After an early 6:30 am breakfast buffet, we began our transfer to Budapest. So it was “dovi: dzen’a polsku” and “dz’ekuye.” We stopped in Slovakia for lunch. The included lunch provided us with wine, soup, chicken, salad and ice cream. The weather was cold, twenty degrees lower than normal.
Officially, The Slovak Republic came into existence (“Velvet Divorce”) on January 1, 1993. Except for a brief period during World War II, during which Slovakia was a protectorate state of Nazi Germany, the Slovak people have been subjected to domination by stronger political entities, such as the Czechs of the Czechoslovak federation, the Magyars of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the sovereigns of the Habsburg Empire. Although the history of the Slovak people as expressed in the nation state is less than a decade old, Slovaks have existed as a unique entity for over 1500 years
In 2004 the Slovak Republic joined the European Union. The currency is the Slovakia Koruna. The Slovak constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The majority of Slovak citizens (68.9%) identify themselves as Roman Catholics, although church attendance is much lower than this percentage. The second-largest group is people without confession (13%). About 6.93% are identified as Lutherans, 4.1% Greek Catholic (affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church), and 2.0% Calvinists. Some 0.9% of the population is Eastern Orthodox, and members of other churches, including those non-registered, account for 1.1% of the population. While the country had an estimated pre-World War II Jewish population of 90,000, only about 2,300 Jews remain today. According to June G. Alexander: Large-scale Slovak immigration to the United States began in the late 1870s, when Slovakia was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire administered by Hungary. Many Slovak immigrants who came to the United States before World War I (1914-1918) could neither read nor write. This high illiteracy rate reflected the rural background and farming heritage of most immigrants. The repression of Slovak culture by Hungary, which governed the Slovak region until 1918, also discouraged the development of literacy among Slovaks. Slovak American parents typically encouraged children to seek secure jobs rather than social or economic advancement. Although some Slovak Americans entered such professions as law and education, most second-generation Slovak American men became industrial laborers. My acquaintance with Slovaks had been in South Milwaukee and Detroit (former Lutheran Synodical Conference).
Agnes said that Communism here was more severe than other Eastern European countries. Propaganda loud speakers were used in the cities. There were collective farms in Slovakia (whereas private ownership of land was allowed in Poland). However, schooling was free under Communism. She also added that many ethnic Hungarian live in southern Slovakia because that territory was once part of Hungary in the past.
The movie Sunshine was shown over the two CD monitors on the bus.
We enjoyed a welcome drink upon arrival at our hotel.
The Novotel Budapest Centrum is housed in a building dating from 1911 with a striking Art Nouveau façade, and is situated in the centre of Budapest, two kilometers from the River Danube. The 227 guest rooms over six floors feature light decor and contemporary furnishings and open onto balconies. If purchased on the computer beforehand with hotel.com, a single person could get a reduced advance rate of $115 plus taxes ($ 121, if breakfast is included).
Those of us who wanted to change U.S. dollars to florins followed Agnes advice and took the underground under the intersection to reach the change booth. I changed $30 US for 5350 florins, which seemed to be just right. Agnes arranged a Budapest by Night tour with dinner as an added option for only $45. The bus transported us to the Buda side of the river, next to the Gellert Hotel. Frommer’s listed the Szeged Vendeglo where we ate among the best restaurants in Hungary. I sat at a table with the Watsons from South Lake Tahoe, California. Our location relative to the entertainment was excellent. We were served liberal portions of wine (in my case, white wine or Feher Bor).
The music group featured a formally dressed excellent violinist. Agnes said all the performers were Gypsies with professional training in music. Our dinner consisted of veal with spaetzle and sour cream. Gypsy dancers performed energetic pieces. One vaudeville stick-wielding dancer went around from table to table in a threatening way – even probing at me as I recorded his actions. Our delicious meal ended with a fancy “pancake” dessert (palacsinta) covered with chocolate.
Our evening tour started with the overlook of Gallert’s Hill. We had a commanding nighttime view of the Royal Palace
This Citadel was built by the Austrians to control the city after the 1848-1849 war of independence. Today it’s nothing else than a great lookout, with a restaurant, a café and a hotel. The Hapsburg monarchs actually never lived here; they only stayed here when they visited Buda. The Palace was almost completely destroyed in the Second World War, and during its restoration parts of the original medieval palace were discovered. Agnes said it too expensive to do any renovation inside.
Down below the Castle, to the right, was the famous Chain Bridge, set off by strings of light.
The Chain Bridge was the first connection between Pest and Buda. The bridge ignited the economic revival that would lead to Budapest's golden century and it was one of the factors that made the provincial towns of Pest and Buda into a fast-growing metropolitan. In 1857 Adam Clark dug a 350-meter long tunnel through the Castle Hill to connect the bridge with the Buda hinterland. In 1989 people demonstrated on the chain bridge for freedom and independence. Since then, the bridge has become a symbol of Hungarian liberty.
The wind was really nippy. Agnes said the weather reports called it the worse storm of the year, and announced that boat activity on the river had ceased. We headed down to the tunnel that led to the Chain Bridge and then continued on Andrassy Blvd. Agnes said the first buildings along the road looked ritzy, but were empty because nobody wanted to spend money to upgrade them. We continued on Andrassy, heading back to the Novotel Budapest Centrum located on Rakoci ut., a main thoroughfare of Budapest.
Day 10, Thursday, October 15:
After an included breakfast at 6:30 am, I relaxed until the scheduled discussion of Hungary's Political Past & Present at 8:30 am led by Professor Gabriel from Budapest University. Agnes introduced the speaker to us (on photo). It really helped to gain a Hungarian perspective of this country’s history.
Then at 10 am we were ready to depart on our city tour that started at Heroes Square.
Heroes Square or Hősök tere is surrounded by two important buildings, Museum of Fine Arts on the left and Palace of Art (or Art Exhibition Museum) on the right. The central site of the hero's square, as well as a landmark of Budapest, is the Millennium Memorial (also known as Millennium Monument or Millenary Monument) with statues of the leaders of the seven tribes that founded Hungary in the 9th century and other outstanding figures of Hungarian history. A 36 m high column standing in the middle has Archangel Gabriel at the top. The construction of the memorial was started when the one thousandth anniversary was celebrated (in 1896), but it was finished only in 1929 and the square got its name then. When the monument was originally constructed, Hungary was a part of the Austrian Empire and thus the last five spaces for statues on the left of the colonnade were reserved for members of the ruling Habsburg dynasty. From left to right these were: Ferdinand I (relief: Defense of the Castle at Eger); Leopold I (relief: Eugene of Savoy defeats the Turks at Zenta), Charles III, Maria Theresa (relief: The Hungarian Diet votes support "vitam et sanguinem") and Franz Joseph (relief: Franz Joseph crowned by Gyula Andrássy) The monument was damaged in World War II and when it was rebuilt the Habsburgs were replaced by the current figures. On the 16th June 1989 a crowd of 250,000 gathered at the square for the historic reburial of Imre Nagy, who had been executed
To the right of the semi-circle monuments of heroes was the Vajdahunyad Castle, a castle in City Park that was built between 1896 and 1908. It is a copy in part of a castle in Transylvania, Romania, that is also called Vajdahunyad, though it is also a display of different architectural styles: Romanic, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Originally it was made from cardboard and wood for the millennial exhibition in 1896 but it became so popular that it was rebuilt from stone and brick. Today it houses the Agricultural Museum.
