Czech Republic. Prague
Remembering the trip to Prague, which is in the top 10 most visited cities in Europe, brings very warm memories... Although we were in the Czech capital for only two days and two nights, we still managed to visit many places, taste the legendary Czech beer, make a wish on the Charles Bridge, sit by the deserted Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral under the lamplight, stroll along the Letná Park embankment, take a boat ride along the Vltava River, and finally visit the "Singing Fountains" at the Prague Exhibition Grounds...
Our walk began at Wenceslas Square - a place of many historical events, a traditional site for demonstrations and public gatherings. It was on this square that the independence of Czechoslovakia from Austria-Hungary was defended, and the civil uprising against the Communist Party and socialist regime, known as the "Velvet Revolution" of 1989, took place...
At the end of the square stands the National Museum building and the statue of Saint Wenceslas, the Czech prince who was canonized and is the patron saint of all Czech lands, thanks to the spread of Christianity and the unification of much of the Czech territory...
In one of the passages, there is a parody of the statue of Saint Wenceslas called "Horse" by the controversial sculptor David Černý, known for his provocative socio-political installations that also combine humor and satire...
Walking through the historic district of Prague - "Staré Město," we gradually approached the central square...
The main landmark of the "Old Town Square," located in the historic center of the city, is the "Church of Our Lady before Týn," built in 1511...
No less famous in the square is the "Old Town Hall" with the famous Prague Astronomical Clock...
Every hour, when the clock strikes, a small performance in the tradition of medieval puppet theater takes place...
After nightfall, having rested a bit, we decided to walk around the "Staré Město" area again... The Powder Tower - an architectural monument from the 15th century...
Since our hotel was located in the "Malá Strana" area, not far from Prague Castle, we decided to walk up to St. Vitus Cathedral and then head to our accommodation. When we arrived at the cathedral, there were hardly any people, which added to the feeling of solitude... In the dark, the Gothic church created an especially mystical impression...
The next morning, before breakfast, we went for a walk along the Letná Park embankment, just a few minutes' walk from our hotel. From there, the most beautiful views of "Staré Město" and the famous "Charles Bridge" opened up...
The park was filled with a lively May atmosphere... Some people were jogging... Squirrels climbed the pines... Birds delighted us with their songs, and the weather with its warmth...
After breakfast, we went for a walk around "Prague Castle" - a complex of buildings, churches, and fortifications, with St. Vitus Cathedral being the architectural centerpiece...
From the observation deck near "Prague Castle," a panoramic view of the city opened up...
After exploring "Prague Castle" from the observation deck, we walked through the streets towards its heart...
The Church of the Nativity of the Lord, or the Prague Loreto...
Noteworthy were the buildings with painted windows... As we were told, at the time of their construction, there was a tax on the number of windows in a house, so the owner wanted to save money this way...
Thus, we approached the entrance to the fortress, which serves as the residence of the President of the Czech Republic and is the largest presidential residence by area in the world. It was once the abode of kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire...
Passing through the Matthias Gate, we found ourselves near St. Vitus Cathedral. Unlike our "night" walk yesterday, this time it was bustling with people...
Standing in line to enter the cathedral, we admired the Gothic figures that symbolized the expulsion of evil spirits and also served as water spouts... Meaning, water would flow from their mouths in rainy weather... A very interesting concept...
The Basilica of St. George - the oldest surviving church in "Prague Castle," founded in 920 AD... In 1142, two Romanesque towers were added. The narrower one was called Eve, the wider one Adam...
On the way, we saw another work by the controversial sculptor David Černý - the installation "Pissing Men." The fun part is that two bronze "men" are urinating on a map of the Czech Republic, with their hips rotating... Thus, they can write various symbols with their stream... You might think, wow... But there's more... If you want the two naked bronze guys, each 2 meters 10 centimeters tall, to spell out a word of your choice, you can send an SMS to the specified number... And voila - the adult bronze men will be spelling out your word on the map of the Czech Republic...
Prague has a lot of quirky things like that, for example, a one-way street with a controlled traffic light...
So we reached "Charles Bridge" (1380) - a medieval bridge across the Vltava River, connecting the historic districts of "Malá Strana" and "Staré Město." The bridge is 520 meters long and rests on 16 strong arches. It is adorned with thirty statues...
While walking through the historic center, you can use markers indicating the number of a landmark, known as the "Silver Line Golden Prague." The markers are mainly located on the curbs of sidewalks...
Not far from "Charles Bridge," we boarded a boat that opened up the expanses of the Vltava River for us...
The Dancing House - an office building in the deconstructivist style, one of the most recognizable buildings in the Czech capital...
The boat offered very picturesque views, and the approaching storm added even more depth...
After the boat ride, we continued our walk in the "Wallenstein Garden," where special attention was drawn to the artificial stalactite wall, which from a distance resembled a wall of skulls...
Peacocks were also spotted here...
Resting after a busy day at the hotel, we went to the evening light show called the "Singing Fountains." This is how our first acquaintance with Prague ended on a high note...
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