Where: Prague, Czech Republic
On the left, this gigantic monument was built in honor of the teeny wooden statue of the Virgin Mary enshrined in gold at the top. On the right, why would I expect the organ to be any less ridiculous and ornate?
The star attraction inside the castle walls is the Basilica of St. Vitus, founded in 1344. It had some of the most beautiful stained glass I've ever seen, despite the dark and gothic insides.
After that, we wandered around a little bit more before descending the stairs along the castle walls and heading back to Old Town.
The last site before crossing back over to Old Town was a memorial to World War II showing the tattered flag of the Czech Republic.
When: April 6, 2012
With who: Dave
At the end of the Charles Bridge in Prague is the foreboding entrance to Prague's Castle District.
Prague Castle is the biggest castle in the world and its history dates back to the 9th century. Inside it's walls are smaller castles and churches dotting small, windy roads.
The first church we stopped at was St. Nicholas Cathedral. For a tiny little church, it was about as garish as possible.
Every turn that we took resulted in more gold, more paint, and more marble.
This tomb was a mildly dark and disturbing representation of death.
On the left, this gigantic monument was built in honor of the teeny wooden statue of the Virgin Mary enshrined in gold at the top. On the right, why would I expect the organ to be any less ridiculous and ornate?
Soon, we approached the walls of the castle. From the top, you can see the entire city below.
The entrance is not what I'd call welcoming.
The star attraction inside the castle walls is the Basilica of St. Vitus, founded in 1344. It had some of the most beautiful stained glass I've ever seen, despite the dark and gothic insides.
The tomb of St. John of Nepomuk inside the church.
Outside the church, there was a little display for Easter.
Next up was the palace. Its lavender exterior was a bit of contrast to its dark and gothic neighbor. Inside the palace was a giant hall that included a special staircase to allow horses to enter.
Next up was St. George's Basilica. Founded in 920, it is the oldest surviving church building in Prague Castle.
The crypt
The next stop on our castle tour was the Golden Lane. The Golden Lane was small street where the castle's main craftsmen lived, allowing them easy access to the royalty. All the homes, which had been occupied until the 1940s, have been refurbished and restored to look as they did back in the 15th century.
The top level of the houses is filled with old suits of armor.
Inside the houses: I think the blacksmith is on the left and the seamstress is on the right
The herbalist and the local pub
The house at the end of the lane had a cool story. It was owned by a film afficionado who, during World War II, realised that the Nazis were destroying Czech films. So he collected and hid everything he could to try to preserve them. His house was filled with old movie reels.
Final stop in the castle was the dungeon. Among the many uncomfortable torture devices hidden in the dark cavernous cell, one of the most disturbing was probably the human cage. Look how small that thing is!
After that, we wandered around a little bit more before descending the stairs along the castle walls and heading back to Old Town.
The last site before crossing back over to Old Town was a memorial to World War II showing the tattered flag of the Czech Republic.
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