Prague - Hooper And Whistle

Prague!
A city we never guessed we would be traveling to and exploring! With advice from our son and experience of our own we used two different search sites to find accommodations. Booking.com and Airbnb.com. Both had good options and easy to get translated information. For Prague we found an apartment to rent for the days we were going to be there. Much research was put into finding a spot for the location. We found one that was within easy walking distance of all the sights. Our view was the cherry on top! Breathtakingly stellar!! Out our window on the second floor we had an unobstructed view of the Vltava River, The Charles Bridge, and the Prague Castle compound.

We arrived about 1630 and it was already dark. We signed paperwork and picked up our keys at an off site location. Right from the start we felt we must have been dropped into a Bond movie. Navigating a foreign city in a little incognito vehicle on very narrow streets. We got lucky with a parking spot near where we needed to follow specific instructions to find the door we needed to enter. The ‘office’ was on the forth floor of one of many multi floor buildings. It sounds simple enough….until you attempt to read signs and match the words in the instructions. We made it to the forth floor, stepped out of the elevator and started reading numbers on the doors…..in a darkened hallway. We were greeted after our first turn by a girl with a flash light. Now can you envision Bond?!
Paperwork signed, keys in hand back to our car to navigate the streets of Prague to our ‘home’ for the next few days. Next challenge….parking! Once again, we got lucky, although we do believe God has been watching out for us, we found a spot right near the door we needed to find. Street parking in Prague is a premium. It is either not allowed without a special permit or you pay by the hour. After spending some time researching, we discovered that we were able to park right outside our door for 1,60 Euro per hour during the hours of 0800 and 1800 after hours it was free. Parking garages sprinkled throughout the city are the other options. Those range between 2,00 and 2.50 Euro per hour or you can pay for 24 hours which starts at 29,00 Euro going up to 38,00 Euro. That expense can add up quick!
Getting to our apartment from the door on the street was another mini adventure. No real clear signage and not in English. The security was above what one would normally find in America. The series of doors and gates with locks and stairwells made us feel as if we were back in a movie. Once we found and entered our apartment, we found it had all the common items found in a hotel suite with a kitchen. Just in a long narrow layout. …..then we opened the window….. WOW!!! Everything was all lit up! So many photos we took…oh my!

: Mathias Gate (the front gate of the Prague Castle

: View of the Matthias Gate from the First Courtyard looking at the rest of the castle complex which is currently the largest complex in the world.

: The singing fountain is located in the third courtyard of the castle. During festivals it was filled with wine in which the attendees would drink from and inevitably start singing.

: Prague Castle entry gates. The castle was founded in 870 AD and is now the seat of the President of the Czech Republic.

: The changing of the guards is a ceremony that takes place in lowkey form every hour and a more grander one at noon.

: Noontime changing of the guard our segway tour guide made sure we were able to witness.

: The Old Royal Palace. Located in the third courtyard was once the home of royality. It now houses artifacts and the Story of Prague exhibition.

: The gargoyles surround the perrimeter of the cathederal. They are designed so frightful to scare off the evil spirits from desiring to enter.

: When it rains the water falls our of the gargoyles mouths. Some legends have it is the sins of those confessed inside.

: The cathedral nave and santuary.

: Each stained glass window depicts a story. This window is the Chapel of St. Ludmila has of the St. Ludmila, the Holy Spirit and the twelve apostles.

: Above the front entryway of the cathederal, named The Rose Window. It shows the story of the Creation.

: Chapel of God’s grave. The window depects proving deeds of mercy.

: This is considered the most distinguished window in the church. It was designed by Alphonse Mucha and can be found in the New Archbishop Chapel. It is an allegory of Christ blessing the Slavic Nations.

: This link will take you to an awesome virtual tour of St. Vitus Cathedral. https://www.katedralasvatehovita.cz/flash/virtualni_prohlidka/index.html

: View of Prague from the Castle.

: View from the Castle, off in the distance is the US Embassy.

: The Strahov Monastery was founded in 1140.

: The historic Strahov Library is dated back to the 12th century.

: The Church of the Virgin Mary the Victorious. Along a semi quiet street in the district of Menší Město pražské in Lesser Town.

: Infant Jesus of Prague was presented to the Carmalite friars of the Church of the Virgin Mary the Victorious

: Infant Jesus is a 19 inch carved wooden scuplture coated in wax adorned in silk robes.

: Czech legend has it that construction began on Charles Bridge at 5:31am on 9 July 1357 with the first stone being laid by Charles IV himself. This exact time was very important to the Holy Roman Emperor because he was a strong believer in numerology and felt that this specific time, which formed a palindrome (1357 9, 7 5:31), was a numerical bridge, and would imbue Charles Bridge with additional strength. (Frucht, Richard (2005). Eastern Europe : an introduction to the people, lands, and culture. 1. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 251. ISBN 9781576078013.)

: Strahov Monastery Brewery with our tour guide. They started brewing as early as 1142.

We just cannot fathom we are walking the cobblestone streets among building that have been standing hundreds and hundreds of years. The history, the architecture, for goodness sake this used to be land under communist rule!
The Old Town Square has been the heart of Prague since the 10th century. Two of the prominent buildings are The Church of Our Lady of Týn and the Town Hall. The Town Hall has been expanded and reconstructed over the years. The most popular part of the tower is the Town Hall Clock. It consists of three parts – the procession of Apostles, the astronomical clock and the calendar. Every hour a crowd gathers to see procession of the 12 Apostles.
The Christmas Market is held in the town square and with the opening quickly approaching, things were buzzing with activity. Christmas Markets are street markets that take place during the four weeks of Advent. They originated in Germany in the late 14th century and have spread to many other countries. They are a destination for many with their offerings of hand made items, ornaments, collectables and the yummiest of foods and drink. Gluhwein, hot mulled wine served in a collectable mug is a heavily sought-after item.
Prague is a beautiful city full of breath-taking architecture and years of history that we highly recommend and would love to return for more!