Prague Journal

Saturday, November 13, 2004.

We went to Prague Castle this morning, the huge complex whose spires dominate the Prague skyline. The most imposing spires are from the St. Vitus Cathedral, the most recognized landmark in Prague. When Charles IV acquired the bones of St. Vitus, a popular fourth-century martyr, and brought them to Prague, the city became a center of the St. Vitus cult. After the Castle was built into a fortress around 1100 the princes of Bohemia moved into the Royal Palace. Romanesque and Gothic stories were built on the remains of the first, ninth-century structure. The most remarkable room in the Royal Palace is the majestic Vladislav Hall, which is currently undergoing restoration. It is considered one of the finest halls of the Middle Ages, with its great vaulting, which emanates from six pairs of buttresses into a curvilinear ribbing. Used for exhibitions, the hall is more than 16 meters wide and more than 14 meters high, with an entrance near the Imperial Stables for Rudolph II’s horses. http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/ Central_Europe/Czech_Republic/czech5.htm
We walked down the Golden Lane toward Malostrana and barely had time to go home and change before heading downtown for dinner and entertainment. Dinner was at the Albio, allegedly the first organic vegetarian restaurant in the Czech Republic. We had an assortment of salads and main courses, all very tasty, with unpasteurized Bernard beer and plum wine.
We then rushed out toward the Obecni Dům for a concert by the Jackson Singers, an American gospel troupe. The concert was in Smetana Hall, the main concert hall, with its original organ and high art-nouveau décor typically hosts classical concerts. The Jackson Singers, with their raucous Motown gospel, seemed almost out of place with the stately décor. We retired to the Obecni Dům café for an elegant dessert before heading home on the tram.

posted by JWinn @ 10:09 PM