Prague in Plain Sight #7 - Jindřišská (Henry's Bell Tower)

Many years ago my neighbours, who had by then become great friends, moved to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. From childhood, I’d always been fascinated by the name Kuala Lumpur (although I have no idea why) and I finally had an opportunity to go and visit, which I did on many occasions. Although my friends had been there for a while before I finally made my first trip, they had spent their time setting up their new home, sorting out the children and engaging with members of the extensive ex-pat community. On a visit to the Bata Caves, not far from KL, they let me into a little secret. This was the first time they’d done anything even vaguely touristy since they’d arrived.

Over the last eight years living in Prague I’ve definitely done a lot of touristy things. I’ve written about a lot of them in the seventy articles I’ve written on this blog! Some of them are more mainstream than others, but the great thing about spending a lot of time in a place is that you get to go to places that weekenders and short stay people rarely get to see. And then there are some places that kind of fall between the two - touristy but not quite mainstream! One such place is Jindřišská or Henry’s Bell Tower. 

Jindřišská is a stone’s throw from my apartment and I have walked past it countless times but never been inside. I finally crossed the threshold when some friends came to visit me in the autumn of 2019 and I thought it would be something a little off the beaten track for them to enjoy as well as filling a gap in my compendium of Prague attractions.

The bell tower from Jindřišská street

Situated in the New Town, mid-way between Namesti Republika and Vaclav Namesti, Jindřišská was built between 1472 and 1476 as the bell tower for the Church of St Henry and St Kunhuta (which now sits on the other side of the street). At 65.7m, it is the tallest free-standing bell tower in Prague. It was built from sandstone, with a wooden roof covered in slate tiles. The clock was added in 1577.

The view towards the National Gallery

In 1648, Prague was under siege by the Swedish empire and the tower was used as a military guardhouse. It was largely destroyed by artillery. After the battle of Štěrbohol in 1757, it was shelled again by Prussian forces and suffered again in 1801 from storm damage.

Close-up of the viewing gallery and clock

The tower underwent major reconstruction in 1876-1879 under the supervision of the architect Josef Mocker who used the Neo-Gothic style you see today. In 2001 the tower was modernised internally and fitted with additional floors and an elevator. The viewing platform on the 10th floor was added along with a new carillon by Petr Rudolf Manoušek. This hangs from the original roof and you can choose from 1,152 pre-set melodies to listen to from within the tower.

Looking out to Petrin and Prague Castle from the attic

The three biggest of the ten bells housed in the belfry are Maria, the oldest which was cast in 1518 and weighs 723kg; Jindřich, the largest, weighing in at 3350 kg and Dominik which weighs 1000 kg. The bells ring out every three hours from 9am until 6pm.

Not just a museum, Jindřišská is also an exhibition centre, function centre, and houses a well-stocked whisky bar and a restaurant. Entry to the tower (at the time of writing) is 160Kc and it is open daily between 10 and 6. Of all the towers in Prague, this is one of the most accessible, especially for people who don’t like cramped, dark, cold spiral staircases! 

Milada Horáková: A Symbol of Democracy and Freedom - People in Prague #4

If you look back through Czech history the majority of the characters you encounter are male. Indeed, if you look at Jiri Votruba’s hero’s of Prague poster the only female is the legendary Princess Libuse. The remaining characters are all male, apart from the Golem! 

This year, amidst the lockdowns and restriction of movement, the people and city of Prague did celebrate a national heroine on the 70th anniversary of her death. Her name is Milada Horáková and she was born in Prague on Christmas Day, 1901. She was executed by the Czechoslovakian communist regime on 27th June1950, the only female politician to suffer that fate.

Posters were put up on many public buildings.
The caption means 'murdered by communists'

Milada Horáková was an extraordinary woman, who, like many of her era suffered as a result of the injustice of two nightmares; first the Nazi invasion and occupation, and subsequently the communist takeover in 1948. 