We drove around the City Park for only a cursory view of the ice skating rink, amusement part, the Municipal Zoological and the Botanical Garden. Our bus circled back to Heroes Square and turned right on Andrassy Avenue. The first building on the left was the embassy of Serbia (former Yugoslavian embassy where Imre Nagy secured sanctuary in 1956). From the bus I taped portions of buildings that reflected the grandeur of a bygone age.
Andrassy Avenue, named after former Prime Minister of Hungary Gyula Andrássy, is two and a half kilometers long and has three distinct parts. Its downtown section, a 1-kilometre part stretching from Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Avenue all the way to the eight-sided Octagon Square, is lined with rows tall residential apartment houses and expensive shops in the fronts.
The third part, between Kodály Körönd and Heroes' Square, the houses are farther away from the road, which widens at this point, and gives space to the magnificent mansions and villas, which, with their luxurious tranquil atmosphere, give the impression of a wealthy country town. The road track of the most beautiful avenue of Budapest was decided upon in the year 1872. In about a decade from then, nearly all the buildings were ready; this is where Budapest's eclectic architectural heritage is found today. Many beautifully carved apartment buildings hide fountains, statues and breathtaking inner spaces and courtyards.
Our destination was St. Stephen Basilica. I was immensely pleased that this was a planned stop where we could get out of the bus and explore this magnificent church building.
We had to walk around to the front and I then had to walk a distance back on St. Stephen’s square to get the entire building in a photo.
The church is named for Saint Stephen I of Hungary, the first King of Hungary (c 975–1038), whose incorruptible (mummified) right hand is housed in the reliquary. Along with the Hungarian Parliament Building, it is the tallest building of Budapest (96 m). It has a width of 55 meters, and its length is 87.4 meters. It was completed in 1905 after 54 years of construction. Much of this delay can be attributed to the collapse of the dome in 1868 that required complete demolition of the completed works and rebuilding from the ground up. The architectural style is neoclassical; it has a Greek cross ground plan. Two large bell towers anchor the façade. In the southern tower is Hungary's biggest bell, weighing over 9 tons. Its predecessor had a weight of almost 8 tons, but it was used for military purposes during World War II.
The interior of St. Stephen’s (above) was equally impressive. Over the main portal was a bust of King Stephen, Hungary's first Christian king and patron saint of the basilica. I scanned the walls and archways with my
camcorder. Organ recitals are offered here with works of the great composers. Some in our group talked of coming back for one, but it did not materialize.
What a great setting for a concert the next night!
If I had not over-walked that day I would have come back. Others who had planned on the concert backed out, too, deserting Susan. Our city tour now took us over the river to the Buda side by crossing over the Elizabeth Bridge.
The original Erzsébet Bridge, along with many other bridges all over the country, was blown up at the end of World War II by retreating Wehrmacht sappers. This is the only bridge in Budapest that could not be rebuilt in its original form. Elisabeth Bridge is the second newest bridge and one of the most elegant ones of Budapest, Hungary, connecting Buda and Pest across the River Danube. It is situated at the narrowest part of the Danube, the bridge spanning only 290 m. It is named after Queen Elisabeth, a popular queen and empress of Austria-Hungary, who was assassinated in 1898.
The bus driver drove us up Castle Hill (map) and parked the bus where we could meet it later after our walking tour. The first building we encountered was the Museum of Military History.
Situated in a former municipal army barracks, the Museum of Military History has a sprawling collection of weaponry and war memorabilia housed on two main floors. The outside of the building is pockmarked from the shells of the Russians who were besieging the German army. Towards the end of the Second World War, it was in the Castle District that the last Nazi German troops concern treated and held out, from the end of December 1944 until the middle of February 1945, when the Soviet Red Army liberated the capital after a siege lasting almost two months. As a consequence of the Germans' bitter resistance the Castle District again suffered enormous damage.
Since I had spent considerable time in the Castle District on earlier visits, I did not concentrate too much on sites here. I did take a photo of a portion of the Matthias Church. Renovation activity taking place prevented much treatment on film. Our city guide did not spend much time here either.
The Matthias Church or Church of Our Lady was built in the mid-13th century in the Castle District, but was frequently restored, repaired, and remodeled in the whatever architectural style was in fashion at the time. The last two Hungarian Habsburg kings were crowned in the Matthias Church: Franz Joseph in 1867 (Liszt wrote and performed his Coronation Mass for the occasion) and Charles IV in 1916.
Most of the exterior of Matthias Church was added around 1896 in a Gothic style. The carvings above the southern entrance date back 500 years, but basically the church is a Neo-Gothic creation carried out by the architect Frigyes in the late 19th century. The outside has a colorful tile roof (in the style of Stephensdom in Vienna) and a lovely tower.
In the upper court of the Fishermen's Bastion stands an equestrian statue of (Saint) Stephen I (by Alajos Stróbl, 1906), the first king of Hungary (1001-1038) and founder of the State.
A costumed nobleman accompanied by a huge vulture posed with tourist here. Fishermen’s Bastion offers wonderful views of Pest, the River and Parliament from the ramparts. We met the bus at the appointed time and then were taken across the river to the Central Market Hall. What an architecturally impressive building!
Construction of the Great Market Hall started in 1894 according to the design of Samu Petz. It was then reconstructed between 1991-94. Beautiful Zsolnay tiles cover the enormous roof structure that makes it the most spectacular element of the building from outside. Once inside the rich aroma together with the vivid colors of the fresh products displayed in the stalls are dazzling. Strings of red paprika and garlic, Hungarian salamis, sausages, hams and other meat products, fresh pastries, dairy products, Hungarian wines and you name it are everywhere.
I walked around row-by-row observing all the stalls. On the second level I took a lunch break, settling on kielbasa with scalloped type potatoes and fried onions. (above) It wasn’t cheap (1500 florin), but served my needs adequately. We returned to our comfortable accommodations at the Novotel Hotel
Day 11, Friday, October 16:
I did not sign up for some of the GCT optionals because I had already taken them on earlier trips. Today was for me a free day. A wake-up call was not necessary. I had my day all planned out for a lengthy walking tour on my own. After a Minnesota breakfast (fruit and cereal), I stepped out onto to busy Elizabeth Street and headed northward toward the famous Nyugati Train Station. There was no rain or snow today, but it was a little on the cool side.
Half way to the station, at Octagon Square, I noticed a lot of commotion going on. The intersection was cordoned off so I knew something was coming. Sure enough, here came a caravan of motorcycles and vehicles with flashing lights and screaming sirens roaring up Andrassy Street and turning south onto Elizabeth Street. I conjectured it must be some escort for big shot visitors. Once they had passed, officers motioned for traffic to resume.
Further along I came within sight of Palace McDonald. Agnes said this McDonalds is worthy of a visit. It is said to have the most beautiful interior of any fast food restaurant on the planet.
