Prague Moments #15 - Easter and the Easter Markets

It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that I was writing about Christmas in Prague and the wonderful Christmas markets. The reality is that it was fourteen weeks ago, and I'm currently back in Prague, this time enjoying the Easter Markets!

This is my fourth Easter in the Czech Republic and it has been the coldest and wettest by a long shot. I'm only here for a week to sort out a few business things, like my tax, and when I arrived there was still a fair amount of snow around the airport. I had been monitoring the weather from the UK (which was itself under the influence of the so-called Beast from the East) hoping that the conditions would improve before I arrived. Luckily they did, but only marginally, and the clock changes have helped lift spirits as sunset is now about 19:30 so there are about 13 hours of daylight to look forward to.

Easter Markets generally follow the same pattern as the Christmas Markets. They start a few weeks before Easter and end just after and are found in mostly the same locations; Old Town Square, Prague Castle, and Wenceslas Square are the most popular.

                               

Easter not Chritmas - Staromestska

Old Town Square

Just as with Christmas, there are loads of stalls selling food and drink, and instead of Christmas trinkets, there are wonderful hand-painted, wooden Easter eggs. The Christmas atmosphere gives way to one of freshness and you can feel Spring is in the air. Pastel colours and spring flowers are all around - some places have a small petting zoo where kids can feed the animals, and where there aren't real animals, there are straw ones in their place.

                        

Straw farm at Hradcanska

Easter in the Czech Republic is considered a time associated with birth and fertility and there are a number of traditions and customs followed. Although Prague is known as the city of 100 spires, over 40% of the modern population considers themselves atheist, and although much of the religious symbolism is still evident at Easter, the holiday has become more commercial and fun oriented than perhaps it is in other parts of the world.

                       

The festivities start with Ugly Wednesday (Škaredá středa - named for the day of Judas' betrayal) which is used to spend time cleaning up in preparation for Easter. This is followed by Green Thursday (Zelený čtvrtek) when the church bells ring for the last time (in Catholic churches) and priests officiate at rites in green vestments - hence the name. This is a day when you should make sure you eat something green to ensure your health for the coming year. Specially made green beer apparently works just as well!

There are Good Friday (Velký pátek) processions to mark the journey of Christ carrying his cross to Calvary, and on White Saturday (Bilá sobota) the bells start to ring again to mark the start of the Resurrection.

Finally, on Easter Monday (Velikonocni Pondeli) there are street parties and traditionally is a time when women get whipped with a willow rod (pomlázka). This is a fertility rite, and is supposed to make women younger and ensure a year of health and beauty. These days, although you can still buy the pomlázka in the markets, it's not an activity to be practised with strangers or without consent!!!

Pomlázka - Don't do this at home

I've always enjoyed Easter in Prague especially as it about the only time of year that you can find plentiful amounts of young lamb in the supermarkets. As a Brit who enjoys a Sunday roast, I usually take the opportunity to stock up the freezer with lamb joints.

Veselé Velikonoce! (Happy Easter!)

Prague in Plain Sight #3 - Čechův most (Čech Bridge)

Even someone who has never set foot in Prague is probably familiar with the Charles Bridge either from postcards or photos, but if not, from its starting role in a number of films, most famously Mission:Impossible, but also Yentl, Van Helsing and The Omen. Of course, its iconic status and fame mean it is often almost impassable except early in the morning or late at night.

Prague boasts eight other bridges across the Vltava between Florenc in the North-east of the city and Vyšehrad to the South, and of these three are more suitable crossing places for someone on a mission or in a hurry. My personal favourite is Čechův most (Čech Bridge) which provides a link between Pařížská třída and the embankment running under the Letná hill and the steps leading up to the metronome.

View across the Vltava with the metronome in the background

Čechův most was built between 1905 and 1908 based on plans by the architect Jan Koula along with designers George Soukup, Vaclav Trča, Francis Mencl. At 169m in length and 16m wide, it is the shortest bridge in Prague.

It also has a protected status as the only Art Nouveau style bridge in the Czech Republic. It is constructed on stone pillars and the arches are made of iron. The original roadway was wooden but this was replaced in 1961 because it became very slippery in the wet. There have been a number of reconstructions, including a major one in 1971/5. Between 1984 and 87 all the sculptures on the bridge were repaired.