She grew up during the first world war, and her first action led to her expulsion from school in 1917 for taking part in an anti-war rally. Despite that early setback, she received a law degree from the Charles University in 1926 and joined the ČSNS (Democratic Socialist Party) that same year. As the second world war broke out she joined the underground resistance and was arrested by the Gestapo in 1940 and interred in Terezín transit camp where she was tortured. Four years later she was sentenced to a further eight years imprisonment by a German court for her political activities and sent to the concentration camp at Ainach in Bavaria, narrowly escaping the death penalty which the Nazi prosecutor had demanded. She was released in April 1945 by US troops.

After the war, she rejoined ČSNS and served as a Member of Parliament until resigning in 1948 as the communists seized power. Under constant surveillance by the secret police, she was arrested in September 1949 along with twelve of her colleagues. They were all charged with treason and conspiracy, and subjected to intense interrogation and torture. On 31st May 1950,  a massive show trial was kicked off with the assistance of prosecutors from Moscow. There was only ever going to be one outcome.

She was sentenced to death on the 8th June 1950 along with three co-defendants and despite petitions from Churchill, Einstein, and Eleanor Roosevelt amongst other prominent people, the sentence was not changed. She was hanged in Pankrác prison in Prague, aged 48. Her remains were never returned to her family, and have since vanished.

An empty grave marker in Vysehrad cemetery

In 1968, during the Prague Spring, the verdict from the trial was annulled but Milada Horáková was not completely exonerated until after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The street Milady Horákové in Letna, Prague 6 was renamed in her honour in 1990 and in 1991 she was posthumously awarded the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1st Class). A film of her life was released in 2017, called simply “Milada”. Since 2004 the Czech Republic has used the date of her execution as “Commemoration Day for the Victims of the Communist Regime” across the whole country.  

A small monument was also built in Pětikostelní square
near the Czech parliament building in 2018

In her final letter to her daughter Jana, on the eve of her execution, Milada wrote: “Life is hard, it does not pamper anybody … but don’t let it defeat you. Decide to fight. Have courage and clear goals, and you will win over life”. 

Prague In Plain Sight #6 - The Royal Gardens (Královská zahrada)

If you take the 22 tram up towards Prague Castle from the centre of town (the most popular way to go) and disembark at the Pražský hrad stop, it is very easy to head straight through the security point and head directly towards the castle buildings via the Powder Bridge. But in doing so, you're likely to miss out on the Royal Gardens, described by some as the most historically valuable of the castle gardens. 

Founded in 1534 by Ferdinand I, who acquired the land which was originally a mediaeval vineyard, the original gardens were inspired by Renaissance designs from Italy. From the very early days, the gardens were planted with exotic botanical specimens from all over the world. The current designs are based on ideas from 19th-century English parks.

The Hercules Fountain

The buildings in the gardens were all built for the express purpose of the pursuit of leisure for the nobility rather than for any functional end. The most exquisite of these is the Ball Game Hall (Míčovna) which is covered in beautiful frescos. Built between 1567 and 1569 by the architects Bonifác Wohlmuth and Oldřich Aostalis, on the south side of the gardens, directly above the Stag Moat, the hall has also served as a riding school and stables and during the reign of Josef II, it was used as a military storage facility.

One of the archways on the Ball Game Hall originally open to the outside

The frescos represent the personification of four elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), seven main virtues (Forethought, Restraint, Mercy, Hope, Justice, Bravery, Faithfulness), and eight free arts (Theology, Astronomy, Geometry, Music, Arithmetics, Rhetorics, Dialectics, Grammar). In the 1950s an emblem of a Five-Year Plan with a sickle and a hammer were added in the third arch on the left as an allegory of industry and agriculture. (This is the only preserved feature of social realism within the Prague Castle premises).

The hall was burnt down following fighting in May 1945 but the designs were painstakingly restored, first in 1952, and then further between 1971 and 1973.

The fresco representing faith

and the art of Astronomy

The other buildings in the Royal Gardens are the Summer Palace which stands behind the Singing Fountain, the Hercules Fountain, the Lion Court and the newest building, The Orangery.

Looking back to the castle from the Royal Garden

One of the best things about this particular garden is that it offers a completely different view of the castle complex from the one that is most familiar. Additionally, when I made my only visit here in 2016, it was possible to get down to the Stag Moat (Jelení příkop). This is a natural ravine from the Brusnice stream which takes its name from when deer were bred here in the 17th century. Later, even up until the 1960s bears were bred in the moat.