The 250-seat restaurant is the second busiest of all of McDonald’s 11,000 restaurants worldwide! Actually this ornate establishment is part of the Nyugati Train Station complex
Budapest nyugati pályaudvar (Hungarian for Budapest Western Railway Station) is a railway station in the northern part of the old town of Budapest. It is one of the three main railway stations of Budapest (together with Keleti pályaudvar and Déli pályaudvar) and can be found in the 6th district. The station was planned by August de Serres and was built by the Eiffel company. It was opened on October 28, 1877. Previously another station stood in its place, the end station of Hungary's first railway line, the Pest–Vác line (constructed in 1846).
I entered McDonalds and ordered a small coffee (325 florin or about $2.50) and slowly sipped it while perusing the place.
This was a great stop for resting up. Afterwards I walked outside to take photos of the larger structure. Looking at the large window portion of the front façade, I thought about the historical event (true story) when a train over-ran its berth and crashed through the window – ending up on the trolley tracks on Elizabeth Street. I went into the large central hall where trains were positioned. The restraining bumpers looked formidable, but nothing could stop an uncontrolled speeding train.
Rested up from my Eiffel stop, I continued on toward Margaret Bridge and Margaret Island. When I arrived at the bridge it became immediately evident that a massive construction project was taking place. Margaret Bridge is presently the most heavily worn bridge over the Danube in Budapest. It was in urgent need of a total overhaul, which started on 21st August 2009. It is being closed to road traffic for at least a year. Trams are expected to maintain at least a partial service over the bridge using temporary track during the work. This limited the amount of exploring that I could do here, but I managed to get some good pictures.
Margaret Bridge (sometimes Margit Bridge) i connects Buda and Pest across the Danube. It is the second northernmost and second oldest public bridge in Budapest. It was designed by French engineer Ernest Goüin and built by his construction company, Maison Èmile Gouin (at present ‘’Société de constructions de Batignolles’’) between 1872-1876. Margaret Bridge is the second permanent bridge in Budapest after Széchenyi Chain Bridge. This bridge leads up to Margaret Island, its two parts enclosing 165 degrees with each other at the embranchment towards the island. The reason for this unusual geometry is the fact the small extension to connect to Margaret Island was hastily inserted into the original design but not built until two decades later due to lack of funds. French sculptor Thabard carved the ornate statues in 1874. Between 1899 and 1900, an additional side-bridge was built leading up to Margaret Island with a structure similar to that of the main bridge. Thus, the island became accessible by foot, too.
The walkway (Pesti Also Rampart) from Margaret Bridge to the Parliament provided an ideal stroll along the Danube.
Security details forced me to cut across a parkway instead of using the parking lot to approach the Parliament building. The park had an interesting Karolyi Mihaly Monument. Further on in Kossuth Square I encountered the statue of Lajos Kossuth, the outstanding politician of the 1848-49 War of Independence.
I took many photos of Parliament as I moved along the front of the building.
The Hungarian Parliament Building, map #5, p. 120, (Hungarian: Országház) is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Kossuth Lajos Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest. It is currently the largest building in Hungary, and the second largest Parliament in Europe. Budapest was united from three cities in 1873 and seven years later the National Assembly resolved to establish a new, representative Parliament Building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. Similar to the Palace of Westminster, it was built in Gothic Revival style; it has a symmetrical facade and a central dome. The main façade faces the River Danube, but the official main entrance is from the square in front of the building.
Other striking monuments I observed by Parliament were the Eternal Flame Monument to the 1956
Revolution Heroes, and Aldozatai Nak Emlekere Monument.
At Martyrs' Square (Vértanúk tere), immediately adjacent to Kossuth Square, is a statue of Imre Nagy (below). The statue is of a man standing on a small bridge. He is wearing a hat and a trench coat and is looking pensively over his left shoulder, into the distance.
Nagy was born in Kaposvár, to a peasant family and was apprenticed to a locksmith. He enlisted in the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I and served on the Eastern Front. He was taken prisoner in 1915. He became a member of the Russian Communist Party, and joined the Red Army. Nagy returned to Hungary in 1921. In 1930 he traveled to the Soviet Union and joined the communist party. He was engaged in agricultural research, and also worked in the Hungarian section of the Comintern. He was expelled from the party in 1936 and later worked for the Soviet Statistical Service. Rumors that he was an agent of the Soviet secret service surfaced later, begun by Hungarian party-leader Károly Grósz in 1989 in an attempt to discredit Nagy. There is evidence, however, that Nagy did serve as an informant for the NKVD during his time in Moscow and provided names to the secret police as a way to prove his loyalty (not an uncommon tactic for foreign communists in the Soviet Union at the time). After the war Nagy returned to Hungary. He was the Minister of Agriculture in the government of Béla Miklós de Dálnok, delegated by the Hungarian Communist Party. He distributed land among the peasant population.
In the next government, led by Tildy, he was the Minister of Interior. At this period he played an active role controlling the expulsion of Germans. After two years as Prime Minister (1953–1955), during which he promoted his "New Course" in Socialism, Nagy fell out of favor with the Soviet Politburo. He was deprived of his Hungarian Central Committee, Politburo and all other Party functions and on April 18, 1955, he was sacked as Prime Minister. Nagy became Prime Minister again, this time by popular demand, during the anti-Soviet revolution in 1956. Soon he moved toward a multiparty political system. On 1 November, he announced Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and appealed through the UN for the great powers, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, to recognize Hungary's status as a neutral state. When the revolution was crushed by the Soviet invasion of Hungary, Nagy, with a few others, was given sanctuary in the Yugoslav Embassy. In spite of a written safe conduct of free passage by János Kádár, Nagy was arrested by the Soviet forces as he was leaving the Yugoslav Embassy. Nagy was secretly tried, found guilty, sentenced to death and executed by hanging in June 1958. His trial and execution were made public only after the sentence was carried out. According to Fedor Burlatsky, a Kremlin insider, Nikita Khrushchev had Nagy executed, "as a lesson to all other leaders in socialist countries.” In 1989, Imre Nagy was rehabilitated and his remains reburied on the 31st anniversary of his execution in the same plot after a funeral organized in part by opponents of the country's communist regime. Over 100,000 people are estimated to have attended Nagy's re-internment.
On my return trip to the hotel, I walked through Szabadsay Ter (Freedom Square). This large square is home to a tall obelisk with a star on top: the monument to the Soviet Union's liberation of Budapest near the end of the Second World War. Note the hammer and cycle insignia.
It is the only remaining memorial to the Soviet Union in the city (the last statue of Lenin was pulled down in 1989). In an ironic twist, the United States Embassy stands right nearby, occupying a Viennese-style building. The U.S. Embassy was cordoned off and well guarded, so I waked around it. I think my step was losing its bounce; walking was now a little slower as I maneuvered my way to Elizabeth Street, past Octagon Square and finally reaching the Novotel Hotel.
Agnes arranged a 6 am wake up call. After an early Minnesota breakfast of fruit and cereal, I boarded the bus at 8 am for our daylong ride to Prague (about 300 miles). The long trip gave Agnes an opportunity to brief us on the Czech Republic. Unlike the poor economy we found in Hungary, with homeless in the streets and unemployment, Czech Republic was prosperous (“best economy in Europe”). Unlike the highly religious Catholics in Hungary, the Czechs were very secular and had low birth rate.
