Prague
Czech Republic
When Walt Disney needed inspiration to design the sleeping beauty’s castle, he turned to Prague, the capital of ancient Bohemia, with fairylike architecture. A romantic city with a unique heritage, made legendary by the presence of alchemists in the 16th century, many traces were left by them.
The Old Town
Old town square
This is the central square of Prague, you will necessarily pass there to get around the city. There you will also find some of the most important monuments of Prague :
The Old town’s city hall with it's astronomical clock, the Tyn church, the Saint Nicolas Stare Mesto church..
The astronomical clock
Remarkable by its beauty, the clock is also a mechanical feat. Built in 1410 this clock not only measure the time but can also represent the movement of celestial bodies according to the geocentric model of Ptolemy, it displays the sunrise and the sunset, the movements of the moon, the calendar time and the position of the sun in the constellations of the zodiac. Every hour the visitors gather around to observe the mechanical animations, i will not speak about it here, no spoil but it is a spectacle that shouldn’t be missed.
The Old town’s city hall
It’s to this building that the astronomical clock was fixed. Built in 1338 the ancient part consists of a tower flanked by a cantilevered chapel. From the top of the tower, there is a magnificent view on the old town place.
Powder tower
This is where the royal road begins, a good starting point for a visit of the city. Inspired the Charles Bridge, this neo-Gothic tower was built in 1886. It is possible to climb to the top to have a beautiful view on the center of the old town.
Tyn church
The church that inspired the sleeping beauty castle.
Without a doubt the most beautiful monument of Prague, it’s spiritual heart, this gothic church completed in 1511 stands out by its dark stones and towers bristling with spikes. The access to the church is through a tunnel located under an arch of a house.
The Saint Nicolas Stare Mesto church
Still on the place of the Old Town, built in a baroque style which contrasts with the church of Tyn, the Saint Nicolas Stare Mesto church (not to be mistaken with the Saint Nicolas Stana Mala church).
Crossing the square, you won’t be able to miss it’s imposing exterior, the interior is also worth a detour, if only for its luminous appearance and giant chandelier.
The castle and the surroundings
The Prague castle
You will not be able to miss it, it overlooks the city, perched on a hill, its menacing silhouette forms an exceptional panorama. It is there that the kings of Bohemia, the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, the presidents of the Czechoslovak Republic, then of the Czech Republic have sat.
Within the fortress complex you will find, in addition to the palace, the Saint Vitus, Saint Wenceslas and Saint Adalbert cathedral
The Saint Vitus, Saint Wenceslas and Saint Adalbert cathedrala
Spiritual symbol of the Czech state, it was built on an old Romanesque rotunda. The construction was supposed to last 600 years, but it was not completed before 1929. The stained-glass windows, made in a modern style are one of its most interesting features.
Saint Nicolas Mana de Strana church
Built between 1702 and 1762 this Baroque church, located below the Prague Castle is one of the most beautiful monuments of Prague.
The sobriety of the facade decorated in an antique style with columns and statues hides the monumentality of the interior, a masterpiece of the radical baroque
Admission is chargeable and many concerts take place inside.
The Jewish heritage of Prague
The real name is "Josefov", this district is located in the heart of the Old Town. Its history begins with the arrival of a strong Jewish community in Prague during the 8th century.
The Spanish synagogue
Built in 1868 in the neo-Moorish style, a style not widely used despite its beauty, you will probably discover it in Prague for the first time. This exotic architectural style of the 19th century was launched by Americans and Europeans architects who were fond of Orientalism. This style is inspired by Ottoman Turkey and Moorish Andalusia.
The Moorish style was adopted by the Jews of central Europe, who associated the architectural forms of the neo-Mudejar with the golden age of the Jewish community in medieval and Muslim Spain.
Therefore, the neo-Moorish style have spread around the world as an architecture for synagogues.
The statue of Kafka
In front of the synagogue there is a mysterious statue of Kafka straddling an empty cloak
The Jérusalem synagogue
Built in 1906, also in the neo-Moorish style, its bright colors make it the most beautiful synagogue in Prague in my opinion. The interior is to be seen at any cost.
The Maisel Synagogue
Built in 1590, it has been rebuilt several times in different styles. The last in 1905 in the neo-Gothic style.
Inside there is an exhibit on the Jews of Bohemia. Cults objects are mixed with everyday objects.
The Charles Bridge
The bridge was completed in 1402 as a replacement to the washed-out Judith bridge. It bears his name in memory of Charles IV who laid his first stone. Built in sandstone with towers at each end, 30 statues of saints sculpted by artists such as F.M Brokof or M.Braun have been added to its stacks between 1683 and 1928.
The dancing house
Slightly outside the center, this architectural curiosity deserves a few minutes long walk along the Vlata to reach it.
This strange building is a hotel, built in a deconstructivist style in 1996 by the architects Vlado Milunić and Frank O. It’s an interesting sight by day or by night, I learned to appreciate modern art and architecture while traveling to a foreign country, it often breaks the monotony of local architecture.
PS: Come closer to better discern the silhouette at the foot of the hotel.
An Obscure past
Mysterious symbols
The city is marked by mysterious symbols, references to a past of witchcraft, Alchemy and secret societies.
The Speculum Alchimae museum
Dedicated to the city’s alchemical past, it includes a visit to an incredible secret 16th century alchemy workshop
Absinthe
Absinthe is very present in Prague, in bottles, lollipops, infused with cannabis. At the beginning of the 20th century absinthe became prohibited in Switzerland and France. Prague, which was not affected by those bans, became an El Dorado for absinthe drinkers.