Looking down into the Stag Moat

In 2018, access to the Stag Moat was restricted "for technical reasons", but there has been increased security around the area so I do wonder if this is the real reason behind the restricition.

Unfortunately, the Royal Gardens are also only open during the extended summer season from April until October, but when they are open, entry is free. If you've enjoyed this, I've written about other gardens associated with the castle here.

Hidden Prague #11 - Bilá Hora and the Star Villa

Bilá Hora (White Mountain) is one of those names that has resonated with me since I first moved to Prague in 2014 and after four years after first seeing the name on the 22 tram and getting to understand a little of the history of the Czech lands, I finally made the trip last week.

Catch a 22 tram to Bilá Hora

It’s only a thirty minute journey on the 22 tram from Národní Divadlo, but unfortunately you will usually have to suffer the crowds of folk travelling up to Prague Castle - an early start is recommended, but the reality is that there is no escaping them, as you’ll get caught up on the return journey.

It’s worth doing your homework before you leave the centre of town. If you don’t have a decent data plan on your phone, download the maps before you leave (if you have got plenty of data you can still get a strong 4G signal once you get there). Few tourist maps cover much of the area to the west of the Hradčany but both Apple and Google Maps have enough detail to get you to the right place.  If you head in a general NW direction from the Bilá Hora tram stop, you’ll have a short walk through an expensive looking residential area before you end up on a completely empty plain, covered in yellow scrub. At the top of a little knoll, you'll find the understated monument denoting the Battle of Bilá Hora which took place on November 8th, 1620.

The battle site of Bilá Hora

The battle was fought in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War between the Catholic forces of the Holy Roman Empire, led by Emperor Ferdinand II, and the Bohemian Protestants under King Frederick V. The Bohemian army, of 15,000 men, was vastly outnumbered by 30,000 Catholic forces.   In fact, the battle was more of a skirmish than a full battle and lasted only for about an hour, but it was enough to end Bohemian involvement in the war. Forty-seven Bohemian leaders were put on trial, and twenty-seven were executed in the Old Town Square in Prague (marked by the 27 white crosses at the base of the Old Town Hall).

Monument to the Battle of White Mountain

The fate of the Czech lands was altered radically as a result of the Battle of White Mountain, ending some two hundred years of Protestant dominance, and triggering three hundred years of Catholicism and Habsburg influence, which lasted through to the late 20th century. The Habsburgs built a memorial chapel on the hill in 1700, and this was later converted to the Church of Our Lady Victorious. It is now also home to the nuns of the Venio Benedictine Community, and part of the wider Břevnov monastery.

Church of Our Lady Victorious

Today, little remains of the battle site other than the memorial and a few acres of undeveloped land which has been landscaped as a park. In the hour I spent in the area I encountered one other sightseer and two runners. Looking north from the monument you can see out towards aircraft activity around the airport, but over towards the east, jutting out from forested slopes, you can clearly see the Star Hunting Villa (Letohrádek Hvězda).

Star Villa - just right of centre

Originally, this was a game reserve, founded by King Ferdinand I in 1530. He commissioned his son Ferdinand II to build the villa which was completed in 1556. The villa derives its name from its shape - hvězda, meaning star, as the building is shaped as a six-point star.

Star Villa- Letohrádek Hvězda

I took a rather direct route from the Bilá Hora monument which I was to regret as it involved a very steep climb up through the forest surrounding the villa. It was well worth it but I'd suggest you find a better way and locate one of the main entry points from the road. The villa is set in beautiful parkland with magnificent tree-lined avenues extending in three directions from the main building. Once again, despite being the middle of summer there were very few people around - a few family picnics and some hardy runners, but no other tourists as far as a could make out.

Given this is only a thirty minute trip out of the madness of the centre of town this was a morning well spent; if only to find a little peace and quiet in a historical setting with a difference!

