Prague, Czech Republic – Sunshine & Warmth – Day 4

Yes, I woke up on this 31^st day of January to bright sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures around 55 degrees. Wow, what an amazing day.

I checked out of my hotel and zipped off by subway to Florenc station where I walked about a block to the second hotel I’m staying at during my visit. I hadn’t intended initially to stay 7 days, only 4 and then thought why am I rushing out of such a great city and the hotel rates are so amazingly low I should just stay and that’s when I found the Mucha Hotel which is conveniently located near the bus station where I’ll pick up the bus on Sunday to go to Karlovy Vary.

But for three nights I am in this fabulous hotel decorated in the Art Nouveau style with furnia ture from that period not replicas. It’s like staying in someone’s nicely decorated period home.  I had to takea picture I was so impressed and amazed that they gave me such a large room as well, it’s bigger than many NYC studio apartments and overlooks the main street. The hotel is also only a few minutes from the first hotel we stayed at in Prague five years ago the Hilton so I kind of know this neighborhood already and love that it’s residential and busy and has two supermarkets nearby (I picked up some fabulous Czech yogurt for tonight) and so many cafes and restaurants. It’s a great bustling area and although not as convenient as the last hotel being only steps away from the Old Town Square this one is a 20 minute walk or stroll depending on if you’re like me who looks at everything.

Oh, and before leaving my old neighborhood I took a picture of this wonderful open air market that takes place each day next door to the hotel. “Havel Market - One of the oldest markets in the city, Havel Market dates back to 1232. Originally selling only produce, the market has changed over the years, mainly with tourists in mind. Lately it seems though that the produce stalls are starting to outnumber the souvenir stalls, which is a good thing as many stalls sell the same tourist junk you can find all over Old Town. Some stalls however offer inexpensive handmade Czech crystal and glass jewelry, tasty traditional spa wafers, decorative birch boxes, local honey and wooden toys; all excellent presents to return home with.”

So after dropping off my bags and admiring my room I zipped off to get the #8 tram that took me to the base of the Castle Hill where I was to spend my day exploring. I’ve had several tours of the district in my last visits but it’s just a great place to walk and enjoy the sights. I started in the park of Letna which is pretty large and at the top of a not too steep hill although I must admit I was a bit out of breath when I got there. So many people out enjoying this phenomenal weather including a bunch of pre-school kids with their teachers walking two by two, so cute! Lots of dogs with their parents and generally happy people doing happy outdoor things.

 

I came to this incredible building which turned out to be a very expensive restaurant right near the edge of the park. “Hanavský pavilion - The prince of Hanau, Japan donated the pavilion to the City of Prague before the Global General Exhibition ended. The construction was taken apart and then rebuilt on the new designated site at the edge of Letenské Sady (park of Letná) in December 1891. The pavilion was in the beginning used more as a shelter for the park visitors and only later became a restaurant.”

And then I walked a bit more to the large working Metronome sculpture which I remembered from my first visit had something to do with replacing a Communist Era sculpture, definitely something in protest.“The Metronome is a giant, functional metronome located overlooking the Vltava River and the city center of Prague. It was erected in 1991, and stands on the plinth left vacant by the destruction of an enormous monument to former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (the monument was destroyed in 1962). The 75-foot-tall (23 m) Metronome is now mostly a scenic vista and a meeting place for young people. It was designed by international artist Vratislav Novak. The area behind the metronome is also a famous skatespot where skateboarders from Europe and around the world congregate and film throughout the year.”

In the park, past a lovely small garden is a memorial to Julius Zeyer (April 26, 1841 – January 29, 1901)a Czech prose writer, poet, and playwright. I’d never heard of him before but his works are described “His novels describe persons trying to live a better life under the romantic ideals and people who find peace only at the moment of death. His semi-autobiographical novel Jan Maria Plojhar (1891) deals with the tragic nature of an artist. Zeyer's dramatic works were written in a similar style.” Josef Suk composed his Pohádka (Fairy Tale) on a play by Zeyer. The memorial looks like a cave with people huddled together in tragedy and at first I thought it was a scene from the crucifixion of Christ and then I saw his name and birth and death written above. But it actually may be the crucifixion because one of his most famous plays “His work “Tři legendy o krucifixu” (1895) uses the story of Christ’s crucifixion to explore themes of Czech Nationalism and the value of art.” I’ve included a picture I took with the memorial in the background and small red bridge in the forground.

Then I made my way to the Castle District and found that I had arrived just at noon. Oh, and that was after taking a short 10 minute break at the Pisecka Brana Café. The Pisecka Brana building itself, though small, was built as part of Prague's fortification in 1791 by one of Prague's most famous builders, Krystof Dienzenhofer. The gate, along with others in the city, was originally part of the city's baroque defense system. This area is now part of central Prague, but at the time of construction it was considered a suburb. In the suburb was Pisek square - hence the name Pisecka.  You can easily walk around its uncommon exterior and stop here for a coffee on your way to Prague Castle. The gate itself is not a large attraction in size so most of what you will experience is just from walking around its perimeter. The top of the gate is now covered with grass. And when you first walk inside there is a large room with all exposed brick and a large ceiling and a stage up front near an exit door in the back. It is clearly used for renting out to parties and weddings and I even found online a mention of a senior citizen group that meets there and it sounds like since the 60’s.  The café is great right off the theatre area to the right and it’s small but with real charm and exposed red bricks as well and a curved low ceiling. The bathroom was so small and the ceiling so low that had I been just an inch or so taller I wouldn’t have been able to stand up straight.