Torchbearer on the west side of the bridge

There are a large number of wonderful ornamental features in bronze and iron including torchbearers, six-headed hydras and at each end of the bridge, a pair of 17.5m tall columns support bronze figures of Victory designed by Antonín Popp.

        

One of the Victory figures

Detail of a ram's head on the bridge

                

The bridge was named after the writer Svatopluk Čech, who died just after construction was completed. During the Nazi occupation between 1940-45, it was renamed the Mendel Bridge (after Gregor Mendel, the German geneticist).

Next time you happen to be crossing the river at that end of the city, take a moment or two to appreciate the amazing attention to detail on Čech most.

Prague Moments #14 - The Butterfly House

Despite all the wonderful things to see around the city of Prague, at this time of year you sometimes need a break from the cold and find an indoor venue.

Arguably the warmest new attraction in town is the Papilonia Butterfly House which opened last summer. Located on the lowest level of Hamleys' toy shop on Na Příkopě (around the corner from Wenceslas Square), the permanent attraction covers 150m² and its design was inspired by the temple of Angkor Vat in Kampuchea.

The environmental controls maintain a temperature of 26ºC and 80% humidity and the attraction is home to 600 butterflies from 40 different countries, including Mexico, Australia, and other South American and South East Asian locations. The intention is to vary the species during the year so there will be different species in the spring compared to the autumn.

             

When you go through the hermetically sealed double doors, it’s like hitting a brick wall of heat and humidity and reminded me of leaving the airport building in Hong Kong. Butterflies with wingspans of up to 20cm are apparently happily flying around, seemingly oblivious to the human sightseers. Butterflies will come and perch on you if you're lucky - they are attracted to bright colours like reds and yellows.

Because of the humidity cameras may get a bit steamed up, especially coming in from the cold. My new iPhone X had no problems, but my Nikon DSLR couldn't cope so it went back in the bag. You can get up really close to the 'models' which continue to pose even when you're just a few centimetres away.

Children are welcome, but I would prefer parents to keep hold of them. There are butterflies on the floor as well as everywhere else, and it's easy to tread on them if you're not careful. You also need to be careful leaving to ensure no butterflies escape.

             

This was a wonderful experience and at the time of writing cost 150CZK for adults. The collection is open every day from 10:00am to 20:00pm (8 o'clock).

Prague in Plain Sight #2 - The Šitka Tower

If you continue walking past the Kranner Fountain towards the Dancing House, you’ll not miss the Šitkovská (Šitka) Water Tower on the right-hand side of the road (Masarykovo Nábřeží). This tower was named for one of the original mill owners that used to crowd the riverfront. It supplied water from the Vltava to the upper New Town.

Šitka Tower from Jiráskův most

The current tower dates back to 1588-1591; other towers existed on the same site but were destroyed by fire. The onion shaped dome was a later addition in 1648, following damage from the Thirty Years’ War. The waterworks went out of operation in 1880 and the tower was threatened with demolition.

Šitka Tower with Prague Castle in the background

Václav Havel, the first democratically elected president of Czechoslovakia, probably wished it had been, as the top floor was a spying spot for the communist Secret Police for many years as it had the perfect view of his house, which was monitored 24 hours a day in the 1970's to see who was visiting, when, and for how long.

Although you can easily get to the tower along the main embankment, a more interesting route is to cross the little bridge onto Slovansky ostrov (Slav Island) and approach the tower through the park. Head right down to the end of the island and you can make your way back up to the road via the staircase under the tower.

The Tower from Slav Island

Inscription on the rear of the tower

The building alongside the tower houses an art gallery (Galerie Mánes) and a little cafe restaurant.

Prague in Plain Sight #1 - The Kranner Fountain

In a city like Prague, there are plenty of things that you often walk past but never give them a second thought. Sometimes it’s because there’s something more interesting on the other side of the road, at other times you may just step over them without realising their significance. In this set of posts, I’m hoping to bring some of these places into a bit more prominence. They don’t really qualify as being hidden because they are in such plain sight, but they do deserve a mention, rather than being taken for granted.

