many building projects which we can still admire today, like CharlesBridge and St. Vitus Cathedral.  He also planned the New Town district where Charles Square, named after him, lies. He is remembered as the most beloved Czech King. He was good to his people and commissioned the building of the "Hunger Wall" (remnants of which still stand today on Petrin Hill in Prague) which is thought to be the first works-project in the world, as he had it built to create employment for the poor and hungry masses (hence the name). Charles IV also founded Charles University, the first center of higher education in all of Central Europe. Still today, students from all over the world can get their education there. It was Charles who brought the cultivation of the grape and the wine industry to the beer-drinking Czechs.

St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle

The history of Prague and Czech lands is rich and another golden era worth mentioning was the time between 2 great wars. For 20 short years, from 1918 to 1938, the country became an independent democratic Czechoslovakia under the leadership of Tomas G. Masaryk. He was Czechoslovakia's first beloved president. He was a friend of America and had an American wife. The country was prosperous and exported many products to many countries of the world, including America. 
After the long rule of communism, Czechoslovakia finally became a free country, and in 1989 elected a former dissident and famous playwright Vaclav Havel as its president.

Next time we will explore the places to see in Prague. Until then enjoy traveling!