Prague Castle

Thursday, June 7

Today we went back to Prague Castle to see all of the things we learned about on our tour.  You can walk around most of the grounds for free but if you want to go into any of the buildings there is a fee.  Our guide told us that there wasn’t much to see and that it really wasn’t worth the cost of the tickets but we didn’t care.  We wanted to visit these things ourselves.  Besides, there were two things that we were dying to see: Saint Vitus Cathedral and The Picture Gallery.

The ticket offices offer three combination tickets and several add-ons for sale.  We bought the ticket that included the most sights.  The picture gallery was only available separately but we thought it was free on Monday afternoons and wanted to confirm that.  When we asked the ticket agent informed us that The Picture Gallery was closed for the entire month of June!  We were heartbroken.  How could they close one of the most popular exhibits during the busy summer months.  No Slav Epic and now no Picture Gallery.  We’d been to over 200 churches, synagogues, mosques and temples since our trip begin – how could the gods have conspired against us so?

We started the tour at The Old Royal Palace.  Just as the name implies this building was the primary residence of the King and Queen starting in the 12th century.  It was designed in the Gothic style with later additions in the Renaissance style.  The main hall, Vladilav Hall, is a huge space with towering ceilings supported by an unusual and very pretty double vault.  The hall was originally built so that the king could joust when the weather was bad.  The ramp for the horses to enter still exists at the far end.  Today the hall is used mostly for State receptions.  The presidential inaugurations are always held there.

(Vladilav Hall)

It was a real treat to wander around a genuine medieval Gothic palace.  We even saw the room (and window) where the Second Defenestration happened.    If you’re not familiar with these events then you may be interested to learn that in 1618 the Habsburgs were trying to take away many of the rights that the Hussites (Protestants) had gained under Emperor Rudolf II.  When the Catholic members of the government came to deliver the bad news the Hussites threw them out of the window.  This was the start of the very bloody and costly 30 Years War.  During the First Defenestration 200 years before (at a different location) the Catholics all died when they landed on spikes.  This time they landed in manure and all survived.  It was considered a miracle.  There was a third Defenestration as well but that’s a story for another time.

Next we visited an adjacent building and saw The Story of Prague.  The exhibits resembled an Ethnographic museum and told the story of the history of the region and the peoples who inhabited it.  The displays included things like artifacts from burial sights, religious artifacts and royal decrees.  Of course the building itself was very old and interesting to see as well.  Near the end there was a film that recapped most of the information that we’d already seen.  We thought it would have been better to start with the film as an introduction.

Our third stop was at Saint George’s Basilica.  It was founded in 920.  A convent was added in 973.  After the fire of 1114 the church was reconstructed in Romanesque style with a main apse and two steeples.  Saint Ludmilla, the grandmother of Saint King Wenceslas, is interred in a chapel that is dedicated to her.  Many members of the Premyslid dynasty (1306-1521) are entombed in the main nave.  The decorations seen today are rather plain.  Many of the frescos over the main alter have virtually disappeared but the ones in the side chapels are still very beautiful.  The Chapel of Saint John Nepomuk was added in the 18th century and, in stark contrast to the rest of the church, was done in the Baroque style.

After a short wait in line we finally entered Saint Vitus Cathedral.  You can enter the church for free but you’re only allowed to stand in the back.  That part is owned by the Catholic Church.  The rest of the church is owned by the Czech Republic and if you want to see it you need to purchase a ticket.

It’s a huge Gothic style building.  Construction on this church, the third house of worship on this site, began in 1344 and, after many interruptions, was completed 600 years later in 1929.  It’s a magnificent building.

Before construction started the Czeck kings sent designers to survey the great European capitals.  They wanted to built their city in the most modern style.  As a result they modeled their buildings on the Gothic style architecture that they’d seen in Paris.  The design of the Cathedral itself was modeled after Notre Dame, where construction had started 200 years earlier in 1163.

(The Main Nave)

The interior consists of a main nave and narrow side aisles lined with chapels.  A separate ceremonial entrance is situated in the transept.  The royal mausoleum is positioned directly in front of the high alter and underneath it is the royal crypt.

(Stained Glass Windows From One of the Chapels)

Upon entering its impossible not to be awed by the high arched ceiling.  Soon after you will notice the stained glass windows.  Every chapel is illuminated by these windows as is the main alter.  There is also a rose window over the far end.  One of our favorites was the one done by Mucha which was completed in 1931.  The window portrays Saint Wenceslas as a boy with his grandmother Saint Ludmila in the center, surrounded by episodes from the lives of Saints Cyril and Methodius who spread Christianity among the Slavs. An image of Slavia (an Allegory for the Slavic people) is also included below Christ.  Slavia is also an emblem for the Slavia Bank who funded the stained glass window.

(Mucha Window)

Saint Wenceslas is buried in a chapel bearing his name.  The walls consist of precious stones and paintings of the passion cycle.  A door in the chapel leads to the Crown Chamber where the Bohemian Coronation Jewels are kept.  Seven keys are required to open the door and these keys are divided between the heads of the government and the heads of the church.

Next we went to Rosenberg Palace.  There wasn’t much to see there.  The few rooms that are open to the public were decorated with period furniture and artifacts exhibiting daily life.

Our last stop was at the Golden Lane, a street of small houses originally built during the reign of Emperor Rudolf II by members of his Red Guard for themselves and their families.  Over the years the houses were bought and sold many times until most of them became commercial shops.  Today most of the shops sell souvenirs.

The first shop we visited was an armory.  They had many suits of armor and weaponry on display on three different floors.  Anyone interested in ordering a custom suit of armor for themselves would be advised to stop in for a visit.

Another place of interest was a house #22 where Franz Kafka lived between 1916 and 1917.  While living there he wrote some of the short stories that were included in his book, “A Country Doctor”.  Prague Castle was his inspiration for his book entitled,  “The Castle”.

The lane ends with a visit to The Black Tower.  It was used as a prison and a place of torture starting with it’s completion in 1496 until 1781.  If you were really bad they would lower you through a small hole in the ground to a dark and dreary cell.  There were displays of the rack, the boot and other medieval devices.  It was very interesting.

Distance walked: 9.0 miles