Hidden Prague #10 - The Langweil Model of Prague

They say that the best things come wrapped up in small parcels, and that certainly applies to the Langweil Model of Prague. This extraordinary art piece is made entirely of paperboard and contains models of over two and a half thousand buildings taken from the city as it was in the late 1820s. Every element is modelled down to the last detail, house signs, sundials, broken windows, and flaking paintwork, even piles of wood and barrels stacked outside warehouses on the river.

Antonín Langweil (13.6.1791 – 11.6.1837) was born into a large family and after his father’s death in the same year moved to Český Krumlov. He studied business but was also a talented artist, and set up his own lithographic workshop in Prague in 1819, the first in Bohemia. His business didn’t last long and in 1822 he became a library assistant in the university library in the Klementinum where he stayed until his death. He began work on the Prague model in 1826. Eleven years later, before the model was completed, Langweil died. Before his death, and in failing health, he offered his model to the National Museum (known then as the Patriotic Museum) but they declined to take it. It was stored in the Klementinum attic in nine crates until his widow asked Emperor Ferdinand I to buy it. He then donated the purchase to the museum, but even then it was rarely displayed until 1905 when it became a permanent exhibit.

In 1954 the City Of Prague Museum took possession of the model and beautifully restored between 1963 and 1969 by Jana and Jiří Bouda. The model got a new glass case in 1970, which was then replaced by the current case in 1999 which maintains a controlled dust-free environment. The lighting system was installed in 2007.

                  


The model covers about twenty square meters, In addition to the buildings there are over five thousand items of vegetation. The only people in the model are two soldiers on guard. Of all the buildings in the model, about half have since been demolished or radically rebuilt.

As mentioned above, the model is housed in the City of Prague Museum. The museum is located on Na Poříčí in Prague 8, near Florenc metro or bus station. The museum is relatively small and contains a number of exhibits in addition to the Langweil model. These include a  pre-history collection and a medieval exhibition. When we were there, a small party was just leaving, and we were almost alone in the building apart from the staff. We got there just in time to watch a specially created 3D movie which takes you on a virtual trip through the model lasting about six minutes.

If you only visit one museum in Prague, I would strongly urge you to make it this one. You won't be disappointed.

Hidden Prague #9 - More Saints and Sinners

It seems that I hit a sweet spot with my previous post concerning Prague's Saints and Sinners. In the first two days since it was published, it received more views than any of my previous posts. I did promise a further instalment so let's see if you enjoy this one as much!

Ever since I was a small child, the story of St Christopher has resonated with me. There is considerable speculation as to the actual existence of a definitive St Christopher. His most famous legend, which is mainly known from the West is that he carried a child, who was unknown to him, across a river before the child revealed himself as Christ. Often known as 'the Christ Bearer", the character from the legend is often reputed to be Saint Menas, an Egyptian soldier who was martyred in Antioch circa 385.

St Christopher on the Charles Bridge

St Christopher is the patron saint of travellers, ferryman, storms, boatmen, mountaineers and bachelors - so it's only appropriate that he has a place on the Charles Bridge (the statue was designed by Emanuel Max in 1857) and a special place in my life.

Next up, a genuine bad boy. Jan Mydlář (1572–1664) was a 17th-century executioner from Prague. He is best known as the executioner of 27 high-status leaders who took part in an uprising against the Habsburg empire in 1621.

Twelve men were beheaded and fifteen were hanged. The beheaded ones had their heads displayed on the Prague Old Town Bridge Tower. The execution is of historical interest, not only because of the numbers executed on a single day, but because the condemned were men of high importance, representing various ranks of the Czech society and professions—noblemen, scholars, burghers, and businessmen. They are remembered in the Old Town Square near the place of execution, by a set of 27 white stone crosses (At the time of writing these are currently almost completely hidden by the renovations being performed on the clock tower).

Mydlář is the inspiration for the 19th-century novel by Josef Svátek, "Memoirs of A Prague Executioner".

The event is also remembered in a local bar just off the Old Town Square called Pivnice U Kata (on U Radnice), where the walls are adorned with the shields of the executed men and various macabre tools typically used by executioners of that time. The bar itself draws mixed reviews (from tourists) - it is small and unpretentious, but has good Pilsner Urquell beer at a good price for that part of town! I love the place.

