The City of 1000 Spires

Prague from the Great South Tower of St. Vitus Cathedral

During planning stages for our trip last summer to Europe, my friend suggested Prague.  Now to be honest Prague was never on my list of must see places and I really knew next to nothing about Prague when it was added to the itinerary.  All I have to say, is if Prague is not on your list of places to visit; add it. As it turns many people have the same opinion of Prague. Prague effortlessly meshes it's cultural past (Gothic, Bohemian, German, Hapsburg and Communist) resulting in a beautiful vibrant city, that is an intriguing mix of the old and new; steeped in history with many of its original structures intact and a friendly welcoming people.  For us, Prague turned out to be the gem in a visit that included Amsterdam and Paris. Prague’s dramatic skyline with it’s baroque spires protruding into the night sky will transport you to another world, where the past is alive and present.

Municipal House,
example of Art Nouveau Architecture in Prague 

Architecture buffs will love Prague as it is full of a diverse variety of buildings that range from medieval Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Communist era, and everything in between. The Old Town is majestic with brightly coloured baroque buildings and clock towers, squares, and markets. Prague is also a city with a rich heritage in the arts and culture; and although with the growth of tourism there are some who may say that this side is now hard to find amongst the kitschy tourist spots. Not true, it’s still there and I found it shown through every day.  An evening of classical music at the Klementinum (the Mirror Chapel (1724)) provided both music for the soul and with its extensive frescos and carvings, visual pleasure as well. Buskers are everywhere to be found and many are very talented musicians versed in both classical and modern. Of course you will also find “living statues” that have become all the rage in recent years. In the right location and with performers who are exceptional, the living statues can make for an interesting interlude.

View of Staroměstské náměstí  (Old Town Square)

In addition to the vibrant art community, I think that was my biggest surprise about Prague was the food. No not the normal tourist places (lots of them can be found around The Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) and yes we tried a few....) rather those with good solid Czech cuisine that I would sum up as “carnivores are us”. I am not a pork lover, in fact I really dislike it; but the smells of pork as you walk in Prague may have been able to make a convert of me if we had stayed long enough (then again probably not). During our time in Prague we stumbled across the Kolkovna Celnice restaurant, a few minutes’ walk from the Hilton. While I enjoy that occasional barbecue, it is not a must have but I still remember their barbecue wings with a "Pavlov" reaction. I think they are raising prehistoric chicken over in Czechoslovakia because those wings were huge as well as delicious.  They also had a trio of sausages; wild boar, beer and white sausage offered in three sizes and served with apple horseradish, spicy mustard and fresh vegetables that was heavenly.  And if you're a beer aficionado, the beer and it's prices at the Kolkovna were great. Alas you can still find the North American fast food joints which do look out of place.

Now Prague is a walker’s dream, a small city with the main sites easily a 30 minute walk or less from each other, side-walks that are wide and many of the streets in the old town are for pedestrians only. The only drawbacks would be the cobblestone streets (leave the high heels home and take sensible footwear) and lack of cross-walks (just need to take extra care).  We walked around most of central Prague visiting Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Lesser Town (Little Quarter) area and related sites, Old Town area and related sites and the New Town area. Prague turned out to be a great city for night photography, not unlike Paris. Prague is indeed the City of 1000 Spires and one well worth your time to visit.

Charles Bridge, Prague

Old Town Bridge Tower, Prague

The Powder Tower is always a beautiful site, either by day or night.

Such a Colourful Shop

These were two of my favourite living statues observed in Prague. The Silver Statue had such personality that he was fun to watch as we passed him in the old town square. The other two gentlemen, I refer to as "the Wizards of Prague".  They were some of the best at this type of posing.  I recently saw 2-3 in Rome and they were not of the same calibre.  

Prague Castle (UNESCO World Heritage site)
The largest coherent castle complex in the world 

Separate posts on Charles Bridge and Prague Castle will be forthcoming.  More of photos of Prague can be seen at: