Terry's Travel: Prague Czech Republic

#PragueCzechRepublicGoldenCity

Prague (sometimes called Praha) is the capital of the Czech Republic and is the 14th largest city in the European Union
Its nickname is the City of a Hundred Spires (as you can see here) as you can view that plus much more with the four free walking tours that includes a local guide;
Old Town, Castles & Charles Bridge, New Town / Zizkov Neighborhood

Other Fun Things I Recommend;
For $15 US you can rent a row boat (four people) and see the Vitava River plus the City in a
different way
The Prague Castle cost ($17US) to tour most of the interiors but its free to roam its grounds
plus gardens

KeyTip :
You are paying in Czech Crowns instead of Euros so a huge dollar saving on the exchange rates,
plus plan on the free Museum Days and other attractions being offered at no cost

Visually Striking Cities In Europe
Some reasons for this visually pleasing City of Prague;
Its the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture found here and also all
the quirkiness that you know i will uncover jajajaja

Tram 42 Route
Introduced in 2021, its a hop-on-hop-off service that uses a vintage streetcar that takes you to all the favorite streets and landmarks of Prague during its 40 minute loop
($11.00 US for the day, so a great deal)

Minor Damage
Prague had minimal bombing during the Second World War (compared to other European Cities)
So because of this fact, most of its original architecture remained intact

Wiehluv Dum in Wenceslas Square
It was built in 1896 during the Neo-Renaissance Period
The facade murals are of the Ages of Man, Allegorical Figures and Rhyming Proverbs

History
Long before the townhouse was built back in the 1300s the site was a
medieval brewery
So as you keep reading this blog, it is the beginning of a beer theme

Legacy
The architect Antonin Wiehl bequeathed his masterpiece to the Czech Academy
of Sciences and Arts

The Grand Hotel Evropa
It is an Art Nouveau structure first built in 1872

Second World War
British stockbroker Sir Nicholas Winton stayed at the hotel which he organized the Kindertransport rescue operation
His efforts successfully saved 669 Jewish children from the Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia with
safe passage to Britain

Hollywood Connection
The ornate interiors of the Hotel has been used for films such as
Mission Impossible (1996), Titanic (1997) and Men in Hope (2011)

2024 Reopening & Winter Room
Under the Marriott brand, it kept the historic 19th century architecture and then added some modern features such as (in the basement) an all season room that produces real snow

New Town
The area was constructed in 1348 and is located outside the
City Walls near Wenceslas Square

Did You Know
The actual word "robot" was born here in Prague, as it was coined in the 1920s sci-fi play R.U.R.
It is an old Czech word "robota" meaning forced labor, which they certainly know of through
their painful history
Nazi Occupation (1939-1945) \
Soviet Gulags (1939-1942)
Communist Penal Camps(1948-1989)

St. Vitus Cathedral
Construction started in 1344 but took six hundred years to complete it
The temple has overseen the coronation of Czech Kings and Queens plus there is a mausoleum inside which is a crypt of the royal tombs

Crown Jewels
They are hidden in a vault inside this structure and its door is secured by seven different locks
Those keys are distributed to the most influential figures of the country, included the Czech President, Prime Minister and the Archbishop

The Vltava River
It is the longest in the Czech Republic (433kms or 270 miles) and has 20 bridges that cross it into
the City of Prague
The waterway within the city is mostly used for pleasure crafts;
row boats, pedalos and kayaks

Fun Facts
A) Space Name; Czech astronomer Bohumila Vavrova discovered a main-belt asteroid and officially named it 2123 Vltava to honor the nations beloved river
B) Hidden Islands; because the river bed widens out significantly it has created extra floating lands,
so one example look for Stvanice Island, which has a world class tennis stadium
and skate park located on it
C) Name Origins; the word Vltava is rooted in old Germanic history
It translates to "wild water" referring to its beginnings as a naturally rough and untamed river before the
modern dams were built

Half Moon Man 😀
Weathervanes have been around for over 2000 years and was first invented by the Greek
astronomer Andronicus
The first (besides being built to determine the wind direction) also acted as a
sundials for time keeping

Grid History
Did you know it was the Romans who first started using cobblestones in street building, eventually constructing over 400,000kms (250,000 miles) of highways in Scotland to Egypt,
Portugal and Syria.