 

I arrived at the bridge leading to the side entrance to the castle at about 12:03pm and it turns out they have a changing of the guards ceremony each day at noon. Because it was a side entrance there were only 3 men who came to relieve the two who were standing guard and the third I guess is just a leader or coordinator because he went back with the two recently relieved guards to the main gate where there were many more guards marching in unison and a brass band was playing in the windows of the 2^nd floor of the castle. It was so great to stumble upon this and now I’ve seen on this trip the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, Copenhagen Palace  and now Prague Castle.

After the guards had dispersed I walked around the district mainly occupied by restaurants, galleries, office and municipal buildings and a few homes. It was a perfect day to wonder about. I even saw a bridge and groom who were so beautiful and out taking pictures around the Castle. 

“The Castle District (Hradčany) is the district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic, surrounding the Prague Castle. The castle is said to be the biggest castle in the world at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide. Its history stretches back to the 9th century. St Vitus Cathedral is located in the castle area. Most of the district consists of noble historical palaces. There are many other attractions for visitors: romantic nooks, peaceful places and beautiful lookouts. Hradčany was an independent borough until 1784, when the four independent boroughs that had formerly constituted Prague were proclaimed a single city. The other three were: Malá Strana (English: Lesser Quarter), Staré Město (English: Old Town), and Nové Město (English: New Town).”

Before heading back toward the main Castle gate I visited two churches, the first, The Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora. Built in the 1720s, The Church of St John of Nepomuk is a stunning example of Baroque- Gothic style which is unique to Bohemia and apart from being interesting from an architectural point of view, it also tells a very interesting tale about the man to whom the church is dedicated. Now as you may remember from my blog on the Charles Bridge and the statue of St. Nepomuk and the plaque you must rub to ensure you come back to Prague. So to remind you because it does play a role in why the church was designed the way it was. “He lived in the reign of King Wenceslas IV, son of Charles IV. A conflict between the King and the Archbishop of Prague were to have fatal consequences for John. When the Archbishop obstructed Wenceslas´s plans for the creation of a new bishopric in West Bohemia, the king decided to punish the offenders. Of course the archbishop quickly fled leaving his subordinates, John of Nepomuk and a few others to take the rack. It is believed that John did not survive the torture, and was already dead when his body was hurled into the Vltava River from Charles Bridge. The myth surrounding Johns story is said to have been started by clerics opposed to the King. Apparently the King believed that his wife had a lover and John was tortured to reveal the Queens secrets. They told of John’s courage at not revealing the secrets of the Queen to whom he was confessor and for keeping the seal of confession and that this is why he was thrown into the murky depths of the river.” So back to the architecture. “The church The architecture is wonderful with an interesting interior and knowing a little about the man, John of Nepomuk, it is easier to appreciate the symbolism of the churches design. The number five is and integral part of the churches layout. There is a five-pointed ground plan, five entrances, five altar niches, twenty-five chapels around a central space, five stars and five angels on the high altar who are carrying the martyr up to heaven. These symbolize, not only of the five wounds of Christ, but also of the five letters in the Latin word „tacui“ (I kept silent) and above all the five starred halo which, the legend tells us, appeared in the river above his drowned (or tortured to death) body.”

The church was also used during the “reform” reign of Joseph II the church was closed in 1784 and used as a warehouse for salt. By the end of the 19^th Century the military acquired the church and started to use it as a school church of the nearby cadet school (the present day Czech Ministry of defense.)  After the events of 1948, as a result of the gradual interruption of military pastoral services, the church was closed again.  On September 1^st, 2001, the Prague Archbishop leased the church to the Czech Armed Forces and on the 1^st of May 2002, the Chief of General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces decided to open the church to the public as a place of prayer for all fallen soldiers and peace in the world.  In this church, Czech soldiers gather to worship, pray and pay respect to comrades fallen and injured in modern wars.  The worldwide know symbol of the “Cross of Nails” of Coventry (England) is placed here as the Czech Military Chaplains joined the movement of Christians praying continually the “Litany “ (Father Forgive.” Last but not least, the Church of Saint Jan Nepomucky is the place where soldiers and their families celebrate their weddings or baptisms.”

I had gone in the church 4 years ago and on that day there was a military band rehearsing if memory serves me right.

The second church is “The Loreto in Prague started being built in 1626 when it replaced several houses that were left abandoned after the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. Finishing the church took quite a few years. The construction started with the Holy Stable, the central building of the Loreto, representing the legendary stable in which Saint Mary supposedly lived in Nazareth. The sculptures as we can see them today were added to the church only after 1640. The Stable (central part of the church) was gradually surrounded by a two-storey cloister. In each corner there was a chapel. In 1735 Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, one of the most prominent architects in Prague at that time, replaced the central chapel in the east wing with a Church to the Nativity of the Lord. One of the most attractive parts of the Loreto is the treasury where many liturgical objects and jewels dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries have preserved. The Carillon - Most people know the Loreto thanks to its beautiful carillon made by the clock maker Peter Naumann. It was installed in the main spire in 1694. There are altogether 30 bells, 29 of them are originals, only one was damaged in the 18th century and replaced. The carillon is a very complex and complicated mechanism, similar to those in Amsterdam, Berlin or Brugge.”