Our trip to the Czech Republic took us through Slovakia. We made a city tour stop in Bratislava, the country’s capital city, and it has a history dating to Celtic and Roman times. Though the Czech Republic and Slovakia were united as Czechoslovakia for nearly 75 years, they each have distinctive personalities, languages, and landscapes. Last time I was here my wife and I toured only the Castle itself. This time the tour was limited to the exterior of the Castle, but to my surprise, we were also to tour the Old Town as well.
The views from the Castle walls were great. We could look back to Hungary where we had just come from, see Slovakia, and observe Austria to the right.
In the city we had a Slovakian lunch at a really nice place Café Zichy with Old World charm.
Agnes gave us free time to look over the Old Town. The first building that jumped out at us was Michael’s Gate.
In Bratislava, Slovakia, Michael's Gate is the only gate that has been preserved of the medieval fortifications and ranks among the oldest town buildings. Built about the year 1300, its present shape is the result of baroque reconstructions in 1758, when the statue of St. Michael and the Dragon was placed on its top. The tower houses the Exhibition of Weapons of Bratislava City Museum. In the medieval times fortified walls surrounded the town, and entry and exit was only possible through one of the four heavily fortified gates. St. Michael's Gate named after St. Michael and the St. Michael church that stood in front of it (outside the town wall). Later on it was put down and materials gained from it were used in the building of additional town walls.
The Holy Savior Church (below), also known as the Jesuit Church on Franciscan Square. Agnes called it the St. Salvador Church. I walked around inside and though it quite ornate in contrast to the quite simple exterior. The pulpit, I thought, deserved a photo shot.
We headed for the Old Town Square. I started my pictures of an interesting Fountain that seemed to depict a farmer. The stand-out building in the square was the Town Hall. The Old Town Hall is located in the heart of the city center. It is easily recognizable by its colorful tiled roof. Old Town Hall Finished in the Gothic style in the 15th century, it resulted from the joining several buildings. The city mayor Jakab built the principal building adjacent to the tower in the 14th century, although the tower itself (originally Gothic) was erected in the late 13th century. Later it underwent many transformations and enhancements, namely a Renaissance style reconstruction in 1599 following earthquake damage.
Church of the Holy Savior: Once a 3-nave hall-style Protestant church built by German settlers between 1636-1638 for use as their parish church, it was co-opted by the Jesuits in 1672 and "Baroquified." In the typical manner, the exterior was more or less left alone, while the inside was then richly decorated. The Jesuits were so rich, and had been given such free rein over all aspects of the religious world they controlled, that they could afford the very best artists and sculptors and religious objects. They typically over decorated the buildings they took over, and this is no exception. The front of the church is littered with religious memorials and monuments, including the oldest Baroque memorial pillar in Central Europe (the first in Bratislava).
An outstanding monument that seemed to dominate the square was the Roland Fountain (above). The Roland Fountain, sometimes referred to as Maximilian Fountain, is the city’s most famous fountain . Its construction was ordered by Maximilian II, the king of Royal Hungary, in 1572 to provide a public water supply. The fountain is topped by a statue of Maximilian portrayed as a knight in full armor sculpted by master A. Lutringer. Its current appearance is probably far from its original look, since it has been modified and rebuilt several times.. Many legends are centered on this fountain, mostly featuring Maximilian as the town's protector.
As we were heading back to the bus I noticed a tribute to Mozart on a plaque (above).
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gave a concert here in Bratislava in 1762 at the age of six.
Agnes took a nose count on the bus and we were on our way to the Czech Republic. Since Mozart was a well known figure in Prague and appreciated more there than in Vienna; because the Movie Amadeus was film in Prague, it was very fitting that Agnes play the Amadeus movie on the bus for us.
Synopsis: It is a cold winter evening and a houseman attempts to rouse his master, former glorified Viennese court composer Antonio Salieri. Being unsuccessful knocking, they force Salieri's bedroom door open and find him on the floor, bleeding from a knife wound to the neck. They carry him to a mental hospital, where his wound is bound up, and a priest comes to see him the next day. The priest attempts to get him to explain why he would try to take his own life and the movie flashes back, with Salieri narrating, to how he met Mozart and became insanely jealous of his talent. Tom Hulce plays Mozart and F. Murray Abraham plays Salieri. Cynthia Nixon, Jeffrey Jones, and Roy Dotrice also co-star.
From Wikipedia: Amadeus is a stage play written in 1979 by English author Peter Shaffer, loosely based on the lives of the composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. Amadeus was inspired by Mozart and Salieri, a short play by Aleksandr Pushkin and later adapted into an opera of the same name by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Shaffer then adapted the play for a film released in 1984.
When we arrived at the Hotel Don Giovanni (named after Mozart’s Opera) I took a picture of the Mozart statue that graced the reception area.
I personally like the music of Mozart. When director of public events at the college where I taught, I had the Minnesota Opera Company perform Mozart’s Don Giovanni on our stage. Not many students attended, but quite a few people from the community showed up.
Welcome drinks were served on Level 1 Mezzanine (Lobby was Floor 0). I selected the white wine. Time to reflect that we now are on the great city of Prague – the highlight of the tour.
Prague (English pronunciation: /ˈprɑːɡ/; Czech: Praha) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. The city proper is home to more than 1.2 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" (Praga mater urbium, or "Praha matka měst" in Czech), "city of a hundred spires" and "the golden city"
Day 13, Sunday, October 18:
Teatro breakfast buffet Minnesota style, Again Fresh fruit and cereal for me. It was really tough to pass on the bacon, eggs, cheese, etc. Our bus was ready to depart on the city tour of Prague at 8:30 am. En route we passed the Zizkov TV Tower, often referred to by the locals as Brezhnev’s Finger.
Like many examples of communist-era architecture in Central and Eastern Europe, the TV tower used to be generally resented by the local inhabitants. Although official criticism during the time of its construction was impossible, unofficially the tower was lambasted for its 'megalomania', its 'jarring' effect on the Prague skyline, and for destroying part of a centuries-old Jewish cemetery situated near the tower's foundations.
We also passed by Wenceslas Square in New Town and were able to see the State Opera House and the National Museum.
The obvious landmark of Wenceslas Square is the statue of Wenceslas. Josef Václav Myslbek sculpted the mounted saint in 1887–1924, and the image of Wenceslas is accompanied by other Czech patron saints carved into the ornate statue base. By the 9th century Bohemia is loosely connected to the great kingdom of Moravia, lying to the east. From Moravia comes the influence of Christianity, energetically spread in Bohemia in the 10th century by Vaclav, a prince known in the west as Wenceslas. Murdered on his way into church in 929, Wenceslas is later venerated as Bohemia's patron saint. (As good king Wenceslas he also features, more surprisingly, in a popular English carol.)
But the real touring began when we got off the bus at the Prague Castle. The young lady who served as our city guide was very knowledgeable. We started at the Castle entrance where we had a nice view of the Castle.
Prague Castle is the most popular sight visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world (570 m long, on average 128 m wide, area 7.28 hectares).
Constructed in the 9th century, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles. Prague castle has had four major reconstructions, but it keeps its classical facelift it took on in the 18 century during the reign of Maria Theresa.
The castle has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence.
