Czech This Out....

BOHEMIA

Prague (Praha)  -  The Czech Republic

Post 1

We have taken a most fabulous trip to Prague/Czech Republic. We have never been here before, so sharing the history, architecture, food and culture of this beautiful city is going to be fun. We hope you enjoy this city as much as we have.

A Brief History of Prague:

The City is at the crossroads of Europe, with Germany to the west, Poland to the north, Austria and Slovakia to the south and east (http://www.eubusiness.com/europe/czech-republic). It has been a magnet for foreign trading since prehistoric times. By the 10^th century, the city was thriving with a large market place. The Premyslids were the first rulers of the city in AD 935. They had many bloody wars with each other during their rule (fighting amongst the family).

During the middle ages, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV ruled and Prague grew into a magnificent city, larger than Paris or London. During that time, Charles built the first university in Central Europe, Charles University. During the 16^th century, after a succession of weak kings, The Habsburgs gained control, beginning a rule that would last for almost 400 years. One of the Hapsburgs, Emporer Rudolph II, brought the spirit of the Renaissance to Prague through his love of the arts and sciences. Soon after his death in 1618, the Protestant revolt led to the Thirty Years’ War (http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/civil_n2/histscript6_n2/thirty1.html). The city declined after the war until it’s revival in the 18^th century. Many of the Baroque palaces and churches in the city date from this period.

The 19^th century was a period of national revival. Many great public monuments were built. The Habsburgs still ruled the city at this time. It wasn’t until 1918 that Prague became the capital of the Independent Republic. The German army occupied the city during WWII, followed by four decades of Communism. The ‘Velvet Revolution’ in 1989 is when Prague began to embrace a new era of freedom (http://www.prague.net/blog/article/36/velvet-revolution) & (http://www.rferl.org/media/photogallery/czechoslovakia-prague-velvet-revolution-communism/26689967.html)   The city now ranks among the most popular in Europe.

OUR WALKING TOUR OF PRAGUE

Art, Architecture, Food and People

With eight centuries of history, Prague has a lot to offer anyone interested in art and architecture (that would be me!). The city was spared large-scale destruction during WWII, so much of its medieval core remains intact. On a walk through the different quarters of the city - Old Town, The Jewish Quarter, Little Quarter, Prague Castle and Hradcany – one can see Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau and Cubist influences.

*Travelers Note: 
When visiting this city, wear comfortable shoes as you will be walking on nothing but cobblestones. To see women walking in anything that has a heel will boggle your mind. You can imagine the blisters and hammer toes developing inside that shoe. Ouch! Walking is by far the best way to take the time to see the really cool stuff. Besides stopping to see some of the main attractions, we walked all through the neighborhoods, along many back streets and alleyways to find some of the most interesting buildings and art. You will also find some of the best authentic international food off the beaten path (and cheaper!), so make a point to spend some time away from all of the tourist attractions. 
About the metro and tram system: When getting your Czech money Kc (koruna or crowns) make sure to get some change as the metro and tram system ticket machines take only coins. It is difficult to go up to any vendor and just ask for change without buying something. So every time you do buy something, try to get as much change as possible.
The public restrooms (WC) also take 10Kc or 20Kc per visit (and you will need them!)
Also, some eating establishments won't take foreign credit cards, so you will need cash.

Street Views of Prague:

(click on photos to enlarge)

Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square) & Josefov (The Jewish Quarter)  

 

Movie of Old Town Square while Rowan avoids getting in the picture. The little rascal is at my back as I am spinning around taking the movie.

Check out the fresco work on the building on the right. Yes, it is all hand painted!

Church of Our Lady before Tyn - a wonderful example of Gothic architecture

Astronomical Clock: The clock was not meant to tell time; instead it was meant to tell the phases of the moon, the astrological signs, the seasons and the Christian holidays. On the hour, the two doors at the top of the clock slide open and the 12 apostles glide past, while the 15th-century symbols of evil, death, vanity, corruption and greed-shake and dance below. Go here to watch a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82-Zo_hFcCE

 

A stunning example of fresco work on this Neo-Renaissance building (click on the photo to

enlarge). This kind of fresco work is found all over the city.

Maisel Synagogue: This is an original Renaissance synagogue from the 16th century that underwent extensive renovation and is now in the Neo-Gothic style. The synagogue is now a museum that houses the history of Jews in Bohemia and Monrovia. Many items in the collection were brought to Prague by the Nazis from other synagogues throughout Bohemia and Monrovia with the intention of founding a museum of a vanished people.

Horrifying, but true.

Old Jewish Cemetery: This was the only burial site for Jews for over 300 years. The site is found in the old Jewish ghetto area of the city. Because of the lack of space, people had to be buried on top of each other, up to 12 layers deep. There are over 12,000 gravestones crammed into the tiny space. The last burial was in 1787. This photo is one corner of the graveyard.

Jan Hus Monument: Art Nouveau Style - Jan Hus was a religious reformer and Czech hero. He was one of the most important religious thinkers of his day. He objected strongly to the religious practices and wealth of the Catholic Church and was excommunicated in 1412 and then put in prison in 1414. He was burnt at the stake after being pronounced a heretic in 1415. His huge size in the monument emphasizes the moral authority of the man who gave up his life rather than his beliefs. You can see here how huge he is compared to the others in the sculpture.

 FOOD BREAK....

I can't believe I have waited this long to feature some food! :o) 

This is the first piece of major food I found on the Old Town Square.

Traditional Czech Pork (Vepřové) at it's finest :o)

Lunch at a little Italian street cafe, Aldente on  Vězeňská 4. Antipasto board with a pear/orange/walnut/gargonzola salad. The Italian food in the city is fabulous. We found this in a little Italian district a few blocks off of the Old Town Square.

Trdelník - traditional Czech pastry slow cooked on an open coal fire. It is dipped in cinnamon and sugar and a variety of nut choices. Served warm off of the fire. If you have one piece, plan to have many. It is a little taste of HEAVEN!

Vepřové Křenem: Roasted pork knee on the bone - You can see there is a pork theme here. The Czech's love their meat and potatoes. This is a famous Czech dish that you must have if you come here. Plan on sharing it with a friend as it is enormous and will take you at least 2 days to digest (this is why you need to WALK the city :o) The meat is dark and just falls off of the bone. It is served with cabbage, sauerkraut, horseradish and mustard. It is absolutely delicious!

 

BEER (Pivo)

A Czech Tradition

Me with a Kozel Dark -  They say that beer (pivo) flows like water here in the Czech Republic, so you will see many locals and other Europeans sitting in the street cafe's as early as 10am having their first pint of suds. We tended to wait until at least 1pm, so here I am after a morning of walking the city on a very warm day getting my "pint of Czech water".

A little Czech Beer History - The best known Czech beer is Pilsner Urquell. The word "Pilsner" is derived from a town 50 miles southwest of Prague where this beer was first made in 1842. Many beers here are made in the Pilsner style.

The other beers of Prague: Budweiser Budvar, is brewed 100 miles south of Prague in
České Budějovice. The American Budweiser's first brewer adopted the name after a visit to Bohemia in the 19th century. Other Pilsner beers are: Staropramen and Gambrinus.

The two of us on the Vltava River with the Charles Bridge in the background. I will leave it here for now. Stay tuned for much more about our walking tour of Prague in the coming days.

Vepřové , Pivo and Na shledanou (Pork, Beer and Goodbye) ........for now...............