It’s a magnificent place The Loreto and worth a visit and Mary’s Holy Stable is beautiful situated in the center of the courtyard. I also enjoyed reading all about each of the saints lives represented by paintings and I hadn’t heard of St. Rosalie from Sicily but very interesting and made me wonder if our dear family friend Rosalie whose family was Sicilian was named after her.  And the church itself is gorgeous and today with all the bright light streaming through just breathtaking and the organ on the back balcony is a must see. If you are keen on jewels then do take a quick walk up the stairs to the gallery and you won’t be disappointed.

It was a tiring morning but I still had more to see and Saint Vitus, inside the Castle walls is so spectacular and can be seen from pretty much anywhere in the city with its massive towers high above everything on the hill. What I never knew was that Saint Vitus has a connection to my Italian families home town (read on to the end.) “Saint Vitus' Cathedral (Czech: Katedrála svatého Víta) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The full name of the cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral. This cathedral is an excellent example of Gothic architecture and is the biggest and most important church in the country. Located within Prague Castle and containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors, the cathedral is under the ownership of the Czech government as part of the Prague Castle complex.[1] Cathedral dimensions are 124 x 60 meters, the main tower is 96.5 meters high, front towers 82 m, arch height 33.2 m.[2] Saint Vitus pron.: /sɨnt ˈvaɪtəs/ was a Christian saint from Sicily. He died as a martyr during the persecution of Christians by co-ruling Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian in 303. Vitus is counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers of the Roman Catholic Church. Saint Vitus' Day is celebrated on 15 June. In places where the Julian Calendar is used, this date coincides, in the 20th and 21st centuries, with 28 June on the Gregorian Calendar. In the late Middle Ages, people in Germany and countries such as Latvia celebrated the feast of Vitus by dancing before his statue. This dancing became popular and the name "Saint Vitus Dance" was given to the neurological disorder Sydenham's chorea. It also led to Vitus being considered the patron saint of dancers and of entertainers in general. Vitus is considered the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers, and epileptics. He is also said to protect against lightning strikes, animal attacks and oversleeping, and is the patron saint of Bohemia. Vitus is the patron saint of the city of Rijeka in Croatia, the towns of Ciminna in Sicily, Forio on the Island of Ischia, in Campania, Italy, the contrada of San Vito, in Torella dei Lombardi, in Avellino, Italy, the town of Winschoten in the Netherlands, and the town of St. Vith located in Belgium.”

The interior of the Cathedral is breathtaking partly because of its grandeur and partly because of the amazing stained glass windows one which is designed by Alfons Mucha, the famous Czech Art Nouveau painter and the large window depicts the lives of St. Cyril and St. Methodius. There is also another interesting window to note, and I only know this because I overheard a tour guide telling her guests. I’ve included pictures of both the Mucha and this one which depicts people in situations that is supposed to show the viewer why it’s important to have insurance. I think the tour guide actually said the window was an advertisement from an insurance company but I’m not 100% sure on that but you can see, although the picture is a little fuzzy, people in difficult situations where insurance may have been of help.”

I walked down the hill past the Golden Lane, which I didn’t go in this time but I do recommend to anyone who has never seen it. The houses are charming and tiny and really picturesque. I’ve included a picture I found online and as you can see people are wearing shorts and although it’s warm today it’s certainly not shorts weather. “ The Golden Lane originated after the construction of the northern wall of the Castle. The area of the northern bailey was used for the building of modest dwellings, which are now the last remainder of the small-scale architecture of Prague Castle. They were inhabited by the castle servants, perhaps goldsmiths (the name "Golden Lane" is documented from the 16th century] and the castle marksmen. The tiny houses were occupied until World War II, but already during the period of the First Republic care was taken to ensure that the picturesque character of the lane was not changed in the course of modifications. From 1916 to 1917 house No. 22 was inhabited by the writer Franz Kafka.”

And so I walked again through Mala Strana, over the Charles Bridge and this time being sure to rub the St. Nepomuk cross that is a little bit away from the plaque and I mentioned this in my blog I think yesterday. You make a wish when you rub the cross and behind the cross is a metal gate which is now covered with lover’s locks. I’m sure we can guess what they all wished for.

And a nice Turkish couple took a picture of me on the bridge. I had actually met them already about an hour earlier when we had all come past where the Golden Lane is and there stands a nice look outpoint for pictures. I saw they wanted a picture together so I stopped and offered my help which they gladly took and then the husband asked where I was from and when I said NYC they got so excited. They had just been there a month ago. They had actually spent 3 weeks traveling the Midwest, Milwaukee of all places and then a bit of time in NYC. I couldn’t quite understand what he was saying about their trip but I gather they stayed at random people’s homes in different parts of the states that they met online. I think they may have been couch surfers (friends of mine have done that as well.)

I came to the area near Saint Wenceslas and next to the Our Lady of Snow Church I mentioned on Tuesday. And here sits “The only Cubist lamp post in the world is found in the city of Prague amid a combination of architectural styles including the Functionalist Bata building, the Gothic Church of our Our Lady of the Snow, and the Secession Adam Pharmacy building. Such is the scenery of the center of Prague; different architecture styles coexist on the uniform cobblestone streets. The lamp post by Emil Kralicek, is tucked away in a corner off of Wenceslas Square and is worth seeing if only to say to your friends that you have seen the one and only Cubist lamp post in the world.” As you can see from my picture it’s a wonderful example of Cubism and I just love visiting it when I’m here. No, it’s not my first time but it did take me a few minutes to located it once I’d gotten to the Church entrance.