Old Royal Palace (Starý Královský Palác) dating from 1135 it is one of the oldest parts of the castle. It was the seat of Bohemian princes but from the 13th to the 16th century it was the king's palace. Vladislav Hall (Vladislavský sál), in the centre of the palace, was used for banquets, councils, coronations and in bad weather, jousting. The other parts are the Rider's staircase (Jezdecké schody), a place where all the Czech presidents have been sworn and the Ludvík Wing famous for the Defenestration of 1618.
Defenestration is the act of throwing someone out of a window. According to Wikipedia: Some members of the Bohemian aristocracy rebelled following the 1617 election of Ferdinand (Duke of Styria and a Catholic) as King of Bohemia to succeed the aging Emperor Matthias. In 1617, Roman Catholic officials ordered the cessation of construction of some Protestant chapels on land of which the Catholic clergy claimed ownership. Protestants contended the land in question belong to royalty, rather than owned by the Catholic Church, and was thus available for their own use. Protestants interpreted the cessation order as a violation of the right to freedom of religious expression granted by Emperor Rudolf II in 1609. They also feared that the fiercely Catholic Ferdinand would revoke the Protestant rights altogether once he came to the throne. At Prague Castle on May 23, 1618, an assembly of Protestants tried two Imperial governors for violating the Letter of Majesty (Right of Freedom of Religion), found them guilty, and threw them, together with their scribe, out of the 30 meter high windows of the Bohemian Chancellery. They landed on a large pile of manure in a dry moat and survived. Some have lived but many have been killed during this practice. An obelisk below the windows of the Renaissance rooms of the palace, also called the Czech Office, marks the spot where the unfortunate persons have landed. Roman Catholic Imperial officials claimed that the three men survived due to the mercy of angels assisting the righteousness of the Catholic cause. Protestant pamphleteers asserted that their survival had more to do with the horse excrement in which they landed than the benevolent acts of the angels. Either way, the event marked the opening of the Thirty Years War.
Our first inside look was at the Maria Theresa Courtyard with its large ornamental fountain.
(The Austrians retook Prague and Maria Theresa was crowned queen of Bohemia in the spring of 1743). From here we proceeded to St. Vitus Cathedral. My first pictures are of the front and the rose window. We moved to the side and had a better view of the church tower.
Statue here was of St. George slaying a dragon.
St Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála Sv. Víta)
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. Located within Prague Castle and containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings, this cathedral is an excellent example of Gothic architecture and is the biggest and most important church in the country. The most beautiful of numerous side chapels, Parler's Chapel of St Wenceslas, houses the crown jewels and the tomb of “Good King” Wenceslas.
Our guide then led us over to the Gate Entrance by the Archbishop’s Palace. This is where the changing of the guards takes place every hour on the hour. The same designer of movie Amadeus designed the uniforms worn by the guards.
Archbishop's Palace (Arcibiskupský palác) Bought by Ferdinand I in 1562 for the first Catholic Archbishop it is the seat of archbishops ever since. In the period of after the 1621 it was a powerful symbol of Catholic domination of the city as well as the Czech lands. It is only open to the public one day before Good Friday.
We then walked over to the Castle wall for a commanding view of the city and river below.
We retraced our steps back to the bus and were driven down towards the river. I had asked our city guide if we would see Wallenstein’s Castle today. She thought not, but made quick reference to its location as we drove past it.
Wallenstein Palace Built between 1624 and 1630 by Albrecht von Wallenstein, military leader of the Habsburg armies, it was meant to overshadow even the Prague Castle. It is so large that 23 houses, three gardens and the municipal brick kiln had to be razed to make way for the palace and its grounds. There are also splendid gardens #8 laid out as they were in those days. Now it houses the Senate of the Czech Republic.
Wallenstein was raised a Lutheran, but after the death of his parents he was sent to a Jesuit school. A Bohemian soldier and politician, Wallenstein gave his services (an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men) during the Danish period (1625-1629) of the Thirty Years' War to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. Early in 1626 he offered to raise not a regiment or two, but a whole army for the imperial service. After some negotiations the offer was accepted, the understanding being that the troops were to be maintained at the cost of the countries they might occupy (loot). Wallenstein's popularity at home soon brought great numbers of recruits to his standard. But Wallenstein found himself released from service in 1630 after Ferdinand grew wary of his ambition.
Several Protestant victories over Catholic armies induced Ferdinand to recall Wallenstein, who again turned the war in favor of the Imperial cause. Dissatisfied with the emperor's treatment of him, Wallenstein considered allying with the Protestants. However, Ferdinand had the general assassinated by one of the army's officials, Walter Devereux.
Our tour agenda called for us to cross the Cechuv Most (Bridge) to Josefov, the Old Jewish District.
Wikipedia: Jews are believed to have settled in Prague as early as the 10th century. The first pogrom was in 1096 (the first crusade) and eventually they were concentrated within a walled Ghetto. In 1262 Přemysl Otakar II issued a Statuta Judaeorum, which granted the community a degree of self-administration. In 1389 one of the worst pogroms saw some 1,500 massacred at Easter Sunday. The ghetto was most prosperous towards the end of the 16th century when the Jewish Mayor, Mordecai Maisel, became the Minister of Finance and a very wealthy man. His money helped develop the ghetto. Around this time the Maharal was supposed to create the Golem.
In 1850 the quarter was renamed "Josefstadt" (Joseph's City) after Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor who emancipated Jews with the Toleration Edict in 1781. Two years before Jews were allowed to settle outside of the city, so the share of the Jewish population in Josefov decreased, while only orthodox and poor Jews remained living there.
Most of the quarter was demolished between 1893 and 1913 as part of an initiative to model the city on Paris. What were left were only six synagogues, the old cemetery, and the Old Jewish Town Hall (now all part of the Jewish Museum in Prague and described below). With only six synagogues, the old cemetery, and the Old Jewish Town Hall the Nazi German occupation could have been expected to complete the demolition of the old ghetto. However the area was preserved in order to provide a site for a planned "exotic museum of an extinct race". This meant that the Nazis gathered Jewish artifacts from all over central Europe for display in Josefov.
We started our Jewish history tour at the Staronova Synagogue. Old-New Synagogue is the oldest working synagogue in Europe and one of Prague’s earliest Gothic buildings (it was built around 1270).
The Synagogue’s activity has an impressing history of more than 700 years, having been interrupted only between 1941 and 1945 because of the Nazi occupation.
The buildings around it and down the street are beautiful turn of the century buildings because they were built on the demolish sites between 1893 and 1913. The street does remind one of Paris an 2nd Empire buildings of Napoleon III.
We continued on down Parizska Street to the Church of St. Nicholas. I took pictures from the back, but the best view if from the front which faces the Old Town Square.
St. Nicholas is a Baroque church, decorated with msculptures by Antonín Braun. The chapel of St.
Louis-des-invalides in Paris inspired the interior design. Bernardo Spinetti executed the delicate
stucco decoration, 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.