So indeed, all roads did lead to Rome 😃

The Prague Castle
Its a complex with various architectural styles of Romanesque, Gothic,
Renaissance and Baroque
Founded in the 9th Century, it is the largest ancient fortress on earth spanning 18 acres with the
size of a small city

The Jewish Quarter
The first Jews came to the city in the 10th century and throughout history suffered injustices and attacks up to the Second World War, when they were completed wiped out

Moving Forward
Six of the synagogues, the old cemetery and the Jewish town hall have all survived and
are now open to the public

Stunning Award
Prague was voted the most beautiful city in the World by
Time Out Magazine.
Speaking from experience (i have been to over 200 cities) i agree 100%

Town History
The City was founded in 1306 and now has a population of 1.5 million which by far is the biggest
city in the Czech Republic
By comparison the cities of Brno at 380,000
and then Ostrava with 300,000 residents are a distant 2nd, 3rd with citizens

Cuisine Choices
Here are some of the favorite food dishes that you will find here
and if you like pork, well you will not go hungry in Prague 😅

A) Pork Knuckle, Pork Schnitzel, Pork Goulash; you get the idea
B) Cabbage Pancakes; served with garlic sauce or yoghurt
C) Potato Soup; carrots and mushrooms served in a bread bowl
D) Fried Cheese; covered in flour, egg plus bread crumbs then fried
E) Duck with Cabbage and Dumplings
E) Beef in Cream Sauce

Speculum Alchemiae
On my way to this forgotten piece of history as it was rediscovered in 2002 after a flood
collapsed the street
The cave-in revealed a secret door leading to tunnels and an underground alchemy laboratory that was built in the 16th century under Emperor Rudoff

Estates Theatre
When in Old Town look for where Wolfgang Mozart actively performed as he loved Prague
He personally conducted the world premier of his opera Don Giovanni
on this stage

Beer Theme Post
As i look for a seat 😄 why you ask
Prague is know for its Pilsner Beer (as i found out happily) and it costs $2 USD per draft,
so yes i had a few
Now i learned early not to try and keep up with the locals, as they consume on average 155 litres
per person each year

Lots of Lager
So for my North American friends that is around 475 (12 ounce bottles)
of beer, burp jajajja

Vaclav Havel
As i get ready to leave this great City of Prague, i am reminded that he started as a political dissident fighting the communist rulers and then became President of the Czech Republic

Democracy
Then finally he led it to freedom, in which us visitors can be tourists and then visit
this amazing city

St Wenceslas Vineyard

During the Communism era traditional wine lands were seized from the owners (the area was then used for farming) so that knowledge of wine growing was lost
Thankfully through government subsides the return of vineyards are coming back,
as historically this area was known for its wine

Past History
Under Charles IV rule (in the 1300s) he was very passionate of the beverage, so he built numerous vineyards around Prague and so now the industry has rebounded

Twin Towers
Look at the exterior of this church as you will notice the two spires that
are intentionally asymmetrical.
The wider is nicknamed "Adam" and the slightly narrower one is "Eve"
which is a classic gothic symbolism

Fab Four History
On a cruise to Devils Channel which takes you to historic district of Prague and also to the area
of the John Lennon Wall

After his passing, an unknown artist painted a mural of him on the wall
This began a tradition where young Czechs (living then under the communist regime) began to cover the wall with Beatles lyrics, peace signs and anti-government slogans
All as a form of silent protest

Sigmund Freud
The sculpture is called Man Hanging Out (Zaveseny Muz) located in Old Town

The Meaning
The artists interpretation is about whether to hold on or let go,
as a commentary on the humans everyday of life

Vinarna Certovka
Originally built as a fire escape route to the Vltava River, it has become a real photo stop
if ever in Prague
But before you enter, as a pedestrian you need to press the button to signal your turn to
walk through

The Charles Bridge
Starting in 1965 (the original figurines were 30 in total) the statues were systematically replaced with replicas to protect them from the damage caused through weather and floods

Mathematical Overpass
When King Charles laid the foundation stone for the span, he did so precisely at 5.31am on July 9, 1357
So the Year, Day, Month, Time which made the sequence 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1 that in his mind would instill the bridge with a magical, indestructible strength

Eggs
Old folklore says the King ordered the builders to mix raw eggs into the mortar as the goal was to make the bridge stronger against the rivers strong currents
Amazingly modern tests have shown the cement does contain organic elements