So off I went to have dinner at the Czech Kitchen or Ceska Kuchkne, a little like the place I found in Warsaw with a cafeteria type atmosphere and very simple surroundings but great Czech home cooking for a very good price. It reminded me a little of Katz’s Deli in NYC because you walk in and a women hands you a card that you bring up to all the different counters and when you order something, I had pork and cabbage in a red sauce with flour dumplings, they write what you ordered and at the end you pay as you head out the door. It’s down the block from the Estates Theatre and only around the corner from my other hotel. I highly recommend this place.

So as you can imagine I was totally exhausted by this point so I walked slowly back to my hotel which took only about a half hour and stopped off at the grocery store, Billa for some yogurt and then to the café next door to add to my yogurt snack. Oh, the food is just so good, thank goodness I’m averaging about 5 and half to 6 miles a day walking.

Prague, Czech Republic – Fabulously Humid Spring-like Day (3)

Oh, I fall more in love with this city each day and I know that the weather they are having, spring-like, is totally unusual but I’m just so happy to be here.

Started out after a nice breakfast (it’s amazing how quickly you can get used to actually eating breakfast when it’s all laid out for you so nicely and you don’t even have to clean a dish.)  I made my way past Old Town Square down Parizska (street) to the Josefov, or Jewish Town section of the city. It only takes about 5 minutes to walk there and the last two times I stayed in Prague we did tours for the beautiful Synagogues. I didn’t do the formal tour again I just enjoyed walking around the neighborhood.

History of the Josefov” “Josefov (also Jewish quarter; German: Josefstadt) is a town quarter and the smallest cadastral area of Prague, Czech Republic, formerly the Jewish ghetto of the town. It is completely surrounded by Old Town. The quarter is often represented by the flag of Prague's Jewish community, a yellow Magen David (Star of David) on a red field. It dates back to the 13th century but its present appearance is mainly the result of a vast redevelopment action undertaken between 1893 - 1913. Only a few most significant buildings were saved, the living testimony of the history of Prague Jews which lasted for many centuries. Yet these buildings form the best present complex of Jewish historical monuments in the whole Europe. Six synagogues remain from this old settlement which includes the Jewish Town Hall and the Old Jewish Cemetery - the most remarkable in Europe. Except the Old-New Synagogue they are part of the Jewish Museum.

Old-New Synagogue is the oldest preserved synagogue in the Central Europe. It was built in the early gothic style in the late 13th century and richly adorned by stonework. Also the inside furnishings (gothic wrought-iron grill, wrought chandeliers) are of ancient origin. Up till now it has served as a house of prayer and the main synagogue of the Prague Jewish community.

Old Jewish Cemetery - Jewish Museum has been established in the mid-15th century it served as a burial site till 1787. Among 12 000 gothic, renaisance and baroque tombstones are also those of Rabbi Jehuda Löw (1609) and Mordechai Maisel (1601).”

I first came to the “The Old New Synagogue (Czech: Staronová synagoga; German: Altneu-Synagoge) situated in Josefov, Prague, is Europe's oldest active synagogue with the Scolanova Synagogue in Italy. It is also the oldest surviving medieval synagogue of twin nave design. Completed in 1270 in gothic style, it was one of Prague's first gothic buildings. A still older Prague synagogue, known as the Old Synagogue, was demolished in 1867 and replaced by the Spanish Synagogue.”

It’s wonderful to see there is a thriving Jewish community and this is an important meeting place in the city.

“The Spanish Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת הספרדי, Czech: Španělská synagoga, German: Spanische Synagoge) is a Moorish Revival synagogue built in Prague in 1868 to the design of Vojtěch Ignátz Ullmann. The facade copies the form of the Leopoldstädter Tempel, built in Vienna, Austria, in 1853, a tripartite facade with a tall central section flanked by lower wings on each side. As in Vienna, the central section is topped by a pair of domed turrets. The synagogue is most remarkable for the elaborate style of the interior, every surface is covered by elaborate Islamic-style polychrome and gilded patterns, some painted and some carved or molded.

During the Second World War, the Germans used the building as a repository for property taken from the Jews. The building underwent a restoration in the late 1990s. The building is owned by the Jewish Museum of Prague, and is used as a museum and concert hall. Despite its name, the synagogue was never used by a Spanish or Sephardic congregation: it was in fact an early Reform temple. There are two theories to account for the synagogue's name. The Moorish architectural style may have been found reminiscent of the Golden age of Jewish culture in Spain. The synagogue was on the site of the city's most ancient synagogue, which may originally have been used by Byzantine Jews. Some awareness of this fact may have given rise to the legend of a historic Sephardic community.”

Outside the Spanish Synagogue is a statue of Franz Kafa, the famous Czech writer. It’s “The Franz Kafka Monument by artist Jaroslav Róna and is located in the area where the Dušní Street and the Vězeňská Street connect, between the Spanish Synagogue and the church of St. Spirit. It is a symbolic place because the Kafka family lived at Dušní Street No. 27. The statue is within the spiritual zone of three Churches – Jewish, Catholic and Protestant. Franz Kafka practically lived his entire short life in this sad (in those days) yet romantic part of the old Prague. The monument was inspired by an important short story written by Kafka called "Popis Jednoho Zápasu" (Description of a Match). The "split" design of the statue refers back to the spiritual split of the writer mentioned in the novel. The novel describes a situation in which a character defeats his opponent who is supposedly dominant. The important part of the novel takes place at the Vltava River waterfront. The statue is 375 centimeters tall and weighs 800 kilograms.” Like me many of you will remember Kafka for the short story we all read in college “The Metamorphosis” “(German: Die Verwandlung, also sometimes translated The Transformation) is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. It is often cited as one of the seminal works of fiction of the 20th century and is widely studied in colleges and universities across the Western world. The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into a monstrous vermin. It is never explained in the story why Samsa transforms, nor did Kafka ever give an explanation.” It’s such achingly sad story of being alienated and abandoned by his family and from what I’ve read of his life his relationship with his parents, I think in particular with his judgmental father prompted this very moving and frightening work.