Another important church on Old Town Square (above) is the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn (Kostel Panny Marie před Týnem. This Gothic church was built in 1365 on the site of an earlier Romanesque church. Its magnificent multiple steeples are 80m high and dominate the square. Between the early 15th century and the year of 1620 it was the main Hussite church in Prague. A beautiful entrance portal decorated with scenes of Christ's passion and a huge Rococo altar on the northern wall are its most striking features. Right of the altar there is a tomb of the Danish astronomer Tycho de Brahe who worked at the court of the Emperor Rudolph II. Týn church has a grand-sounding pipe organ and occasionally, it is a concert venue.
The monument to the religious reformer Jan Hus stands in the centre of Old Town Square.
Jan Hus Monument (Pomník Jana Husa) The 65m-tall Powder Tower was begun in 1475 during the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello to form one of the 13 entrances to the Old Town. In 1483 it was left unfinished because the king moved to Prague Castle. Between 1875 and 1886 the tower was rebuilt, decorated and steepled by Josef Mocker. The gate acquired its present name in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder.
Completed in 1915 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, the Czech Hussite reformer, the massive monument dominates the square. It shows two groups of people, a young mother symbolizing national rebirth and the figure of Hus emphasizing the moral authority of the man who gave up life rather than his beliefs.
Jan (John) Hus had been lured into the papal residence at Constance, and then imprisoned in a Dominican dungeon. What followed were months of interrogation and suffering. Zygmunt withdrew his safe conduct in January 1415. It was only due to great pressure exerted by Bohemian noblemen that Hus was given any semblance of a public hearing on June 5, 7, and 8, but he was not allowed to respond to the charges made against him. Presented with a list of 30 articles allegedly drawn from his writings but in fact drawn from the writings of John Wycliffe, Hus was ordered to renounce them upon oath. He refused, unless instructed from Scripture as to where his teachings were in error. The Council rejected his appeal to the Bible as a superior authority.
On July 6, 1415 Hus was given a final opportunity to recant. Again he refused, saying that since he did not hold all of the views as stated, to recant would be to commit perjury. He was then declared an arch-heretic and a disciple of Wycliffe. He was ceremoniously degraded from the priest-hood, his soul was consigned to the devil, and he was turned over to the secular authorities for execution. That same day, he was led to a meadow outside the city wall and burned alive. Although the Council had consigned his soul to the devil, Hus - singing loudly as the flames consumed him - consigned his soul to God: "Jesus Christ! The Son of the living God! Have mercy upon me." His ashes were then gathered up and cast into the Rhine River. Constance. One hundred years later, Martin Luther was charged with heresy by the church hierarchy for espousing views associated with Hus and condemned as heresy by the Council of Constance. Therein lies the historical significance of Jan Hus. He was a vital link in the chain of reformers who sought to reform the late-medieval church, and whose efforts, often punctuated by martyrdom, culminated in the 16th-century Reformation.
Old Town Hall (Staroměstská radnice) and the Town Hall Clock (above). Old Town's ancient town hall was established in 1338 after the agreement of King John of Luxembourg to set up a town council. Several old houses had to be knocked together over the centuries as the Old Town Hall expanded. The Nazis destroyed a Gothic chapel and a neo-Gothic north wing in spring 1945. The chapel has been reconstructed. The most popular part of the tower is the Town Hall Clock (Orloj). Originally installed in 1410, the clock was rebuilt by the Master Hanuš. It consists of three parts – the procession of Apostles, the astronomical clock and the calendar. The main attraction is the hourly procession of the 12 Apostles.
One visitor wrote: Huge crowds gather well in advance to watch this performance. During the day from 9 am to 9 pm the clock performs on the hour. The figure of Death rings a bell and the 12 Apostles appear
above. A clock crows and time is up for the Turk, who shakes his head in disbelief, the Miser, who eyes his bag of gold, and Vanity, who admires himself in a mirror. The height of the tower is 69,5 m and it offers a great view of the city.
We left the Old Town Square departing at Celetna Lane which was a part of an old trading way to Prague in the past. The lane belonged to the Royal Way of Czech Kings – the way of coronation parades to the Prague Castle. The Royal Way started near the present Powder Tower. It continued through the gateway, along the Celetna Lane to the Old Town Square, than along the Karlova Street and the Charles Bridge to the Lesser Town Square and up the Nerudova Street to the Prague Castle.
We traveled only a short distance before we pulled into a jewelry shop. Here we could use the free bathrooms and shop if we like. Agnes said we could also tour more on our. Those who wanted to go back to the hotel on the subway with her should meet here at the jewelry store 1 pm. Otherwise we could just take the subway on our when ready. I chose the later. My course of action took me up Celetna Street to the Powder Tower (Gate) on Republic Square in New Town
One visitor wrote: Huge crowds gather well in advance to watch this performance. During the day from 9 am to 9 pm the clock performs on the hour. The figure of Death rings a bell and the 12 Apostles appear
above. A clock crows and time is up for the Turk, who shakes his head in disbelief, the Miser, who eyes his bag of gold, and Vanity, who admires himself in a mirror. The height of the tower is 69,5 m and it offers a great view of the city.
We left the Old Town Square departing at Celetna Lane which was a part of an old trading way to Prague in the past. The lane belonged to the Royal Way of Czech Kings – the way of coronation parades to the Prague Castle. The Royal Way started near the present Powder Tower. It continued through the gateway, along the Celetna Lane to the Old Town Square, than along the Karlova Street and the Charles Bridge to the Lesser Town Square and up the Nerudova Street to the Prague Castle.
We traveled only a short distance before we pulled into a jewelry shop. Here we could use the free bathrooms and shop if we like. Agnes said we could also tour more on our. Those who wanted to go back to the hotel on the subway with her should meet here at the jewelry store 1 pm. Otherwise we could just take the subway on our when ready. I chose the later. My course of action took me up Celetna Street to the Powder Tower (Gate) on Republic Square in New Town
Powder Gate (Prašná brána) The 65m-tall Powder Tower was begun in 1475 during the reign of King
Vladislav II Jagiello to form one of the 13 entrances to the Old Town. In 1483 it was left unfinished
because the king moved to Prague Castle. Between 1875 and 1886 the tower was rebuilt, decorated and steepled by Josef Mocker. The gate acquired its present name in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder.
As long as I was on Republic Square, I took pictures of the Municipal House (Obecní dům).
Vladislav II Jagiello to form one of the 13 entrances to the Old Town. In 1483 it was left unfinished
because the king moved to Prague Castle. Between 1875 and 1886 the tower was rebuilt, decorated and steepled by Josef Mocker. The gate acquired its present name in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder.
As long as I was on Republic Square, I took pictures of the Municipal House (Obecní dům).
The Municipal House was built as a representative building of Prague, as a centre of Czech cultural and social life at the turn of the 20 th century. It is an impressive Art Nouveau house that catches attention of everyone, who visits the Republic Square in Prague New Town. It is situated next to the Powder Tower, in the area of the former Royal Court. King Wenceslas IV founded his residence “Royal Court” at the place in 1383. It was used as a seat of kings till the end of the 15 th century. An archiepiscopal seminary was situated there later. The building had various functions through the centuries – there used to be a barracks till 1869, then a military academy. The Royal Court was demolished in 1903. Municipal House was planned to build a new, modern building for Czech cultural events as a counterbalance to the near German House.
