Beautiful Prague

 Our Central Europe trip was quickly coming to a close.  We had one more stop - Prague. As the final leg of this part of our trip with the boys, taking the train to Prague felt like the perfect transition, offering a serene and scenic break in our busy travels. The trip was 7 hours long, and I spent time reflecting on the adventures behind us, while I began editing the hundreds of photos I've taken so far.  As we started pulling into Prague I was eager to explore the timeless charm of this enchanting city before we said goodbye to Son #1 and Son #2.

We had two full days in Prague, which I quickly discovered wasn't nearly enough to really explore the area.  We narrowed our focus to the Old Town section - which seemed to have become the theme of this trip. Our airbnb condo was close to everything that we were planning to do and everything was within walking distance.

The area that is now called Prague has been inhabited for thousands of years.  Artifacts have been discovered proving that it has been occupied since the Paleolithic age. However, Prague (which was then part of Bohemia) developed from it's castle that was built in 880 by Bohemia's first ruler, Prince Borivoj. Today, Prague has one of Europe's best preserved medieval architecture. When we first entered the Old Town Square we were captivated by what we saw.

Old Town Square

Old town square dates back to the 10th century. It was primarily used for the town market. Many important historical events have happened in this square including coronation processions, revolutions, government speeches,  and executions.  The square is bordered by many beautiful buildings from different time periods but somehow they all work together to create a place that everyone wants to spend time in.  This is the most famous view of the city and there is so much to do and see.

Our Lady Before Tyn Basilica

This impressive basilica dates way back to 1350 and before.  It's believed that the church began in 1135 as one of 4 catholic churches that stood on the square. At that time it had at least one bell tower. Sometime around 1350 construction on the new Tyn church began.  It was built in the beautiful gothic style and was pretty much what exists today. We missed being able to go inside the first day, so we went back the following day just to see it from the inside.  As photos are not allowed, I have borrowed a couple that I found online.

Old Town Hall

Old Town Hall, when it was built in the 14th century, was the highest building in Prague. While it hasn't held that title in a very long time, it is still one of the shining stars in Old Town Square. At one time this was city hall for Prague but is now only used for ceremonial functions.

Astonomical Clock

The medieval Astonomical Clock is the oldest one of it's kind still in operation and is the main attraction on Old Town Square. It was built and installed in 1410 and over the last 600 years has been damaged and repaired many times. 

Every hour, on the hour, (between the hours of 9 AM to 11 PM) the clock comes alive. The Apostles that flank the clock begin to move and dance. Although this lasts less than a minute, it was an amazing thing to watch.

Church of St. Nicholas

In the corner of the square sits the Church of St. Nicholas.  The ground that it stands on is where another Gothic church once stood.  After it burned down the Baroque St. Nicholas was built in the 18th century. The dome is an impressive 20m in diameter and the interior height is over 49m making it the highest interior in Prague. Concerts are held throughout the year on the organ that dates back to the 18th century.

Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge is one of the few medieval bridges still standing today. It is one of the most beautiful, and most photographed monuments in the world. It was built to replace an on older bridge that collapsed in a flood. After more than 40 years the bridge, which was the only bridge crossing the Vltava River until 1841, was completed. Two towers guard each end of the bridge, one in Renaissance style built in the 1600s and the other Gothic dating from 1464. It was the gothic Bridge Tower that inspired the other two prominent landmarks in Old Town - the Old Town Hall tower, and the two towers of the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. 

Today Charles Bridge is a  UNESCO World Heritage site and is still used as a pedestrian bridge.

Prague Castle

Visiting Prague Castle topped our must-see list. Prague Castle is the largest  ancient castle in the world at an area of 70,000 square meters. It was founded in 880 by Prince Borivoj.

Since 1993 Prague Castle has been the seat of Czech heads of state.

St. Vitus Cathedral

St.Vitus Cathedral dates back to 1344 and since that time only a few modifications have been made.  It sits within the castle walls and is visible from almost anywhere in Prague. It is the largest and most important church in the Czech Republic. Buried within the walls of the church are Bohemian Kings and Holy Roman Emperors. 

Golden Lane

Golden Lane dates back to the 15th century.  Along this cobblestone lane are many small houses that would have been occupied by goldsmiths and servants of the castle. Now, many of them are small stores where you will find local crafts.

St. George's Basilica

Originally founded in 920, it is one of the oldest churches in Prague. It was founded by Vratislaus 1, Duke of Bohemia (he was the father of  the patron saint of the Czech Republic - St. Wenceslaus - yes, the one and only Good King Wenceslaus)

Old Royal Palace and Vladislav Hall

The Old Royal Palace lies in courtyard III of the castle.  It dates back to the 12th century.  It is a complex of halls, chambers, and corridors. One chamber called Bohemian Chancellery is famous for Prague's second defenestration.  We had never heard of it before, but before arriving in Prague, Son #1 told us all about how some of the royal governors were thrown out of the window by protestants. 

 

One of the highlights of this palace is Vladislav Hall, an impressive hall with ribbed ceilings and wooden floor.  Many special events such as inaugurations,  and coronations took place here, and to this day it is still used for special events. 

With that, this portion of our travels came to a close.  It was the perfect way to end our trip with Son #1 and Son #2.  The next day we would say good-bye - they would head back home to Canada, and we were off to Rome to pick up a trans-Atlantic cruise that would take us through a different part of Europe before landing us in New York.