I’ll skip ahead just a moment since we are talking about Kafka. Later in the day I was back in Mala Strana (Lessor Town as you remember from an earlier blog entry and right near the river and the Charles bridge.) There is the Kafka museum there and although I didn’t go through the museum there is an interesting sculpture in the courtyard I took a picture of. It’s of two men peeing. I looked it up when I got in tonight and found a great article by Jeffrey Fleishman of LA Times about the piece so here it is “SCULPTURE BY DAVID ČERNÝ, BRONZE, 2004(?) Cerny’s …project is a sculpture of two bronze naked men. They have swivel hips and, facing each other, they urinate into a pool shaped like the Czech map, writing famous Czech sayings in the water. One is by Kafka: ‘Prague is beautiful but it has claws.’ “There’s a Czech idiom about ‘peeing over somebody,’ which I guess translated into English would be to ‘get one over on somebody.’ That’s what the peeing men mean. It’s the way our country behaves,” he said. Cerny sat near the sculpture the other day. “Oh, it still works,” he said. “You know there’s a computer underneath and you can send phone text messages and the men will pee them……Yeah, I’m a prankster,” he said. “It would be nice at the moment when I’m dying if I could say to myself, ‘You know, someone enjoyed something I did.’ Why not?”

So back to Yosefov.  One of the most memorable places to visit in the Jewish district is The Pinkas Synagogue and is one of the most moving places in the city. “It is now a memorial dedicated to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia; their names are inscribed on the walls of the main nave and adjoining areas. The interior of the synagogue comprises Memorial 77,297, which was designed and executed by the painters Václav Boštík (b. 1913) and Jiří John (1923-1972) between 1954 and 1959. The memorial was closed in 1968, however, since the building was in an increasingly poor state of repair. After remaining closed for a long time, the building was eventually reconstructed and, following the collapse of the Communist regime, a project was launched to renovate the memorial, which reopened in 1996. The text of the inscriptions was compiled from card indexes, which were drawn up shortly after the war on the basis of extant transport papers, registration lists and survivor's accounts. The names of Holocaust victims, together with their dates of birth and death, are inscribed on all the interior walls. Where the precise date of death is not known - which is generally the case - the date of deportation to the ghettos and extermination camps in the east is stated instead - this is usually the last information we have on the victims. Their names are arranged according to the towns and villages where they were living prior to deportation or arrest and are presented in alphabetical order. The main nave features the names of people whose last address prior to deportation was in Prague; the rest of the interior space commemorates victims from towns and villages outside Prague. On both sides of the Holy Ark (aron ha-kodesh) are recorded the names of some of the ghettos and camps where Bohemian and Moravian Jews were deported and, in most cases, exterminated. This memorial is a long epitaph commemorating the names of those for whom a tombstone could not be erected.”

Next to the Pinkas Synagogue is the Old Jewish Cemetery which most people who have seen pictures of Prague’s main attractions with have seen a picture of this sacred place although the haphazard nature of the headstones makes one wonder if there was vandalism. Although you find out on the tour or when reading about it what went on. Here is a brief idea of it’s history. “It was in use from the early 15th century (the oldest preserved tombstone, the one of Avigdor Kara, dates back to 1439) until 1787. Its ancestor was a cemetery called "The Jewish Garden", which was found in archaeological excavations under the Vladislavova street, New Town. The numbers of grave stones and numbers of people buried there are uncertain, because there are layers of tombs. However, it has been estimated that there are approximately 12,000 tombstones presently visible, and there may be as many as 100,000 burials in all. The most notable personalities buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery are Yehuda ben Bezalel known as the Maharal Rabbi Löw (d. 1609), Mordechai Maisel (d. 1601), David Gans (d. 1613) and David Oppenheim(d. 1736). It is not clear when exactly the cemetery was founded. This has been the subject of discussion of many scholars. Some claim that the cemetery is over 1000 years older than the accepted date, which is the first half of the 15th century. The oldest grave belongs to the Prague rabbi and poet Avigdor Kara from 1439. It was founded by the king Ottokar II of Bohemia. According to halakhah, Jews must not destroy Jewish graves and in particular it is not allowed to remove the tombstone. This meant that when the cemetery ran out of space and purchasing extra land was impossible, more layers of soil were placed on the existing graves, the old tombstones taken out and placed upon the new layer of soil. This explains why the tombstones in the cemetery are placed so closely to each other. This resulted in the cemetery having 12 layers of graves.”

And the “Jewish Ceremonial Hall (Obřadní síň in Czech) built in 1911-12 under the direction of architect J. Gerstl for the Jewish Burial Society (Hevrah Kaddishah) and is in the neo-Romanesque style. Originally used as a ceremonial hall and mortuary it now forms part of The Jewish Museum of Prague holding exhibitions relating to Jewish history.

