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Prague, Czech Republic

Today was our first full day in Prague. We managed to sleep well and headed out in the morning to see some of the sights before the crowds arrived. Since it was Sunday morning, we didn’t have to actually start out too early.

We went back to the old town square. Amazingly different looking when it isn’t full of people. We also went back to Powder Gate and Wenceslas Square. The old town square has some amazing buildings. The town hall has a large tower that you can pay to climb up (we passed on this opportunity). On one side of the tower is the astronomical clock (picture in yesterday’s blog post). It is a beautiful, ornate clock that was made in 1410. It is the oldest working astronomical clock. It, naturally, shows the time on a 24 hour dial (based on how long it is to sunset). It also tracks the sun and moon, along with the month. Every hour two blue doors above the clock open and figurines of the apostles pass across the opening and some other figurines around the clock move. Crowds of people wait to watch this every hour. We did, too. The clock is much more impressive than the hourly “show,” but we have now been there and done that.

Also on the square is the Church of Our Lady before Tyn. This is a 14th century church, although a church has been on that site since the 11th century. The current building is gothic style and has 2 impressive towers. Inside is the oldest pipe organ, built in 1673, in Prague. There is a large sculpture in the middle of the square which is in honor of Jan Hus. His was a Czech priest and early Christian reformer who was born in at the 1300s. He was a predecessor of the Protestant movement and was burned at the stake in 1415 fore heresy against the Catholic church. His followers were known as Hussites. They controlled the Church of Our Lady before Tyn for a couple of centuries. They fought against the Catholic church in what was know as the Hussite Wars.

Powder Gate is not far from the old town square. It is one of the original 13 city gates and dates back to 1475. It is a large gothic tower gate with a street going through it. In the 1600s it was used to store gunpowder, hence it’s name. It is considered the dividing point between the old town and new town Prague.

We decided to get tickets for one of the hop on-hop off busses. Even taking the bus around town to get to various spots we still walked nearly 12 miles! These tours are nice because you have audio explaining what it is you are driving by, plus they take you to the main tourist/historical areas. While our hop on-hop off bus drove by Wenceslas Square, where we had been not long before, there was a protest of a couple of hundred people. There were police in riot gear. It all appeared calm, fortunately. Apparently they were protesting nuclear weapons.

We went to Charles Square (in the New Town area of Prague), which is a large city square with a park in the middle. It was the largest town square of medieval Europe. From there we went to Saints Cyril and Methods Cathedral. It is famous for protecting the assassins of Hitler’s Czech SS leader, Reinhard Heydrich. He was one of the architects of Kristallnacht and the Holocaust, as well. Czech leaders spent a couple of years planning his assassination, eventually throwing a bomb at his car as it drove through Prague. He was mortally wounded and eventually died of sepsis. The Nazis sought out those who planned and participated in the assassination. Some of those, including the 2 young men who were the assassins, were protected in the crypt of this church. The Nazis eventually found them and they all died (most of self inflicted injuries, rather than risk being captured by the Nazis). The Nazis executed many others involved in the planning of the assassination and the later protection of those involved, including the children of those who helped. Very interesting, although small, museum.

We did a lot of other walking around and managed to go to the parts of the castle grounds, the Charles Bridge, and we even went on a short river cruise. Very good day.

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