The first of these landmarks is the Kranner Fountain, which is just a few blocks from my usual apartment when I’m in town. I’ve walked past it thousands of times but only have one photograph of it, and until I started writing this, I didn’t even know what it was called.

Reminiscent of the Scott memorial in Edinburgh or the Albert Memorial in London, the Kranner Fountain was built in 1848 by the architect Josef Ondrej Kranner from whom it takes its name. It was unveiled in May 1850 as one of the requirements of a project which included the construction of a chain bridge linking Malá Strana and Smíchov and the creation of the first paved stone embankment in Prague, now Smetanovo Nábřeží.

The Homage to the Bohemian Estates or Kranner Fountain

Whilst it’s Kranner whose name is associated with the fountain, the sculptor was Josef Max, and the primary stonemason was Karel Svoboda.

Officially called “The Homage to the Bohemian Estates” (rolls off the tongue nicely, doesn’t it?), the centrepiece of the monument is an equestrian statue of the Austrian Emperor Franz I. Below this are sixteen figures representing the, then, sixteen Czech regions, with Prague at the head. These are allegorical depictions, representing science, art, peace, abundance, ploughing, mining, industry and commerce. A complex water pumping mechanism is built under the main plinth, connected to an underground corridor leading off to Divadelní.

In May 1919, after the founding of the first Czech Republic, the statue of the emperor was removed but a copy was returned to the platform in 2003 when the monument and pumping system was renovated.

One of the things I need to do on my return to Prague in a few weeks is to spend a bit more time in the little park in which the fountain is situated, maybe have a bit of lunch, and take a few more photos of this exquisite fountain.

Christmas In Prague and The Last Lamplighter

Christmas is a pretty special time of year wherever you are, but there’s something especially magical about Prague during Advent. I’ve been lucky enough to have been in town in early December for the past four years, and I still feel like a schoolboy in a sweet shop.

Lighting the Christmas Tree - this year in the Old Town Square

The Christmas markets are amongst the most famous in the world and there are a number of them dotted around the city. My two favourites are the ones in Staroměstské náměstí and Náměstí Míru (which was recently voted the most popular amongst Prague expat residents). The atmosphere is very special, and despite the crowds, there is such an assault on your senses that you can't help feeling that this is a magical time in a magical place!

Staroměstské náměstí from the Clock Tower (2014)

Each of the markets is filled with food and drink stands, with Prague Ham, klobása (sausages), tredlník (rolled dough, grilled and topped with sugar and cinnamon), and freshly fried potato chips (crisps) being the favourites. These are usually washed down with hot medovina (honey mead wine), or other warm mulled wines. There are plenty of stalls selling trinkets, gingerbread and other cakes, but some of the Christmas decorations on sale are beautiful and are good value (as long as you take care getting them home!).

                 

 

There are a couple of other things that you might not find described in any of the standard tourist guides.

First of all, there are the buckets of carp dotted around town. Carp is traditionally eaten at Christmas in the Czech Republic, and the fish are sold on the pavements, where they are kept in huge blue bins and you select the specific fish that you want, take it home (swimming around in a plastic bag) and leave it in the bathtub until you’re ready to cook it (carp are bottom feeders, and can taste a bit muddy unless there is time to flush the dirt through their systems). The more squeamish - or folk that prefer not to share their baths with live fish - can get the fishmonger to perform the necessary decapitation. Carp may be a strange choice for a Christmas dish, but fish has religious significance because it is eaten instead of meat on days of fasting and Christmas Eve is a day of fasting. The fish is served with a traditional Czech potato salad containing potatoes, onions, peas, carrots, gherkins, eggs and mayonnaise.

Carp on sale in the street

Traditionally, the lights on the Charles Bridge used gas to power them. The city converted all their old gas lights with electric ones starting in 1985 but in 2002 the decision was made to change back to gas in many parts of historical Prague, and the lamps on the Charles Bridge reverted to gas in 2010. All of Prague’s gas lights are lit electronically these days, but during advent, each day between 16:00 and 17:00, one of the last lamplighters still performs the duty in person, making his way across the bridge, lighting each of the forty-six lamps using a long pole. The Lamplighter is instantly recognisable in his red and black tunic and peaked cap.

             

 


Enjoy your Christmas and have a great New Year.

Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok!

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.