Another Beautiful, Rainy Day in Praha

     Old Town Square has been a market square since the 11^th century.  It contains many structures, namely the Jan Hus Memorial, Church of St. Nicholas, Týn Church, and Old Town Hall, which has an incredible Astronomical Clock.  Seriously, this clock was COOL! It was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still working. The clock mechanism itself is composed of three main components: the astronomical dial, representing the position of the sun and moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; "The Walk of the Apostles", a clockwork hourly show of figures of the apostles and other moving sculptures—notably a figure of Death (represented by a skeleton) striking the time; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months. 

     Legend has it that the clockmaker was blinded on the order of the Prague Councillors so that he could not repeat his work; in turn, he broke down the clock, and no one was able to repair it for the next hundred years.  Also, the city will suffer if the clock is neglected and its good operation is placed in jeopardy.

Climbing the clock tower.

                  

Leah:       “I liked climbing to the top of the astronomical clock tower, especially because it had mostly ramps instead of stairs.  I really liked the view as well, and seeing and hearing the clock ring from the top of the tower.”

Will:        “I liked everything I saw in Prague.  I really enjoyed eating the trdlo, which is a sweet bread pastry coated in cinnamon and sugar – yum!”

Trdlo

Tyn Church in Old Town Square.

     Jewish Quarter (Josefov) was a most interesting collection of Jewish sights.  As the Nazis decimated Jewish communities in the region, Prague’s Jews were allowed to collect and archive their treasures.  While the archivists were ultimately killed in concentration camps, their work survives.  Synagogues, museums and a cemetery are contained in this area.  We really learned a lot about Prague’s Jewish history by visiting this area.  It was all very nicely preserved with subtitles in English.  This was definitely a worthwhile way to spend our Sabbath, and beneficial for the Jews as well as it is not their Sabbath ;-).

     Old-New Synagogue was the most important synagogue for more that 700 years.  Built in 1270, it’s also the oldest synagogue in Eastern Europe.  Interestingly enough, since 13^th century Jews were not allowed to build, it was erected by Christians.  As we walked inside our noses immediately smelled the 743 years of time, and maybe mold? and time, and maybe rotting earth? and just plain time.  (Never smelled anything quite like that before and probably don’t want to smell it again.) The boys and men were quickly handed disposable yamaka’s to place on their heads, in keeping with Jewish custom.  The girls were also given yamaka’s for a souvenir, that was a first too.  

The Old Jewish Cemetery was the most evocative, as 12,000 tombstones cover a small area of land where the Jews of Prague were “allowed” to be buried from 1439-1787, meaning this was the ONLY place they could be buried.  Tombs were piled atop each other because of the limited amount of space, the sheer number of graves, and the Jewish belief that the body should not be moved once buried.  With its many layers, the cemetery became a small plateau, and as things settled over time, the tombstones got crooked.  It was truly an unbelievable sight that I will never forget!

Ellie:       “Prague was also a beautiful city, but it felt bigger, faster-paced, and sketchier. The palace and cathedrals were gorgeous, and the view out our apartment is sublime. The Charles Town Bridge is just as pretty as its reputation. I have decided I want an astronomical clock in my room. However, I would be kind and let my architect keep his eyes.”

     Charles Bridge is among Prague’s most defining landmarks.  Named after Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor who ruled his vast empire from Prague in the 14^th century.  Its construction started in 1357 and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river Vltava (Moldau) until 1841, the Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's old town and adjacent areas. It is most scenic, lovely, and exquisite, and has appeared in more than one movie, namely Mission: Impossible.  These pics are from both sides of the river with the bridge behind us.  They were taken on 2 separate days, but since we packed for summer, we wear nearly the same thing almost every day. (Every traveler's dream!)

John:       “Prague was so much fun! I enjoyed seeing all of the historical sights, especially the Astronomical Clock. Also, we had a grand adventure where we went and ate some authentic Czech food. I ordered the roast pork, sauerkraut, and bread dumplings. They were SUPER delicious! However, my mom, in trying to be “vegetarian”, ordered a risotto. We soon found out Czechs weren’t meant to make risottos. At the restaurant, an accordionist who was excited to play all of the American songs he knew for our benefit serenaded us. Since he was so excited and earnest to play them, we tipped him 40 Czech crowns (about 2 dollars.) Only afterwards, when the bill came, did we learn that every person who ate at the restaurant had to pay the accordionist 30 Czech crowns. Yeah. Apparently we had to pay for “ambiance”. Live and learn, I guess. But it was worth it for the delicious Czech food!

     Day 2:  We climbed the Astronomical Clock, which was awesome! I naturally took the stairs/ramps, while other members of our party who will go unnamed wimped out and took the elevator. The view from the top was amazing! After that, we walked to the Jewish Quarter and saw the oldest synagogue in Eastern Europe. It was beautiful and I enjoyed it immensely! We also walked through the Jewish cemetery and saw the many gravestones. Franz Kafka was buried there, and a statue in his honor was nearby!  (It is in the picture above.) We finally went to the Spanish synagogue, which was ornately furnished and had a collection of Jewish ornate silver that was exquisite. On the way back, I got a delicious sausage. All in all, Prague was awesome!"