Prague | BPV2023

May 18 - 20:
Prague

Prague is amazingly well preserved, having been spared the bombing that destroyed many major European cities during World War II. Our sightseeing was concentrated in three areas. First, local guide Katarina highlighted the sights of Staré Město (Old Town), with winding streets, eye-popping architecture, and spires aplenty. Second, we toured Nové Město (New Town), where the Velvet Revolution--a peaceful demonstration against communism--occurred. Third, Jana led us on an expedition to the Castle Quarter, dominated by the majestic St. Vitus Cathedral.

May 18 - 19: Well-Preserved Prague

Astronomical Clock in action

Luckily, our tour group arrived at the Astronomical Clock just before the hour struck 7 PM, though I knew that from looking at my phone, not the clock itself. The clock was so complicated, I couldn't understand how to read it! We caught the full show, and James took some close-up video of the four figures flanking the upper clock face. Also watch the parade of apostles above the clock and the parade of people below.

Powder Tower

Our hotel was located just down the street from the medieval Powder Tower, so named because it was formerly used to store gunpowder. Our tour guide, Jana, explained that this was the last remaining gate of 13 original gates that ringed the Old Town. As a landmark visible all over the city, it made a handy beacon to find our way back to the hotel.

Old Town Square

The Old Town Square is the hub of the city, packed with people well into the night. Whatever the hour, the statue of Jan Hus, the Czech Catholic reformer who was burned at the stake, stands stoically among the flames, and the Týn Church's twin spires tower over all.

Pinkas Synagogue

Lining the walls underneath the windows in the photo are the names of thousands of Czech Jews who died in Nazi concentration camps. The list of names, some 80,000 in all, covers most of the synagogue's interior wall space. Upstairs was a room dedicated to drawings made by children interned in the Terezín Ghetto, which we had just visited.

Old Jewish Cemetery

The Old Jewish Cemetery was a jumble of headstones. Due to space limitations and religious practice, stacking was the only way to bury bodies within the city limits. With bodies stacked on bodies, the cemetery grounds were noticeably higher than the pathway.

May 19: Revolutionary Prague

Wenceslas Square

Katarina, our local guide, told us of the Velvet Revolution, a non-violent demonstration against the communist government of what was then Czechoslovakia. It's hard to imagine that, from this pretty boulevard lined with retail shops and Art-Nouveau hotels, a government was toppled.

Vaclav Havel balcony

From the balcony of the beige building in the photo, poet and dissident Václav Havel addressed hundreds of thousands of people in Wenceslas Square during the Velvet Revolution. His calls for nonviolent resistance secured his position as the people's chosen leader for a free country.

David Černý sculpture of St. Wenceslas

In the Lucerna Passage, off Wenceslas Square, this odd statue is suspended from the ceiling. It hangs in juxtaposition to the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas, located just outside at the top of the square.

Velvet Revolution Memorial

Here, Katarina teaches us about the origins of the Velvet Revolution. This small monument honors the students whose initial protests sparked a citywide revolution against communism.

May 20: Royal Prague

St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus is simply spectacular. As the highlight of the Prague Castle complex, it stands grandly on a hill overlooking the Vltava River. The history and features of this building are more than we can tell here, so we'll just share our favorite tidbit. We did find young Wenceslas, patron saint of the Czech Republic, and his grandmother, Ludmila, within the famous stained glass window designed by Alphonse Mucha. St. Wenceslas himself is entombed at St. Vitus in his own little chapel, and Mucha's stained glass window pays homage to this most influential Czech.

Nave of St. Vitus

Pulpit

Mucha Stained-Glass Window

Iconography

Tomb of St John of Nepomuk

Lindsey says a little prayer

Rear of St. Vitus

Side view of St. Vitus

Royal Palace

Vladislav Hall

Here, Jana explains the former uses of the hall. Among other functions, jousts were occasionally held here! More practically, the hall was also used as a market.

St. George's Basilica

Here we our with our other tour guide, Levente. He kept accidentally winding up in our selfies, so we invited him to intentionally be in one.

Golden Lane

Built in the 16th century, this street was once the home of the palace goldsmiths. James would have struggled to navigate life as a Renaissance-era metallurgist.