Saint Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier who was baptised as an adult and became a monk. The most famous legend concerning him was that he had once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the latter from the cold. That night, he dreamt of Jesus, wearing the half-cloak and saying to the angels, "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is now baptised; he has clothed me." Saint Martin died on November 8, 397.

In the Czech Republic, St Martins Festival is technically November 11th but it usually extends to the weekend. This can be considered as the European Thanksgiving which dates back to the 14th Century. St Martins Day also coincides with the real start of winter. The proverb - Martin přijíždí na bílém koni ("Martin is coming on a white horse") - signifies that the first half of November in the Czech Republic is the time when it often starts to snow.

St Martins Goose at Vojanuv Dvur 2017

Roast goose is traditional food for the St Martins Festival because of stories about St Martins connection with the goose. One says that the goose is eaten because geese disturbed Saint Martin’s sermons and that is why they are now punished on the pan. The other one holds that Martin was so modest that he concealed himself in a goose house to avoid his appointment as a bishop, but the cackling of the geese gave him away.

That concludes this instalment of my favourite saints and sinners, and my time in Prague is once again drawing to a close, at least for this year. But don't worry, still lots of material available to share with you. Please keep checking back (no pun intended this time!) to see what's new.

Hidden Prague #8 - Saints and Sinners

I actually started writing this article over a month ago but I've been so busy that this is the first opportunity I've had to complete it. But the good news (for me) is that I'm back in Prague and finding new places and things to write about in the future.

In some of my earlier posts, I've written about some of Prague's more famous Saints and Sinners, most notably St John of Nepomuk, and Jáchym Berka (Prague's original Darth Vader). Given the history of the city, there are plenty more characters to learn about. The trouble is, that while there are hundreds of statues of saints, nobody really builds memorials to sinners. Of course, the sinners themselves often do, but they tend to get removed at the earliest possible opportunity! Luckily, one man's saint is often another man's sinner, so that gives me room for manoeuvre.

First up is St Sebastian, a Christian saint and martyr. This sandstone statue is near the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Prague within the walls of Vyšehrad. It dates back to the first half of the eighteenth century.

St Sebastian at Vyšerhrad

St Sebastian is said to have been killed in AD288, during the Roman emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians. He is commonly depicted in art and literature tied to a post and shot with arrows. While this is the most common artistic depiction of Sebastian, he was rescued and healed by Saint Irene of Rome before haranguing the emperor and being clubbed to death. He certainly fits the bill as a saint to some and a sinner to others!

The "Vodník" or "Hastrman" is the Czech bogeyman or water sprite.  The vodníci are said to appear as a naked old men with frog-like faces, greenish beards, and long hair, with their bodies covered in algae, muck, and black fish scales.

The Vodník on Kampa Island

When angered, the vodníci break dams, wash down water mills, and drown people and animals. They would drag down people to their underwater dwellings to serve as slaves. To be fair, there are stories of benevolent vodníci - so I'm guessing this cheeky little chappie is one of those. You can find him just below the Velkopřevorské náměstí bridge which spans the canal across to Kampa island.

The English tend to think that they have a monopoly on St George but in addition to being their patron saint, he is also patron saint of numerous other countries and states including Georgia, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Catalonia. But the legend of St George slaying the dragon is common to many other traditions include the Czech Republic.

St George and the Dragon in Prague Castle

St George lived sometime between 256–285 A.D to 23 April 303, and according to legend, was a Roman soldier of Greek origin and officer in the Guard of Roman emperor Diocletian, who was sentenced to death for failing to recant his Christian faith. 

The statue in the photo stands in the shadow of St Vitus' cathedral in Prague Castle, not far from the Basilica dedicated to him (which is also the oldest church in the castle complex).

As my final offering in this post I've included Jan Palach. Strictly speaking he was neither a saint nor a sinner, but he became a national hero during the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1969. Jan Palach (11 August 1948 – 19 January 1969) was a Czech student of history and political economy at Charles University in Prague. His protest, by setting fire to himself, was in reaction partly to the invasion, but also, allegedly, against the "demoralization" of Czechoslovak citizens caused by the occupation. 

