Don and Veronica's Post Card From Holland: Prague- The City of Spires

Prague has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, more so than any of the other traditional Western European capitals, with the possible exception of London or Paris. Which is one reason why, in the summer, the crowds can literally be packed wall to wall in the streets. Although its probably impossible to avoid them entirely, they are not nearly so obnoxious in the winter, which is when we decided to go.

It was quite frosty when we touched down at Ruzyne International, the main airport for Prague. No one really remembers why it isn’t called Prague International (Ruzyne is the name of the neighborhood where the airport is located), so this year, the government decided to rename it “Prague- Vaclav Havel”, after the famous dissident during the Soviet era, and later the first president after independence in 1989. He already has numerous buildings, streets, and squares named after him, so one more landmark couldn’t hurt.

Anna tells us a story about the square.

During the hight of the Hapsburg Empire, Prague was the largest city in Europe and the undisputed capital. It still retains much of its baroque charm and architecture from that era. There was no way we could hope to see it all ourselves, so we went down to the Old Town Square and signed up for one of the “Free Walking Tours” (tips afterwards, please) that go through the town daily. Our guide, Anna, was a proper older women, with an overcoat and umbrella, who had grown up in the city and knew all of its stories.

Prague is known as the city of spires, and with good reason. The Old Town Square (“Staroměstské náměstí”), is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and is surrounded by the towering double-spired Church or Our Lady before Tyn, the imposing Church of St. Nicholas, the elaborate 18th century Rococo Kinský Palace, and of course, the Old Town Hall (dating back to 1364) with the elaborate Astronomical Clock and Calendar. It truly looks like a movie set or something out of Disneyland. In fact, the square is one of many locations around town used in the first “Mission Impossible” movie, Anna told us. We re-watched the movie as soon as we got home, and, sure enough, there was Tom Cruise running across the square, right where we had been, escaping a crowd of diabolic evil doers. We didn’t see any international intrigue while we were there, but the Astronomical Clock still attracts a crowd every hour to see the intricate mechanical figures perform and parade across the front. The square is also still the political heartbeat of the city. We saw a huge crowd of protesters march through one night, protesting the austerity measures imposed by the government.

Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square)

The Square still retains some of its prior character as a market place as well, albeit mostly for tourists, with numerous stands selling fresh hot bread pretzels, ham roasting on a spit, and hot cups of glűhwein (spiced wine), perfect for warming your hands on one of those cold days when you can see your breath.

Entrance to the Karlův Most
(St. Charles Bridge)

Anna spent the day with us and took us around all through the Old Town (Staré Město), the backstreets of the Malá Strana (Little Quarter), the sprawling and expansive grounds of the Pražský Hrad (Prague Castle, the biggest ancient castle in the world) and Hradčany (Castle grounds), the Karlův Most (Charles Bridge), and Wenceslas Square. Everywhere, we were struck with the overwhelming sense of history: we walked in the steps of Emperors (Charles IV), musicians (this was Mozart’s adopted city), and demonstrators (from the brutal “Prague Spring” of 1968 to the “Velvet Revolution” that eventually lead to the downfall of communism).

Strolling on the Karlův Most

On the Charles bridge, lined with its iconic statutes, artists, and performers, we walked in the footsteps of about a thousand tourists a day, it seemed. This struck me as Prague’s medieval equivalent of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. The bridge, which goes back to 1357, is now the most recognized trademarks of Prague. Over the centuries, the statues that now line the bridge were gradually added, one by one. The bridge offers a wonderful view of the gold-tipped towers and church domes that line the Vltava River.