I now retraced my steps down Celetna Lane to Old Town Square, passing the jewelry store in the process. Back on Old Town Square, I took more pictures of the Town Hall and the Old Town Tower. I also thought I should take some close-up shots of the John Hus Monument. I revisited St. Nicholas Church because I wanted to see the interior. From here I headed back to the Jewish Ghetto to see the Jewish Cemetery.
There are more than 100,000 Jews buried in this small plot, the graves being layered 12 deep in some places. This is not unusual for European cemeteries where space is at a premium. In Germany where the graves are also 12 layers deep, the tombstones mark only the top layer of the buried coffins. In the Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov, there are around 12,000 tombstones, crowded closely together with almost no grass between them.
I now decided to head for the hotel by taking the subway on my own. I had my ticket and took the steep escalator down into the subway cavern for Green Line A.
Agnes said to make sure that the train has the word Depot on it, meaning it is heading eastward. We must have our ticket validated (stamped). I was to get off at Zelivskeho subway station where the hotel is situated. (See duplicated map and see Prague Metro map, p. 335).
Dinner tonight would be in an historic pub. Agnes told us to buy two metro tickets and meet in the lobby at 6 p.m. Once we had all our people together, we took a streetcar (#10) to a connecting subway trip that would leave us off at Karlovo nam (Charles Square). She said it would be only a “short distance” from here to the pub. As it turned out we had a nice lengthy stroll along Charles Square one of the city center's largest green spaces, a large, tree-filled park. One of the buildings on the rim that Agnes pointed out was the New Town Hall.
The New Town Hall became very famous for the event that happened in the 15th century. On 30th July 1419 a crowd of demonstrators lead by Jan Zelivsky demanded that several Jan Hus’s followers should be released from the prison. When the councilors refused to release the prisoners, the outraged crowd burst into the building and threw the present councilors out of the windows. The councilors who survived the fall were beaten to death. This event called the First Prague Defenestration started the Hussite movement asking for reforms in the RRC.
We turned left to reach Kremencova Street (map) where our beer garden was located. The establishment, Privar a restaurace U Flecka (1499), is well known and recommended by Lonely Planet. When we arrived the manager said we were too early and our reserved room was not ready. We decided to integrate with other customers so we could be seated right away, but we had to endure some tobacco smoke for a while.
The New Town Hall became very famous for the event that happened in the 15th century. On 30th July 1419 a crowd of demonstrators lead by Jan Zelivsky demanded that several Jan Hus’s followers should be released from the prison. When the councilors refused to release the prisoners, the outraged crowd burst into the building and threw the present councilors out of the windows. The councilors who survived the fall were beaten to death. This event called the First Prague Defenestration started the Hussite movement asking for reforms in the RRC.
We turned left to reach Kremencova Street (map) where our beer garden was located. The establishment, Privar a restaurace U Flecka (1499), is well known and recommended by Lonely Planet. When we arrived the manager said we were too early and our reserved room was not ready. We decided to integrate with other customers so we could be seated right away, but we had to endure some tobacco smoke for a while.
We sat astride long communal tables and drank mugs of excellent dark 13 ale that was brewed in-house. The waiters brought the drinks on wide trays and handing them out right and left. They did the same with little shot glass of Becherovka. This was a yellowish herbal bitters made in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. It is flavored with aniseed, cinnamon and approximately 32 other herbs. The alcohol content is 38% ABV (76 proof). Not bad, but one was enough for me.
Entertainment provided by a hefty tuba player and an accordion player kept our feet tapping. As long as people dropped coins into the tuba the musicians stayed with it.
The menus were printed in both English and Czech. Most of us ordered the goulash.
The menus were printed in both English and Czech. Most of us ordered the goulash.
The word “goulash” means “herdsman” in Hungarian, meaning that it was originally a meat dish prepared by herdsmen. Starting back in the Middle Ages massive herds of cattle were driven to Europe’s greatest cattle markets in Moravia. During those long voyages the sickly animals had to be slaughtered. It quickly become an important part of the Czech cuisine as its taste penetrated the whole former Austrian-Hungarian Empire. This luscious mixture of slow-stewed meat, vegetables and a good handful of sweet paprika just took over Eastern Europe.
The dish came with potato dumpling and bread dumpling and cost 189 korunas. The beer (their own brewed beer) cost 49 korunas a mug. My bill with the Becherovka and the imposed tip (or service charge) came out to a total of 360 korunas. I think everyone was pleased.
We stepped out into the night air. Those who wished to call it an evening took a taxi back to the hotel. The rest of us who wanted to cross the Charles Bridge at night started marching northward. We walked past the highly acclaimed National Museum, an example of Czech Revival architecture. Our walk along the river Vltava (Czech) or Moldau (German) presented us with scenes of the Prague Castle reflected on the water. One monument to our right accented by floodlights caught our attention, a tribute to Charles IV. A little further back from it, was the Bethlehem Chapel (Betlémská kaple), which was built in 1391 and where Master Jan Hus preached for several years from 1402-1413. His execution by burning at the stake on July 6, 1415 in Constance (Germany) became a milestone in Czech history. Other reformers, such as Thomas Müntzer, used to preach there as well. Handed over to the Jesuits after the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, the church was completely rebuilt.
Finally we reached the Old Town Bridge Tower and the statue-laden Charles Bridge. Ordinarily the bridge would be crowded with people, but at this hour there was plenty of room.
Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Malá Strana. It was actually called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) during the first several centuries. Its construction was commissioned by Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and began in 1357. In charge of the construction was architect Petr Parléř whose other works include the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen the construction of the bridge. There is a tower standing on each end of the bridge. Both the Staroměstská věž on the Old Town end and the Malostranská věž on the Malá Strana end can be climbed for a view of Prague and the bridge from above. Baroque statues (a total of 30) began to be placed on either side of Charles Bridge in the 17th century. Now many of them are copies and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium (see Prague Museums). The most popular statue #is probably the one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who was executed during the reign of Wenceslas IV by being thrown into the Vltava from the bridge.
Czech artists, musicians and souvenir vendors have stands that line both sides of the bridge year-round.
We were now traveling along the Royal Way as we moved across the bridge. Agnes said that there is so much to see here that a person simply should come back.
The Royal Way. The coronation parades continued along the Charles Bridge, the oldest bridge in Prague, decorated with statues of saints. It leads to the Mostecka Lane on the other side, which was the most important street in the Lesser Town since the Middle Ages. It is lined with noble buildings from the feudal era. The Royal Way goes to the Lesser Town Square with the imposing St. Nicholas Church and continues up the Nerudova Street.
Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí)
Started as a market place it has always been the centre of life in the Lesser Town. Today, there are official buildings and restaurants. The important buildings include the St Nicholas Church, the Town Hall, the Sternberg Palace, and the Smiřický Palace. On the facade of the Baroque Kaiserstain Palace there is a bust of the great Czech soprano Emma Destinn who lived there between 1908 and 1914
St Nicholas Church Situated in Lesser Town is St. Nicholas Church, whose robust dome and thin bell-tower are an inseparable part of the Prague Castle skyline.
It belongs among the leading baroque constructions in Europe and is usually defined as being the most beautiful building of Czech baroque. It was built at a time when Prague was in the process of undergoing prominent changes, when during the second half of the 17th century the existing Renaissance style was replaced by Baroque; a style representing political and social changes having arisen after the Battle of Bila Hora (White Mountain) in 1620 during the Thirty Years War. Agnes said the idea was bring people back into the Catholic Church from Protestantism (re-catholization movement of the counter-Reformation).
