Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to The Czech (“check”) Republic (country #93), where we were able to experience Prague (“prog”). Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. Please note that there will be reference to and information about the Holocaust, which could be distressing to some. Please also note that I have made efforts to be conservative and sensitive with regard to information and photos that are shared in this public-facing blogpost about the Holocaust; however, please also note that there are more descriptive photos within the “More Photos” section of this blog.
Old Town Prague is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Prague (Praha [prah-hah] in Czech) is the historical capital of an area that is referred to as Bohemia. It lies along the Vltava River (which has Celtic origin and means “wild water”), and is home to approximately 1.3 million people. The Czech Republic has been around for over 11 centuries, starting in 500BC with the Celts, then 100BC when the Germanic tribes pushed the Celts away. In 500AD, the Slavics came and pushed the Germans away. By 1306, the last Czech king was killed, and his sister married into the Luxembourg family. She bore a child, Charles IV, who is considered by many Czechs to be “the greatest Czech ruler ever.” He greatly contributed to the development of the city and added New Town. He also became the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and chose Prague as his permanent residence. Under his reign, Prague was the third largest city in Europe with 40,000 inhabitants (only Rome and Constantinople were larger at the time). [How’s that for simplified history?? Lol…]
Interesting Fact: The crown for the king was designed by Charles IV, and was made of gold and 97 precious stones. The crowned jewels are kept on the Prague Castle grounds, and are only displayed to the public every five years after an election. The door to the chamber where the crown is kept has 7 locks, which require 7 keys, which are kept by the 7 most important people in the country, including the Prime Minister, the President, and the Archbishop.
Took 50 years to build; Charles IV was never able to walk across it; it is the oldest bridge in Prague, and connects Old Town to New Town; it became a pedestrian zone in 1935
The first president of Czechoslovakia (Tomáš Masaryk) helped after World War I (WWI) with the dissolution of the Austrian monarch. The nation became a Republic after WWI, and was under a Communist regime in 1948. In 1968, people were unhappy with the restrictions placed on them (e.g., they were not allowed to travel; they were required to learn Russian), so, they had a movement, joining forces with other Eastern Block countries. In 1989, there was a revolution, and in January 1993, the country was liberated, and it split into Czechia (“check-ee-yah”; which is how it is known to the Czechs; 10.5 million people, with 1.5 million in Prague) and Slovakia (5 million people). [Again, I’m keeping it simple]
view from the Vltava River
The Prague Castle is the largest medieval castle complex in the world (570m/1870ft long, 128m/420ft wide; 7.28 hectares/18 acres of area). It has a mix of architectural styles, and is still an active Catholic Church. It is the most visited location (for sightseeing) in Prague. There are guards in front of the main gate, which change every hour on the hour, with a more elaborate guard changing ceremony at noon each day.
Interesting Fact: Franz Kafka (a well-known Bohemian writer) was from Prague and lived there for most of his life. His early years of life were spent in the old city hall building, adjacent to the Astronomical Clock.
Our Lady Victorious is more famous than the Cathedral, as the original statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague is housed there. It was originally in the house of a noble Spanish Family, and was brought to Prague when one of the family members married a Prague nobleman, and the daughter gifted it to the city. The Infant Jesus is believed to have healing power. Roman Catholicism was the main religion in the Czech Republic before WWI and again after independence.
Terezin Concentration Camp (50 minutes outside of Prague) was a complex that consisted of a small fortress (which was used as a prison during the Holocaust, generally for people who stole or did not give food to the guards) and a large fortress (which held 800 soldiers). Political prisoners (including the man who killed Franz Ferdinand, which resulted in the start of WWI) were sent to Terezin before being transferred to other places, such as Auschwitz, once they started using the camp for the Gestapo. On May 2, 1945, the Czech Republic gained its independence from Hitler. Germany officially surrendered on May 8, 1945.
This 16th century synagogue was founded by Mordecai Maisel, who became the mayor of the Jewish community. There were 120,000 Jews in the Czech Republic at one time, and this number decreased significantly after the Holocaust. Today, there are about 4,000 Jews in the Czech Republic, with approximately 1500 of them in Prague.
All of the foods above are staples within the diet of people living in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is also known for their local liqueur, Becherovka, an herbal digestive, which can also be used as an aperitif. In addition to great food, the Czech Republic is known for Garnet (jewelry), marionettes, and cars (Skoda). Everyone in the Czech Republic gets health care – employed people have their health care paid for by their employer, and self-employed individuals pay the entire health care tax. There is a sizable expatriate community, but within the local community, the average salary is 1400 Euro per month ($1490 USD; though the local currency is Czech Korunas [or Krowns]), which is higher than Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland, but more than two times lower than Germany. The country has 3% unemployment.
And last, but certainly not least, is the famous Astronomical Clock, which is in Old Town, and dates back to 1410. The calendar represents 12 months in the year, and the dial has Roman gilded numerals. The time on the clock does not change for Daylight Savings Time, so, only shows the correct time in the winter. Every hour on the hour, from 7am to 11pm, compartments open at the top of the clock, and characters rotate to a tune (see the video below).
And this brings us to the end of our Prague experience. This was a beautiful city, with amazing old architecture, very kind people, and excellent food! I look forward to returning to explore more of this incredible country. Until next time, take care and be well…