Wenceslas Square, Prague

Wenceslas Square has been the business and cultural center of Prague's New Town for 600+ years with hotels, banks, businesses, independent and department stores, museums, and theatres. Originally a horse market and center of the New Town created by Charles IV in the 14th Century when Prague was the capitol of the Holy Roman Empire. Its current architectural style is varied, dating from a reconstruction of the 19th Century.

At the head of the square is the pictured statue of St. Wenceslas, mounted on his horse, the patron saint of Bohemia. He is a national hero, having been murdered by"evil brother" Borislav more than 1000 years ago. The statue is by Josef Myslbek, begun in the 1887 and finished in 1924. At the base, other important Czech saints include St. Adalbert, St. Ludmila, and St. Agnes. Just below this dominating statue are two smaller memorials. One honors those who died during the Communist occupation. The second honors a philosophy student who, in 1968 self immolated to protest the Communist occupation. When Jan Palach died several days later, his funeral attracted 800,000 mourners. The Velvet Revolution, which led to the end of Communist rule in 1989, was centered at his memorial.

Few site are more important to today's Czech Republic than this square. In 1918 Czechoslovakian independence was declared from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Nazis used this square for their demonstrations. In 1969, the Czech ice hockey team defeated the Russian team in a championship and the celebration of over 150,000 was again centered here. The square can hold over 400,000 and is sacred ground.

There are many hotels and restaurants as well as theaters and museums near the Square, including the famous Art Nouveau Hotel Europa, but for the out of country tourist, it appeared mostly as a middle level shopping mall and home to some fast food restaurants. Its major importance to a visitor is the realization of the world-changing events which have ocurred here.

Directions: Metro line C station Narodni muzeum or line A station Mustek.

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Wenceslas Square, Prague

Jewish Town and Synagogues: The Golem in the Attic

For some reason, people love scary stories. Creepy tales about monsters and witches and creatures lurking in the dark seem to be part of every culture. The Abominable Snowman, the Loch Ness monster, Dracula, Baba Yaga, the Headless Horseman, Frankenstein – these are just a few that come to mind.

The Golem of Prague is one of these creatures. “Golem” means unformed in Hebrew. According to the legend, Rabbi Judah Loew (1520-1609), known by the Hebrew initials of his name as the “Maharal of Prague,” created a Frankenstein-like man that performed tasks for him. The Golem was a lump of clay that came alive when the name of God (the “Shem”) was inscribed on its forehead. Because all creatures are meant to rest on the Sabbath, Rabbi Loew turned the Golem back into clay every Friday afternoon by erasing the sacred letters on its brow.

One Friday he forgot. Towards evening, the Jews of Prague assembled for services at the Altneuschul (“Old-New Synagogue”) in the Jewish Quarter. Just as they finished reciting Psalm 92, a hymn welcoming the Sabbath, the Golem ran amok, threatening everything in its path. Rabbi Loew was summoned. The sun had not yet set, so technically, the
Sabbath had not begun. The rabbi confronted the monster he had made and wiped the letters off its forehead. The Golem crumbled to dust. The rabbi then ordered Psalm 92 to be sung a second time, which has been the custom in this synagogue ever since.

The Maharal never brought the Golem back to life again. He buried the remains in the attic of the synagogue – a strange looking Hansel and Gretel house with a brown pointy roof - where they lie to this day.

Phone: +420-224 819 456

Directions: The Altneuschul is on a winding lane in the old Jewish Quarter, next to the Burial Society building and the Old Jewish Cemetery.

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Jewish Town and Synagogues: The Golem in the Attic

Old-Town Square, Prague

The Old Town Square, or Starometske namesti, is a place you'll find yourself returning to again and again, as you wander around the old town of Prague. It was the market place of the medieval town.

The Old Town Hall on one side of the square faces the Church of Our Lady before Tyn on the other.

In summer, the square is packed with jostling throngs of tourists.

Something that is not well publicised is, that at the end of the Second World War, before they surrendered, German tanks trundled into the square and, in a malicious act of vandalism, blasted all of the buildings, destroying most of the original frontage. The buildings have all since been restored.

Directions: The centre of the Old Town

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Old-Town Square, Prague

Old-Town Hall & Astronomical Clock, Prague

Legends notwithstanding, the astronomical clock was not made by a man who was blinded after the work was done, who in turn spitefully broke the clock mechanism before his death.

