Prague

My friend Caslin was getting ready to move back to Singapore from Frankfort. There were a few cities she wanted to see and so we planned two girls' getaway trips for two successive weeks.

First on the itinerary was Prague. A short train/bus trip found us entering the city and heading for the train station.

A short taxi ride later and we were in Old Town Square at the U Prince Hotel. It is one of the most charming places I have ever stayed. The hotel is perfectly located in the center of the Old Town Square of Prague. There are 15 rooms reminiscent of a time gone by.  

The view from our room was perfect.

There is even a rooftop terrace with a welcome champagne upon arrival.

Prague (Praha) sits astride the Vitava River and is the largest city of the Czech Republic. It is also the historical capital of Bohemia and its historic center is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For us it was love at first sight.

For our first evening we had dinner reservations on the Waterfront at Kampa. To get there we needed to cross the river and what better way than to walk across the Charles Bridge. Construction began on the bridge in 1357 with its completion in the beginning of the 15th century. It was the only means of crossing the river between Prague Castle and old town until 1841. There are three bridge towers and 30 statues decorating the bridge. It is also where you can find local artisans selling their wares.

As we neared the far end of the bridge we could look down on our restaurant for the evening.

We decided to eat indoors on the lower level with a beautiful view of the Charles Bridge and the swans.

Dinner was wonderful, the Czech wine was very tasty and the leisurely pace was perfect. We strolled back across the Charles Bridge taking in the late night sights of Prague.

We found the usual haunt in any large city.

And we had our first close look at the Old Town Hall Astronomical Clock (more on it later).

With a final look out our "window on the world," we settled in for the night.

Residence Museum - the Residence

After a lunch break, we were ready to begin our tour of the actual residence part of the museum. The exterior is quite impressive. There are seven courtyards and a garden nestled between the various wings of the palace.The Imperial Courtyard has a painted facade that looks like actual stonework.

The Chapel Courtyard is long and narrow.

It leads to the Fountain Courtyard.

At the beginning of the tour there is a map of the grounds and buildings. It cannot properly show the immense size of the area belonging to the Residence.

First on the tour are the Garden Halls.

The Antiquarium is breathtaking.

There is a very large collection of Chinese porcelain and artifacts.

What we saw was only a portion of the collection because the Porcelain Chambers are currently closed for renovation as is the King's Tract. Even so, there were still nearly 100 rooms on display.

Then it was up the stairs to the dozens and dozens of chambers used for the families and their guests. In one room restoration work was being done on some of the paintings. 

The furniture and tapestries are all fine examples of the craftsmanship of the era each was made in.

Each room had its own unique lighting and large porcelain cabinets were filled with hot coals to heat these very large rooms.

Within the Residence is the Court Church of All Saints. In its original state it was beautiful and ornate as the photo below shows.

During the bombing in World War II it was all but destroyed.

The church has been rebuilt but not restored yet.

Under one of the arches there is a small part of a fresco that has survived.

Then it was on to more and more chambers including a music room complete with instruments of the day.

Each room had a fireplace, a piece of furniture or a painted ceiling that was fascinating to investigate. Many of the ceiling paintings are reproductions due to the severe bomb damage the Residence received.

And then we approached and entered the Imperial Chamber.

The Stone Rooms were notable not only for the various types of stone used, but also for the beautiful fireplaces in each room.

After that came the Reliquary. For those who may not know, reliquaries are religious objects which are said to hold items of significance such as bone from a saint or cloth worn by one. The Wittelsbach family were serious collectors as was the custom of the times. The dozens of reliquaries on display included several that were covered with bits of bone and one crown shaped pillow is said to contain the skull of John the Baptist.

In keeping with our religious theme we next toured Court Chapel and the Ornate Chapel.

And still there were more rooms to see and admire including the Imperial Chamber.

The last area on the tour was the Ancestral Hall. This is the ultimate in genealogy. This long hall is covered from floor to ceiling with portraits of the ruling families and an amazing family tree.

By the end our feet were tired and our eyes were on overload, but it was a wonderful first look at the treasures of this amazing city.