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fieryfox Prague - A travel report by Farizan
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Prague,  Czech Republic - flag Czech Republic -  Hlavni Mesto Praha
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fieryfox's travel reports

Prague - The Architectonic Jewel of Central Europe

  13 votes
Page: 1 2


Prague is one of the most admired historical cities in Europe because of its marvelous location and exceptionally well preserved historical Centre. As Capital, Prague is the hub for all political, economic and cultural matters. It is the heart of Bohemia.



A view from the Castle Platform
A view from the Castle Platform


Where does one begin when exploring this maze of historical wonder? In a city guided tour, there are time constraints and it may be possible that some of the not so well known attractions will be excluded. My advice is that to venture into the city on your own. It is important to have a good map and a guidebook which may be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre. Be sure to take your time to appreciate the beauty of the architecture and understand its history. Personally, I spent about a week in the capital but if you are time pressed, you may be able to do a complete tour in less than 3 days. I have noted 16 historical monuments that should not be missed. I began my journey starting from the old part of the town.

1) The Castle Platform - this is where the Castle of Prague lies and from this Platform, the panorama of the city can clearly be seen. From this view, the whole city seems to lie in the shallow valley of Vltava, whose meanders are emphasized by the modern architecture of newer Prague districts.

2) The Archbishops Palace - turn around from the platform, you will notice an original renaissance house in an early Baroque shape. It was later extended and its facade seems to show a late Baroque design.

3) The Prague Castle - the main complex of buildings was built in the last quarter of the 9th century, when it became the seat of the Premysi rulers. Its architectural development reflected especially the reigns of Charles IV, Rudolf II and finally Maria Tereza. Today, the President's office is located here.

4) St. Vitus Cathedral - In the centre of Prague Castle, the St. Vitus Cathedral can be seen. Construction of the building started in 1344 and was finally completed in 1929. Naturally, there were many interruptions in the construction of this supreme work of Gothic architecture. It is indeed a sight to behold.


Favourite spots:
View of Old Town Square in the Night
View of Old Town Square in the Night


5) The Golden Lane - Built in the 16th Century and is preserved as a sample of the so-called parasitical constructions of the Prague Castle, which originated on its own, between the exterior and supporting pillars of St. Vitus Cathedral.

6) The Lesser Town square - Linked with the castle platform by the main street of the Lesser Town, Nerudova.

7) Charles Bridge - The heart of Prague Panorama. This magnificent bridge was commissioned by Charles IV in the 14th Century. There are exceptional statutes here ranging from the 14th to the 17th Century.

8) Krizovnicke Square - Lies at the end of Charles Bridge leading to the Old Town. The cupola of ST. Francis Cathedral dominates the square, together with the old town Gothic Bridge Tower. It is precisely this interaction that creates the atmosphere not only of this square but of the whole City.

9) Old Town Square - The permanent centre of Old Town is Velky Rynek. It is the former marketplace with a custom house on the site of the present day Merchant's House.




What's really great:
The Charles Bridge
The Charles Bridge


There are other great touristy attractions in the city. Do not miss the Old New Synagogue, The Church of Victorius Virgin Mary, The Jan Hus Memorial and The Powder Tower.

My favorites were the Castle Complex and Charles Bridge. In addition there are another two sites that are worth mentioning :-

10) Wenceslaus Square - originally a horse market which later acquired its name from the statue of St. Wenceslaus standing at that time in the middle. This square became the symbol of the whole new age history of the Czech nation in state as here began the revolution in 1848, the October power struggle in 1918 and the huge demonstrations in 1989.

11) The Municipal Hall - located next to the Powder Tower and has a rich interior decoration. It is indeed a masterpiece of Prague Art Noveau, including a whole range of fine arts from frescoes to the find details of industrial arts.

I hope you enjoyed reading the report (not too boring hopefully!) and Happy Traveling!.



Sights:
View from Prage Castle Gardens
View from Prage Castle Gardens


The Prague Castle Gardens - Beautiful in Summer. Not to be Missed!

Some Background:
The Royal Garden was founded in 1534 by Ferdinand I. He gradually bought old vineyards beyond the valley of the Brusnice stream from their owners, and a renaissance garden began to grow in that area. Later it became famous for botanical rarities and exotic plants from distant lands.

Information:
Royal Garden and south gardens are closed in winter time , in summer time are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Garden on the Bastion and Garden on the Ridding-school Terrace are open all year.
Admittance is free.


Restaurants:
City of Prague in the Night.
City of Prague in the Night.


The first rule of Prague Dining is to keep it simple! But seriously there is good food in Czech's Cuisine. The chefs are champions of Smoking - There are many smoked meat shops around selling ready to eat meats. There are several restaurants that are highly recommended in Prague, namely, Segafredo, Barock, Circle Line, Kampa Park, U Patrona - to name a few.

Note:
1) Most restaurants close by 10-11pm
2) Round bills up by about 10%
3) You can Drink the Water.


Published on Monday August 9th, 2004


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Wed, Jan 31 2007 - 01:53 PM rating by mrscanada

Farizan I love this city of towers. I also enjoyed reading your report.

Sat, Apr 29 2006 - 03:56 AM rating by marianne

Farizan, We may go to Prague for a few days and your report is very helpful as it gives all highligts and must sees for a first time visit.
Marianne

Tue, Aug 10 2004 - 12:46 AM rating by ravinderkumarsi

hiii farizan,
how are you,i read whole of your report and glad to read such report.
nicely arranged ..
ravi

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