A famous story told and retold sometimes in a form suitable for children.
“The classic narrative: The Golem of Prague. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th century chief rabbi of Prague, also known as the Maharal, who reportedly created a golem to defend the Prague ghetto from antisemitic attacks[8] and pogroms. Depending on the version of the legend, the Jews in Prague were to be either expelled or killed under the rule of Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor. To protect the Jewish community, the rabbi constructed the Golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava river, and brought it to life through rituals and Hebrew incantations. As this golem grew, it became increasingly violent, killing gentiles and spreading fear. A different story tells of a golem that fell in love, and when rejected, became the violent monster seen in most accounts. Some versions have the golem eventually turning on its creator or attacking other Jews. The Emperor begged Rabbi Loew to destroy the Golem, promising to stop the persecution of the Jews. To deactivate the Golem, the rabbi rubbed out the first letter of the word "emet" (truth or reality) from the creature's forehead leaving the Hebrew word "met", meaning dead. The Golem's body was stored in the attic genizah of the Old New Synagogue, where it would be restored to life again if needed. According to legend, the body of Rabbi Loew's Golem still lies in the synagogue's attic. Some versions of the tale state that the Golem was stolen from the genizah and entombed in a graveyard in Prague's Žižkov district, where the Žižkov Television Tower now stands. A recent legend tells of a Nazi agent ascending to the synagogue attic during World War II and trying to stab the Golem, but he died instead.[9] When the attic was renovated in 1883, no evidence of the Golem was found. A film crew who visited and filmed the attic in 1984 found no evidence either. The attic is not open to the general public.”

It’s really a must visit whenever you’re Prague and the district is small so easy to walk it and I really recommend to anyone who visits to do the complete tour, it’s not expensive and I’m so glad I did it the last time we were here.

I walked over the Manesuv Bridge to Mala Strana where I just took in all the sights, sounds and smells. I stopped off at a new/used English book shop but only browsed as I didn't want to carry around any extra books on my walk today.

 I came to the Our Lady Under the Chain Church which was “Originally Romanesque church was founded by Commendam of Johannite, later Knights of Malta in 1169 with the support of Chancellor Gervasio and Czech King Wladislaw I. I Fortified area of Comendam and adjacent hospital with the tower of Judith Bridge formed a significant element in the fortification walls around the Prague castle.

The name of the church "under the chain " has the origin by the chain, which was sealed in Medieval age the monastery portal.” I’m pretty sure mom and I went in here 5 years ago, it all looked so familiar and I loved the Madonna and Child sculpture outside in a little alcove to the right, above the main entrance and when you look back toward the street you see the fortification wall and the Maltese Cross in several places.

In Mala Strana next to Kampa Island is the John Lennon Wall which interestingly as you can read below is continually changing and from pictures I saw online from 10 years ago it was a dramatically different vision but still interesting, vibrate and a huge attraction. "The Lennon Wall or John Lennon Wall, is a wall in Prague, Czech Republic. Once a normal wall, since the 1980s it has been filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs.  In 1988, the wall was a source of irritation for the communist regime of Gustáv Husák. Young Czechs would write grievances on the wall and in a report of the time this led to a clash between hundreds of students and security police on the nearby Charles Bridge. The movement these students followed was described ironically as "Lennonism" and Czech authorities described these people variously as alcoholics, mentally deranged, sociopathic, and agents of Western capitalism. The wall continuously undergoes change and the original portrait of Lennon is long lost under layers of new paint. Even when the wall was repainted by some authorities, on the second day it was again full of poems and flowers. Today, the wall represents a symbol of youth ideals such as love and peace. The wall is owned by the Knights of Malta, who allowed the graffiti to continue on the wall, and is located at Velkopřevorské náměstí (Grand Priory Square), Malá Strana."

In Mala Strana there is a gallery for famous Czech photographer Joseph Sudek (1896-1976) in a reproduction of his home which was destroyed in a fire. “Czechoslovakian, trained as a bookbinder (his younger sister went into photography) but had a become a keen amateur photographer before being called into military service in the First World War in 1915. He produced several albums of pictures - including landscapes showing splintered trees and other war damage - during his almost three years of war service, which ended when he was wounded by artillery fire from his own side during an attack, resulting in the loss of his right arm. Sudek's pictures often play on the lower tones of the photographic scale, full of mystery and darkness. He was not afraid to produce prints with a very limited tonal scale. His small, unorthodox and intensely personal pictures were often dismissed by photographic critics attuned as they were to the kind of full-scale print we associate with the work of Ansel Adams and the American 'straight photography' tradition. His work has an earthy and elemental quality; it is intense and dramatic, full of emotion.”

Here are copies of two of his works he first titled “St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague 1928” and the other “Last Roses, 1956.” I was first introduced to him in a book I read about 7 years ago called “Prague Pictures” by John Banville who wrote an autobiographical novel about his visits to Prague to see friends during the cold war and the connection then to Sudek’s photography. It’s also a great history book about the Czech Republic and Prague in particular.