Jan Palach Memorial by the Vlatava in Prague 1

This monument, located just off Náměstí Jana Palacha, beside Mánesův most was designed by the late Czech-American architect John Hejduk and consists of two nine-by-nine-foot steel prisms, each crowned with a roof of spikes. One is known as the House of the Suicide and clad in stainless steel; the adjacent House of the Mother of the Suicide is an inhabitable enclosure. Hejduk’s design pays tribute to both Palach and his mother, Libuše Palachová, who battled the ruling regime’s attempts to discredit her son and the dissent represented by his sacrifice.

I've still got enough material for another saints and sinners post but I'll try not to leave it so long this time!

Prague Landmarks #9 - Vyšehrad

In many of the posts in this blog, I've tried to focus on the less familiar sights in Prague. While it's understandable that visitors to the city want to visit places that are famous and within easy reach of their hotels there is a tendency to miss some of the really interesting monuments and historical landmarks that may be just a little further out of reach.

One such place is Vyšehrad ("The Upper Castle") located on a steep rock above the right bank of the Vltava. Located in Prague 2, Vyšehrad is about two miles south of the Old Town Square. It can be reached by metro on the red line or by tram to Výtoň or Albertov and then walking up the hill. My personal favourite route is to walk along the river down to Naplavka, then head left under the railway bridge heading up Vnislavova and finally climbing up the steep hill Vratislavova, until you reach the gateway into the fort.

Looking over Libuše's bath and the Vltava

The history of Vyšehrad allegedly begins in the Stone Age and is the stuff of the most ancient legends concerning the founding of Prague. The story goes that Libuše, the youngest and wisest of three daughters of the ancient (and also legendary) Krok, had the gift of prophecy and after she succeeded her father, she foresaw "a great city whose glory will touch the stars" whilst looking out from a rocky point above the river Vltava, now said to be Vyšehrad. She ordered the building of a castle and town that became Prague. With her ploughman husband, Přemysyl, Libuše went on to found the Přemyslid dynasty who ruled Bohemia right through until 1306.

           

Vyšehrad reached its peak as a royal seat in the 11th century but was subsequently abandoned during the 15th century and largely fell to ruins during the Hussite Wars. The current fortress was mainly remodelled during the 17th century as part of the Baroque era in and around Prague, and then again in the late 1800s.

Some parts of the earlier Citadel do still exist, most notably the Špička Gate, the lookout tower known as Libušina lázeň (Libuše's Bath), and the Rotunda of St Martin all date back to the 11th century.

The Rotunda of St Martin

The twin towers of the Basilica of St Peter and St Paul are unmistakable landmarks overlooking the river and Vyšehrad cemetery is the final resting place of such notable Czechs as the composers, Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana, the writer Jan Neruda, and Milada Horáková, the only female Czech politician to be executed by the communist regime.

The twin towers of the Basilica of St Peter and St Paul

These days Vyšehrad is a popular park, which even on busy days seems relatively quiet. There are spectacular views down to and across the river, a number of interesting museums and galleries to visit and a few places to sit down and enjoy a beer and something to eat, away from the more popular tourist sites. There's even an open air theatre, originally designed as a mortar position, which hosts occasional performances, especially during Masopust (Carnival).

Panorama of Vyšehrad fortress and Prague

Whether you want an energetic workout or a gentle stroll, there's plenty for everyone here. Back in March 2015, I decided that the best place to watch the solar eclipse would be within the walls of Vyšehrad. Sadly I was wrong and I failed to get any photos of the actual event - but then the only one of my colleagues who stayed near office who did get a shot managed it by accident, only noticing it later in a reflection in a window! But it was a magical place to witness such an event and worth the leg work to get there. I strongly suggest you do the same, sooner rather than later!

More Musings from Malá Strana and a Murderous Memento!

In my last post, I shared the briefest of views of Malá Strana - the lesser quarter which lies in the shadows of Prague Castle. I did hint at a promise of more to read, especially around Nerudova. As it turned out, the very next day I found myself with a little bit of time so,  here we are again - a bit earlier than expected!