View from Prague Castle complex

Prague, city of a hundred spires. This photo captures the Old and New Towns, located southwest of the castle and across the Vltava River.

Free time in Prague

Municipal House

The Municipal House is an Art Nouveau wonderland, inside and out. Art Nouveau is about applied art just as much as architecture, so every detail in this building--including door handles, curtains, light fixtures, and wood paneling--is done in the same style. Our tour guide took us through the major rooms of the building, ending with the glorious Mucha Room, a celebration of Czech culture and its prominent figures.

MIrror Chapel at the Klementinum

Here, we enjoyed a classical music concert. We chose seats in the back because Lindsey wanted to gaze upon the ceiling frescoes during the concert.

Vyšehrad Cemetery

Vyšehrad Cemetery is where many famous Czechs of cultural, scientific, and political significance are buried. The cemetery is lined with an arcade of memorials, some of which were empty. Perhaps they forgot to pay their rent?

Franz Kafka statue

Every hour, the slices that make up Kafka's head separate, rotate, and reorient themselves in a different direction. We didn't see the full display, but a couple of minutes was enough to get the general idea. Even when stationary, it's an impressive piece of art.

St. John of Nepomuk's Statue on Charles Bridge

Lindsey read in the Rick Steves Prague guidebook that everyone gets a wish from this statue of St. John of Nepomuk: only one per lifetime, and you can't ever tell anyone what it is. We asked Jana if she had made a wish on the statue. She said yes. When we asked her to tell us what she wished for, she just laughed.

"Poe" at the New Stage

Photography during the show was prohibited, so we have only a photo of the program. This was easily one of the most bizarre yet engaging performances we had ever seen. Through song, dance, and acting, Poe's stories came to life. Though great liberties were taken, the stories were immediately recognizable. For fans of the absurd, we highly recommend it.

Image Black Light Theater

Again, photography was prohibited, and we always respected that request, so we have only our tickets to show. After the show, Lindsey said, "I now have opinions on black light theater." Having been to the Srnec Black Light Theater in 2015, we compared the two. Image was more artistic; Srnec was more comedic. Image took itself very seriously; Srnec was more merry. Overall, while both were enjoyable, we preferred the playfulness of the Srnec Black Light Theater.

Eating in Prague

We agreed that Prague had the best food of all the cities we visited (the best desserts, however, were in Vienna). In Prague, we were able to eat extremely well for a reasonable price.

The food was quite heavy and filling; we never ate light in Prague. Lots of root vegetables, meat, and sauce. While it was great for a vacation, we couldn't eat like that all the time.

Restaurace Mincovna

We ate here with our tour group, in a restaurant on the Old Town Square. James loved the beef with mashed potatoes, cranberries, and knedlíky (traditional Czech bread dumplings), while Lindsey enjoyed crispy-skin chicken with pea puree and roast vegetables.

Lucerna Palace

Jana treated us to kolache, traditional Czech yeasted pastries with sweet fillings such as fruit and poppyseed. We nibbled on our treats while we learned about David Černý's sculpture of St. Wenceslas.

Pizza Hut

Europeans' idea of American food is reliably amusing. They must think we eat terribly! This is close, but not quite. Americans love macaroni and cheese, and Americans love pizza, but the two together? No. We couldn't bring ourselves to try it.

Pivovar Národní

Lindsey was finally able to get the meal she had been waiting for: smažený sýr. It's not fancy, but it's delicious. The dish is simply breaded Eidam cheese slices, but the cheese is mellow, silky, and melty. It's served with tartar sauce and boiled potatoes to make a filling vegetarian dish.

U Kroka

Here, Lindsey said, "You can take a picture if you want, but I'm not going to stop eating." It was that good. We visited this restaurant near Vyšehrad Castle because it was recommended in the Rick Steves guidebook, and we're glad we did. Lindsey had roast chicken served over pureed root vegetables with vegetable ravioli, while James had pork ribs with steamed vegetables and garlic dip.

Follow our Prague tour on the map!

Click on the square icon to load the map in a new window, or click on the square with an arrow in it to see the legend.

Blue marker = Preserved Prague tour

Red marker = Revolutionary tour

Orange marker = Royal tour

Purple marker = Free time

Green marker = Food and lodging

Dresden

Český Krumlov

May 18 - 20: Prague