I’d been to this gallery once before on my last visit and like then there were none of Mr. Sudek’s works displayed. The gallery, like another which is located in his second apartment not far from this one and where he lived after the fire destroyed this cottage, are owned by the National Czech Museums but display other up and coming artists or other known artists from the 20^th Century.  When I got to this first gallery on Ujezd street there were several people walking around the small space and one American couple asking the question I came to ask “where can I see his Sudek’s works in Prague.” Much to my disappointment and theirs as well there are no exhibits of his works in the city. The young man said it’s one of those things Prague natives ask as well and wonder out loud why there are no major permanent exhibitions of his work. It’s so strange and I thought as much because I couldn’t find any mention of one online but did find out that in Canada this fall they did an exhibit of about 175 of his works which then traveled to New Haven, CT and may still be there now. I still can’t believe you can see his work in the States but not in the city he photographed so devotedly for decades. He’s also known affectionately as the “Poet of Prague.” I found this little bit about the reproduced building, now gallery from an artlice on Sudek. “When Josef Sudek collected the keys to his new studio at 30 Ujezd, a quiet courtyard in Prague's Mala Strana district, the vendor – the artist Karel Laube – had one question: "Why here? No one in their right mind will come to this place!". Laube is said to have frowned as he cast his eyes around the tiny hut, hidden from view behind a cloak of run-down apartments, from which his friend would run his fledgling photographic business. "Exactly," Sudek replied.”

I stopped off for about 20 minutes to sit and enjoy a quick snack at a French café across the street from the gallery building which really is in the back of two buildings in a small courtyard, you have to be buzzed in and he does have a little lawn outside. You can see from my photos that the small dark brown building enclosed by a metal fence is nestled among several tall buildings including one behind with an interesting spiral staircase. There was also a little dark brown kitty who at first I thought might be hungry but then I looked behind the studio and there were clearly its parents and several bowels with food that they hadn’t yet eaten as they just relaxed in the now rather warm temperatures.

After my break I walked up the hill to the Hardcany district or the Castle District where more than half way up one of the steep hills is the second Sudek Gallery which is doing an interesting exhibit on Frantisek Drtikol’s “Bromografie Prints” from the early 1920’s. It’s a series of nudes in the vein of Late Art Nouveau staged to look like Salome or the Madonna.

I headed back to Mala Strana and went to the St. Nicholas church which is famous for its connection to Mozart who played the organs there in 1787 “Beautiful St. Nicholas Church at the Old Town Square was completed in 1735. It replaced a parish church, mentioned in records dating back as early as 1273. It wasn't until 1901, when the Krenn House was demolished, that its lovely white façade became visible to the rest of the Old Town Square. It simply gleams, hit by the sun during the day and lit by strong white lights at night. St. Nicholas is a Baroque church, decorated with sculptures by Antonín Braun. The interior design was inspired by the chapel of St. Louis-des-invalides in Paris. The delicate stucco decoration was executed by Bernardo Spinetti, and the frescos are by Peter Adam the Elder. In 1781 decoration inside St. Nicholas was removed after emperor Josef II ordered the closure of all monasteries without a social function.From 1870-1914 St. Nicholas became Russian Orthodox. Then, during the second World War, Czech army units were stationed here and artists were set to work restoring the church. After the war, St. Nicholas was handed over to the Czech Hussite movement, with whom it remains today. It now serves as both a church and a magnificent venue for classical concerts.”

I walked across the Charles Bridge and took many photos as you can see. There are many facets of the bridge that are of interest like the exquisite stone structure and the many statues of saints lining each side and not least the views from every direction. But, it’s also interesting because of St. John of Nepomuk and the statue representing him being thrown off the Charles Bridge. The story goes according to an online source “…the court priest of King Wenceslas IV. Legend has it that he was killed by request of the king, because he refused to tell the king about the queen's confession (what was the queen's confession you ask? Well, we don't wish to suffer the same fate as Saint John!). Actually, the truth is that he invited a bishop to Prague who was the king's enemy. Touching the statue is a Prague ritual. It is supposed to bring good luck and to ensure that you return to Prague soon. Walk a few steps towards the Old Town from the statue and you will come to a cross with five stars on the left parapet of the bridge. This is the exact point where the priest was thrown in the water in the year 1383. Legend has it that stars appeared when he touched the water. Here you are supposed to touch the cross and the stars with your left hand and make a wish. Whatever your wish, it will come true!” “The figure of Saint John of Nepomuk is often encountered in Central Europe, including the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Poland and Lithuania. He is usually portrayed with a halo of five stars, commemorating the stars that hovered over the Vltava River on the night of his murder. Other attributes useful to identify his pictures are: a priestly dress, the palm of martyrs, carrying a cross, an angel indicating silence by a finger over the lips. His tomb, a Baroque monument cast in silver and silver-gilt that was designed by Fischer von Erlach, stands in St Vitus Cathedral, Prague. A statue of Saint John of Nepomuk has often been erected on bridges in many countries, such as on the Ponte Milvio in Rome. There is also a commemorative plaque on a bridge leading out of Obergurgl, Austria depicting Nepomuk holding a finger to his lips, as if protecting a secret.”

I didn’t know about the cross and stars so I’ll have to rub it when I’m on the bridge next. And as you can see in my pictures not only is there are the brass depiction of his being thrown over the bridge with a bright shiny spot where millions of people have rubbed for luck but also on the other side of the inscribed plaque in the middle of the two is another brass depiction this one of the queen confessing and a solider with a dog in the forefront. Apparently people weren’t sure which to rub or where so there is a bright shinny spot on the dog as well. Funny that people thought the dog would be the good luck and not the confessing queen. Either way I rubbed both and I’ll try and go back and rub the cross.  It’s all very interesting the things we do as humans because other do it but it’s also nice to be part of something people from all over the world have taken part and mostly either think good thoughts or wish for something good for them and their loved ones, a prayer really which is always a good thing.

