Across the southern Czech Republic – part II

A drive followed along the narrow street with step ups and unexpected downs. Rare houses, standing by the road greeted travellers, who must have wondered – as I had – is this the right road? I followed the road 116 and after a good hour of drive along the forest valley of Berounka, I saw a local sign dispersing my doubts. The village of Karlštejn is the road, the river (where boats can flow), an expensive guest house and the gothic castle with the same name, boasting from the hill. The castle was built in the 14th century by Charles IV and for a long time the Czech crown jewels were held there. At a view of the 2km long and steep way to the castle, any wish of seeing it up close passes. But you can (naturally if you pay) sit in a carriage that is drawn by two horses after a crack of a whip. Decided not to sweat on such a lovely sunny day I watched the castle from the guesthouse, where they served me a great goulash in a bread cup, with beer! I was surprised by the bill, for unlike previous destination, where they only charged you small change for a good meal, I felt that the capital was near.       

The drive alone, from the rural suburbs to the city centre, fulfilled all expectations. Prague is among the most visited cities in Europe and thrills with rich heritage of historical buildings and an untouched city image. The reason is probably in successfully avoiding modernization. So from the house roofs you won’t see modern buildings with offices and apartments, but church towers with bells. The facades, close to each other, testify of historical eras that happened in Prague. We find town houses, baroque palaces, gothic churches, secession apartment blocks and cubist cafes. Medieval streets are full of local people, running errands, tourists in dense groups listening to the guide, describing the city sites and local artists offering their crafts. Square middles, but especially the Charles’s Bridge, visited by each tourist, are well covered by craftsmen and artists. Charles’s Bridge therefore features the 30 baroque statues and many jazz groups and for a few euros you can get your own drawing or a unique bracelet. Charles’s Bridge that witnesses processions, battles, executions and lately filming, has been connecting the castle complex with the city centre (divided by River Vltava) for past 600 years. A walk across the river is followed by stringists, who play rock hits, organ played by a middle aged sky blue clad with childish lace hat woman grinder, and you can’t miss the beggars kneeling on marble floor staring in the ground asking for change. On the other side of the river you’re greeted by Hradčany, the old castle town with many historically important buildings.

Entrance through the huge castle door takes you to the garden On Bastion. A breath taking garden is a combination of bisection and argumented introduced details, reachable by stairs. The levels are divided by a low supporting wall, made of granite bricks. In it is a symmetrically placed antique stairway, to which the axis of space lead to from the lower garden part. Thought out planted trees, carefully cut grass on both sides and white wooden benches invade you to sit and for a moment forget about time. This is one of numerous masterpieces that the Prague castle got from the Slovenian master of architecture - Jože Plečnik. It’s followed by entrance to first yard that is guarded by fighting giants, with some luck you can see the change of the guards in grey-bluish uniformed that seem washed up. The complex offers many gardens, priceless view points, many yards, castle spaces and churches. The want to create, long denied in Plečnik, got overpowered by eruption of imagination and original solutions in Prague. In his ideas he included Czech national heritage, many ideas were sourced from historical fundaments of building art that draw lineage all the way to Egypt and Etruscans. Plečnik’s works are the paradise garden, yards of castle, hall of columns in the castle wing named after him, presidents apartment, bull stairs by the south entrance to the castle and garden On Bastion. As part of the castle complex the interesting and worth a visit are the Golden street where in crowded houses with wooden beams still live jewellers and turn back time for 600 years ago, and old steps leading to the castle. On this side of Vltava River is also for believers interesting Loreta, a baroque roman temple from 17th century, if you’re interested in development of school system, invited to the museum of pedagogy J. A. Komenskega, lovers of the group The Beatles can bow to legendary John Lennon by the wall, full of graffiti, illustrations and comments, dedicated to him.

Heart and soul of city is the oldtown square, which is surrounded by magnificent city houses and more magnificent palaces. In front of colourful facades, where once executions and political surrenders took place, stand today café tables, inviting for people to visit them and watch the city pulse or for a moment stop at the sight of monument of Jan Hus, a reformer and fighter against corruption of the church. For seeing interesting are also Tinska church, municipality home and gunpowder door. Pass the old town hall and Charles’s university, oldest in middle Europe, leads path to always lively Vaclav’s square. Medieval horse market was in the 19th century transformed to business centre of Prague. Secession buildings, which surround the square, testify of their roots from beginning of 20th century. Not to oversee huge building behind Vaclav’s statue, this is a neo-renaissance building in which is today the National museum.

With many cultural and historical important buildings, sacral objects, architectural achievements, museums and galleries, green areas and to millimetre precise and symmetrical arranged parks, with tasty and not overpriced culinary, that resembles our traditional meals, with beers of best tastes, with nice energy, which spreads in the air of medieval streets, with nice cafes and squares, that fill molecules of air with sounds of instruments. In one of cafes, where you can sit on comfortable and soft chairs, photos of Kafka greet you from the walls, his most famous works invite you from shelves, to take them in hand and turn pages, and while doing it you wait for Franz Kafka himself to walk through the door and say hi. While walking around Hradčany you’re excited by building art of Plečnik, whose mastery was recognised by Czech president Masaryk and made sure that got best conditions for work. It seems, like at any time, from behind the mighty doors of column hall, Jože Plečnik will come, and with a nod of the head you will show him your pride, that through your body also flows Slovenian blood. When you walk in the museum of pedagogy you’re greeted from the walls by Komensky. You will want to ask him how he managed to implement school and raising reforms of scholastic pedagogy. At a view of the former class room, disciplined pupils, who sit with straight back packed in the school desks, and a strict look of the teacher freezes the blood in your veins. Four days are too little to take in Prague in all its greatness, but are enough to taste how much love and life this city has. And to promise yourself to return soon! 

On the way home, I suggest you to stop in the village of Červena Lhota. 150 km south from Prague, as it’s a hidden romantic destination, attracting tourists from all over the world. On the rock in the middle of the lake has a castle from the 14th century, clad in red. By damming the creek they made a lake, where you can rent a boat and enjoy the romantic ride, or walk on the stone bridge to visit the interior and the outside castle gardens. Dreamy paradise!