Records credit the idea and design to a physician/rector/professor of astronomy and math at Charles University named Iohannes Andreae dictus Schindel (Jan Ondrejuv known as Sindel). With his design and the skill of a clock master named Nicolas of Kadaň, the astronomical clock was created in 1410.

The original clock only showed astronomical data including the movement of the sun, the moon, and the ecliptic; all mechanical figures were added in centuries later.

The permanent figures surround the clock represent three of the seven cardinal sins and their ultimate destiny. On the left side of the clock, Superbia (Vanity) admires her reflection from a handheld mirror, and Avaritia (Greed) holds tight to a bag of money. On the right side, Death stands ready to strike while Acedia (Sloth) idling life away in music and dance.

Every hour on the hour, Death pulls the bell while nodding his head to announce that time is up. The rest of the main casts shake their heads refusing to leave. The window flies open and the twelve apostles come running around in circle -- an act that holds no meaning except adding chaos to the unfolding drama between Death and the three sinners.

Directions: Old-Town Square

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Old-Town Hall & Astronomical Clock, Prague

St Vitus's Cathedral, Prague

They say that it takes a leap of faith to plant a tree--especially something like an oak that takes hundreds of years to fully mature. The planter knows that he or she will not be around to enjoy the beauty and shade of the fully grown tree. But yet it is essential to plant those seeds for future generations.

But what about the great cathedrals of the world. These soaring structures were not built overnight. In fact, the building and rebuilding of the St. Vitus Cathedral has been going on for something like a 1000 years now. When I think on all of the artisans over the centuries that dedicated their lives to the work of raising the cathedral--I come back to my analgoy of the tree. Not many of those skilled workers had any hopes of seeing a finished project, but yet they toiled on. What drove them? Faith? Wages? The threat of excommunication?

In any event the cathedral was not consecrated until 1929--fully 1000 years after the death of St. Wenceslas, the man who first chose this site overlooking the Vltava as the perfect place to build a grand church. Since 1929 there have been many dark days in Prague with the annexation of the "Sudetenland" by Hitler and the subsequent time behind the Iron Curtain following World War II. Prague shook off the domineering mantle of communism in 1989 (a government that shunned religion) but the people have not returned to organized religion. It is said that less than 2% of Czechs practice a religion.

So for all the tremendous effort to raise this glorious cathedral over centuries and centuries--it all just boils down to a rather gigantic curiosity. The form is there, but really without function.

Directions: In the Prague Castle complex

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St Vitus's Cathedral, Prague

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is one of the largest ancient castles in the world according to the Guiness Book of World Records, topping at 570 meters and 130 meters wide. It is also where you will find the Czech crown Jewels.

When I was walking around, I felt I should have read more before I did so that I could easily identify the buildings. The Prague Castle Complex actually consists of several religious structures which include the Saint Vitus Cathedral, a monastery and several jmuseum and art galleries. St Georges’s Basilica is famous for evening classical concerts and you might chance upon one when visiting Prague.

There has also been several wars and fires in the area and so the place has seen a lot of rebuilding. Today, tourists from all over the world walk around and it can get a little confusing. They watch the changing of the guards every hour in this castle which is the political and historical center of the Czech republic (seat of the President)

But the beauty of the buildings remain and their history adds to their character.

Directions: Nearest metro: Malostranska or Hradcanska

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Prague Castle

Charles Bridge: Make a wish on the FIVE STARS of Nepomuk

It’s a "must" (thing to do) now whenever one walks along the Charles Bridge in Prague:

To make a wish at the St. John of Nepomuk Statue, the statue with the that gold metal plate whose carvings have been made shiny by the millions of tourists who have touched it.
But you have to touch it with your left hand!!! Then you make a wish (it supposedly gives you good luck and assures a return to the city of Prague). I heard about the LEFT HAND from Samantha Brown.

But there is a lesser more unknown place to make a wish near the statue --- it is a Five-star cross (also metal) a few feet away from the statue and not so many tourists go there.

You place your five fingers (left hand) on the five stars and then send a wish to someone – or just send it to yourself – as you look into the river. I heard that this spot where the five star is is exactly where St Jon was actually thrown off and died. Morbid...

John of Nepomuk was a priest in Prague under a suspicious King Wenceslas IV (son of Charles IV). He received the confessions of the Queen and the King wanted to know the Queen’s confessions which Nepomuk would not reveal. Priest Nepomuk was therefore executed by being thrown into the Vltava River from the bridge with “weights” (I read somewhere that something heavy was tied to him) which caused his drowning.

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Charles Bridge: Make a wish on the FIVE STARS of Nepomuk