 “Charles Bridge (Karlův most) is a 14th century stone bridge linking the two sides of Prague. This magnificent structure is one of the city's finest attractions, and is the main pedestrian route connecting the Old Town with the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) and Prague Castle.From Charles Bridge visitors enjoy fairy-tale views of the Prague skyline. The wide expanse of the river flows beneath it, flanked on both sides by elegant buildings. Prague Castle towers above in its eminent position. Here you are truly in the centre of the city. Charles Bridge throngs with people during the day. Street artists sketch and musicians play; look out for the jazz band, who are particularly entertaining. But for a truly romantic and less crowded stroll, try early morning or any time in the evening. King Charles IV commissioned the bridge. The foundation stone was laid in 1357. Charles IV's favourite architect and builder, Peter Parler, oversaw the majority of the work. The initial idea was to build a functional construction for knight tournaments, and for many years the only decoration on the bridge was a simple crucifix. Later, the Catholic desire for ornamentation resulted in 30 statues being erected between 1600 and 1800. There are now 75 statues on Charles Bridge, but most are copies, as floods and catastrophes over the centuries damaged the originals. Perhaps the most interesting, as well as the oldest, is that of John of Nepomuk (8th from the right as you cross towards Prague Castle). The entrance to Charles Bridge is marked at both ends by towers: the Old Town Bridge Tower and the Malá Strana Bridge Tower.”

I found along a side street near the bridge in Mala Strana a small church which I thought would be a normal rectangle design inside  based on the facade but it's a lovely circular church, intimate and peaceful. "St. Joseph Church in Mala Strana. Built at the behest of Carmelite sisters and completed in 1692, surprisingly not much is known about this mysterious little church situated a stone's throw from the Charles Bridge in charming Mala Strana, or Lesser Town. Experts are unable to agree on the architect responsible for this little gem, which is rather unusual in Prague where many famous architects have showcased their talent over the centuries. Far more is known about the stunning art found at the church, including the facade statues by the artist Matěj Václav Jäckel, who is also famous for his contribution of several statues on nearby Charles Bridge, as well as numerous decorative contributions to various sites in Český Krumlov, Kutná Hora, and other places both in Prague and elsewhere across the Bohemian region. The nave of the church is a rounded, slightly oval in shape, rotunda with a dome supported by 12 pillars surmounted by beautiful capitals, which can come as a surprise given the squared exterior shape of the church, and the side altars are set into shallow recesses around the sides of the rotunda. The interior boasts a main altar, an altar of St. Theresa of Avila, and an altar of St. Thecla, the first female martyr of the Christian church, all dating from around 1695- 1699, the same time period as Jäckel's facade statues. The striking picture of St. Theresa, as well the picture of the Holy Family above the main altar are the work of Petr Brandl. Other notable side altars include the later altars of St. Anne and of the Bohemian St. John of Nepomuk, which are by an unknown artist from 1735. The gilded pulpit is from the end of the 18th century. This intimate church is home to the francophone Roman Catholics in Prague, as well as the Carmelite sisters who first built the church. Mass is normally celebrated at 11:00 am on Sundays in French."

I had dinner at this great Czech restaurant near the public library that mom, Melody and I ate at the first trip here 5 years ago. We were looking for good Czech food and I remember we asked the guard outside the library if he could recommend a place and he kind of pointed us in the right direction and we were very happy. The owner is still the same and I was here 4 years ago as well and I think I had the same meal, pork cutlet with potatoes, yum! And in the picture above you can see the table next to the bar we sat in on our first visit. Nothing much has changed in 5 years.

Now earlier in the day, right near my hotel, I was stopped by a women handing out flyers for a concert tonight and I’d seen the flyers in the hotel and yesterday out in the street as well so I followed her and 3 women, who it turned consisted of two sisters, Italian but one lived outside Rome with their parents and the other lived in Uruguay, South America and was friends with the 3^rd women who also was visiting from Uruguay. Because it turned out there were four of us even though I didn’t know them the women gave us a great discount so we got tickets to see the two 1 hour shows. At 5:00pm a classical music concert with works from Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Verdi, Mascagni, Bizet, Dvorak, Brahms, Handel and Pachelbel. And at 6:30pm a fun World Musicals which consisted of songs from Broadway musicals. The women were in their 50’s and so nice and spoke Italian and Spanish and a little English and we met back at the concert hall, a former monastery hall not open to the public unless for concerts at 5:00pm and I was so impressed with both presentations. There were 3 violin players and a cello player and a wonderful vocalist for the classical section and it was fantastic. Really, really professional, I guess they work with the Czech Philharmonic we were told and just fabulous and the beautifully frescoed room lit with just candles set the mood perfectly. There were only about 15 people for each session but the artists gave it their all as if the place was packed. The second session was a singer, pianist and sax/flute musician and again really, really wonderful. The singer brought me to tears with her performance of “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” from Evita. It’s amazing the superior caliber of talent you get to see in this city for around  $25.00 US. And there are several performances around the city each night in churches and in the Spanish Synagogue but I’m glad I chose this one and so glad those three women got to see it as well with huge discount. Having four people made a great advantage.  And they’re so nice, the two from Uruguay go back home on Feb 11 and will have been in Italy (with this one week side trip to Prague) for a month during the summer vacation there. The older Italian sister teaches Art History there and it seems that she, her sister and their brother who lives in Germany, were raised in Uruguay because their Italian parents moved there years ago but when the parents retired the younger sister moved back to Italy with them but this older sister just loves her job to much to leave she said. That’s so nice.

I wish them a safe trip home and headed back to my hotel, a whole 1 minute walk thrilled with the evening and having had a remarkable day here including a musical theatre presentation, how can you beat that!!!