Nerudova Street (Nerudova ulice)
Named after the poet and journalist Jan Neruda, who lived at No 47 in the House of Two Suns, it is the picturesque narrow street that leads up to Prague castle as a part of Royal Way. There is a splendid selection of heraldic beasts and emblems on the houses, for example the Red Eagle, the Three Fiddles, the Golden Horseshoe, the Green lobster and the White Swan.
There are also a number of grand Baroque buildings, such as the Thun-Hohenstain Palace, the Morzin Palace and the Church of Our Lady of Unceasing Succour.
The evening had truly been successful. We dug out our transit tickets and headed to the Green A Metro station. Return to Hotel Don Giovanni.
Day 14, Monday, October 19:
Today would be a relaxing day of catch up and reading. I would have liked to visit museums but they were for the most part closed today. Besides, we were able to get in so many extra sights on our evening walk last night. My day started with a leisure breakfast at the Teatro Restaurant was the usual good stuff. I read my recently acquired book I was Doctor Mengele's Assistant by Miklos Nyiszli (Published by Auschwitz- Birkenau State Museum).
Reminded me again how depraved people have the capacity for such inhumanity. While reading I ate my peach from the morning buffet as lunch.
Agnes asked for those of us who were GCT Inner Circle to join her for drinks at 3:15 pm. We gathered together in a lecture room and arranged chairs to form a large circle. We were asked to relate what experiences (negative or positive) really stood out in our trip. Quite a few responded. At 4 pm we went downstairs to Level 0 to begin what amounted to as City Tour #2 followed by a Farewell Dinner and Polka Presentation.
The bus headed down Vinohradska Street and took us past the Woodrow Wilson Transportation Center. The station here was named after Wilson because of his role in creating Czechoslovakia after WW I. Prague’s main train station was built in the Art Nouveau style in 1909 and officially named “Wilson Train Station” in 1919. The name reverted to “Main Train Station” under both Nazi and communist rule, but the station was again officially renamed for Wilson in 1990.
Soon we reached Wenceslas Square. The history of the square goes back to 1348, when Charles IV (Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor) designed it as a horse market. After 600 years it is now a national symbol and the place where most demonstrations take place. Within sight were the State Opera House and the National Museum.
We went past the New Town Hall and Karlovo Park, which we had observed in the dark the night before. We came upon the Dancing House, a quite modern structure.
The Dancing House is the nickname given to the building in downtown Prague, at Rašínovo nábřeží 80, 120 00 Praha 2. It was designed by Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić on a vacant riverfront plot (where the previous building had been destroyed during the Bombing of Prague in 1945). The building was completed in 1996. The very non-traditional design was controversial at the time.. Originally named Fred and Ginger (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - the house vaguely resembles a pair of dancers) the house stands out.
Our bus crossed the nearby Vltava River on the Jiraskuv Most (Bridge) that offered a nice view of the river and nearby islands. On the other side of the river was what Agnes called the Gypsy Neighborhood, once rundown, but now somewhat improved. A unique cemetery was off to our left that seemed to be completely covered with vegetation. Agnes said that some of Mozart’s relatives are buried there. A little further, and also off to our left, was an old deserted Olympic Stadium. We continued driving until we were out in the country and taking a one- lane country road. When we approached oncoming traffic we had to pull over off the road.
At last we reached the Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant, advertised as“ A restaurant with a folklore program in the unique surroundings of a peasant farmhouse”. Outside was a little kitten to greet us.
Our bus crossed the nearby Vltava River on the Jiraskuv Most (Bridge) that offered a nice view of the river and nearby islands. On the other side of the river was what Agnes called the Gypsy Neighborhood, once rundown, but now somewhat improved. A unique cemetery was off to our left that seemed to be completely covered with vegetation. Agnes said that some of Mozart’s relatives are buried there. A little further, and also off to our left, was an old deserted Olympic Stadium. We continued driving until we were out in the country and taking a one- lane country road. When we approached oncoming traffic we had to pull over off the road.
At last we reached the Cicovicky Dvur Restaurant, advertised as“ A restaurant with a folklore program in the unique surroundings of a peasant farmhouse”. Outside was a little kitten to greet us.
We walked through an enclosed courtyard to reach our dinning area. The front of the room had an area set off for the entertainers. Costumed performers provided folk music and lively folk dances. Wine and beer were offered as we sat down.
We had a terrific Czech meal consisting of a hearty soup, pork, kraut, red cabbage, bread dumplings, potato dumplings, and apple strudel for dessert.
What a wonderful evening! One of our Grand Circlers wrote a song entitled “A Song for our Guide Agnes,” to be sung to the tune of “Five foot two, Eyes of Blue”. This was the opportune time to sing it.
Later that evening we individually presented our gratuity tips to Saint Agnes and gave her departing hugs. On the return trip our driver took a different route, passing embassy row and Letna Park that had held a huge statue of Stalin in the Communist era.
Stalin's Monument was a massive granite statue honoring Joseph Stalin that was unveiled in 1955 after more than 5½ years of work in Prague, Czech Republic. The Monument was located on a huge concrete pedestal. It was the largest group statue in Europe, measuring 15.5 meters in height and 22 metres in length. The sculptor was Otakar Švec, who, under pressure from the government and secret police while receiving hate mail from Czech citizens, killed himself three weeks before the unveiling. The process of de-Stalinization began shortly after the unveiling of the monument. The monument, therefore, became an increasing source of embarrassment to the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and was taken down with 800 kg of explosives. In 1996 the pedestal was briefly used as a base for a 35 foot tall statue of Michael Jackson as a promotional stunt for the start of his HIStory European tour.
Once back at the Hotel Don Giovanni Agnes distributed copies of our e-mail addressed that had been previously duplicated. No doubt many of us will be comparing notes and exchanging photographs of this marvelous travel adventure.
Day 15, Tuesday, October 20:
Agnes arranged wake up calls and set up taxi transportation for the various flight times. Some were up as early as 2 am. Fortunately, I could sleep in until 6 am and have my usual 6:30 am breakfast at the Hotel’s Teato Restaurant. My ride to the airport did not leave until 7 am. It took approximately 30 minute for the drive to the Ruzyne Intl. airport.
The Prague Airport is one of the most modem aerial ports in Europe and the second largest airport in central Europe. Last year was evaluated by millions of satisfied passengers as the best airport in Central and Eastern Europe, and received the reward of prestigious inquiry at the World Airport Awards in 2007.
The return KLM flight NW8702 from Prague departed at 9:30 am. Meal was served onboard. I had Aisle Seat 30B assigned. I arrived home (via Amsterdam) on NW045 at 3:25 pm after a nine-hour flight. Annette cheerfully met me at the airport – at the usual meeting spot at the Green Parking Ramp exit. As I drove, she updated me on the things that happened while I was away. The weather had been exceptionally cold and the cat missed me. We stopped for an excellent home-style spare rib dinner in Belle Plain at Emma Krumbees Restaurant.
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PS
In closing, “na s hledanow” to my fellow travelers.
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