Nerudova is named for Jan Neruda, the author, who lived on this street over 170 years ago. You can't miss the house, near the top of the hill, with its distinctive nameplate.

Did I mention before that this is a pretty steep hill? This is the view looking down from Neruda's house looking towards the Old Town Square and Our Lady Before Tyn.

A few years ago, I was walking up the hill fairly early one morning and was aware of a commotion in front of me. I could see a number of shop keepers were out in the street shaking their brooms and wagging their fingers, while a small number of tourists were jostling for position to take photographs. It turned out that the cause of the excitement was a young lady wearing nothing more than a smile and a pair of flip flops with a video cameraman trying to film her and act as a bouncer a the same time. My Czech isn't good enough to know what the shop keepers were saying, but I doubt it was to warn her that flip flops are not suitable footwear for this particular road. I was too polite to take photos, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Nerudova is famous for its house names and the beautiful signs that identify them. Here's a small selection.

 

They represent (clockwise from top left): The White Swan, The Green Lobster, The Red Ram, Medusa at No. 14, The Golden Cup and The Three Fiddles. Often the signs were associated with the nature of the businesses carried out at the property. In Czech the names are usually preceded with the letter 'U' which translates to 'At the house of', so 'U zlate cise' translates to 'At the House of the Golden Cup'. This sign at No.16 used to be the home of a goldsmith and his family.

One other oddity worth looking at in Malá Strana are the bollards in Malostranské náměstí at the bottom of the hill. These curious looking things represent the 27 Czech nobles executed on June 21st 1621 in the Old Town Square. The victims were part of a Protestant revolt, and they were executed by the official Prague executioner, Mydlár - who used four swords and took from 5am until 9:30pm to complete his grisly task. 14 of the most influential nobles were beheaded, the rest were hanged but one, Dr Jesenius, had his tongue ripped out before his demise. The heads of the victims were then displayed on the East Tower of the Charles Bridge. The location of the bollards, which were erected in 1993 is significant. They are in front of the Liechenstein Palace - once owned by Karel of Liechenstein who ordered the executions.

         

  

Yet more ghosts and gruesome tales from this beautiful place with such an extraordinary and chequered past!

Prague Moments #13 - Musing In Malá Strana

When I wrote about the Memorial to the Victims of Communism a few weeks ago, I confessed that I didn't spend anywhere near as much time exploring the western side of the Vltava as perhaps I should.  But I started to rectify that in June and spent a bit of extra effort walking around the Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana) looking for interesting places and photo opportunities. And by chance,  just after I started writing this post, I've had to come over to Prague for an unscheduled visit, and I just happen to be staying on Nerudova.

Malá Strana is well documented in literary works about Prague, especially in Prague Tales by Jan Neruda, which is set in the real world of real people living in the area in the 19th century. One of the many wonderful things about Prague is that it only takes a little imagination to transport yourself back to those bygone years, and follow in the footsteps of those characters like the Doctor and Josefina.

Backstreets of Malá Strana in the early morning

So here are a few of my favourite sights in Malá Strana; the well known, and the not so well known. I hope it will give you a taste of what you might discover by stepping away from the main streets and squares, without using up too much shoe leather!

The most famous landmark in this area is almost certainly St Nicholas' Catherdral which dates back to 1702 although the original site was a place of worship as far back as 1283.

St Nicholas' Catherdral

One of my favourite sights is the building that spans Thunovská. Take a short walk up the hill and you'll find the British embassy tucked away on a side street, with a bust of Churchill keeping vigil at the corner of the street.

The real gem of course is Nerudova itself. The steep hill takes you up to Prague Castle and whilst it is heavily populated with touristy tack shops and many of the buildings date back to medieval times. Many of the houses still bear their original name signs - house numbers were not introduced in Prague until 1770. Originally part of the Royal Way, Neruda was renamed in honour of the author Jan Neruda who lived there from 1849 to 1857. In a future visit, I'm going to try and photograph all the different house names and their symbols, and I'll showcase the most interesting in a future post.

Malá Strana is a popular place, but as always in Prague, taking a few steps off the beaten track will provide you with some great rewards.