Exploring
Prague Part 2
As
I have mentioned in the previous post, Prague is an absolutely incredible place
with rich history and breathtaking views. Last time I talked more about the
modern and surreal side of Prague, now I would like to focus on history and
some major sights of the capital of Czech Republic. We arrived to Prague on
Thursday, March 24th and started our journey from the Old Town
Square. I find this square very unique and intriguing as it combines different
styles of architecture such as Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic. I would not try
to go inside each building and try to learn its history of origin; I feel the
best way to enjoy the Old Town Square is to grab a traditional Czech snack,
such as trdelnik with a cup of hot сider, and then just leisurely walk around and soak the atmosphere of this
ancient city.
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| Eating trdelnik - delicious! |
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| Astronomical clock |
The fist building that we stopped at was the Astronomical Clock. Every hour the figures on both sides of the clock start moving and making sounds; this “mini-spectacle” is absolutely marvelous, especially if you think about how ancient this clock is. In fact, at the time when the Astronomical Clock was built, people believed there was some magic involved.
After watching the Astronomical Clock performance we headed to the Charles Bridge, which connects the Old Town Square and a Lesser Town, where all the castles located. If you will ever travel to Prague, you must definitely see this bridge. It is magnificent and the view from it will take your breath away!
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| View from the Charles Bridge |
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Along
both sides of the bridge you can see different statues; the one that I remember
the most was the statue of St. John of Nepomuk. St. John was a Czech saint who
was executed and being thrown into the river during the reign of Wenceslas IV.
These days, tourists from all over the world come to this statue to touch its
plaque as it supposed to bring you good luck or make your wish come true. I
decided to follow this tradition and touched the plaque as well. Who knows, maybe
my wish will come true. :)
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| Touching the plaque of the statue |
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| St. Vitus Cathedral |
After
crossing Charles Bridge you have to walk up the hill for around half an hour in
order to see the some of the most famous Czech castles and cathedrals. All
buildings represent different architectural style. St. Vitus Cathedral with its pointed arch and ribbed vault would be a great example of Gothic architecture.
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| St. George's Basilica |
Right
across from this cathedral you can find St. George’s Basilica which represents
Romanesque architecture with its thick walls and round arches. It is really fascinating
how many different styles of architecture you can find in Prague! Some of the
other places that we have visited in Prague are the Old Jewish Cemetery, which
is the largest one in Europe, and the Jewish Synagogue.
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| Prague Castle |
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| Martin Luther Church |
On the third day of our trip we visited Dresden, Germany. It was a short
visit, we spent there approximately four hours and I must say it was not enough!
Dresden is a charming, elegant city, and if you want to fully enjoy its beauty
you have to spend there at least a couple of days. During the time that was
provided to us I was only able to climb on top of the Martin Luther Church and
visit the Old Masters Picture Gallery. I was really upset when we had to leave
Dresden and return to Prague. I have promised myself to visit Dresden as soon
as I will have a chance to fully experience the atmosphere of this incredible
place.
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| Panorama of Dresden |
