Astronomical mastery in Bohemia

14-08-07

The bus ride to Prague was uneventful with the exception of the stop across the Austrian border where there was a beautiful castle dominating the hilly landscape.

We had a tour of the city focusing primarily on the historic Old Town. The most famous landmark in Old Town is the Old Town Hall with its striking tower with an astronomical clock that has mechanical figures performing at the top of each hour. The skeleton representing death tugs on the rope in its right hand while in his left hand he hoists an hourglass. Two windows open and a procession ensue with St. Peter leading 11 of the Apostles and St. Paul. Following this, a rooster crows and chimes ring from the clock. The Old Town Hall dates back to 1338 with the establishment of a town council by King John of Luxemburg. The structure gradually expanded through the centuries, although it had to be restored meticulously after suffering damage during World War II and the Prague uprising. The 228 foot tower was built in 1364 for the Volfin of Kamen as his private residential place.

The Powder Gate, used to store gunpowder, stands out because of its fabulous architecture with an arc underneath. The gates date back to the 11th century in Prague as there were 13 entrance gates to Old Town. Previous gates were put here, but the present one dates back to 1876.

The Baroque-styled church of St. James is known for its concerts. There is also a gigantic organ decorated in gold that goes back to 1702.

The Church of Our Lady before Tyn is a Gothic church that was founded in 1365. It was the chief Hussite church in Prague during the 15th century up to 1620.

There was a Salvador Dali special exhibit at the Kinsky Palace, which is where Klement Gottwald- a communist leader used to address huge crowds from the balcony following Word War II. He died nine days after attending Stalin’s funeral from a burst artery.

The House at the Two Golden Bears has two golden bears perched on the balcony above the arch. The Renaissance building dates back to 1567 with the portal designed in 1590 by Bonifaz Wohlmut for Lorenc Stork- an affluent merchant. Egon Erwin Kisch- a Jewish journalist was born here in 1885. He was a powerful writer for the left-wing forces.

The Clam-Gallas Palace dating back to the 18th century was designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach of Vienna for the Supreme Marshall of Bohemia. It has two pairs of Hercules sculptures. Beethoven took part in performances in the theater of the palace.

The tour proceeded into the modern part of Prague where the guide showed us a plaque marking independence from the Soviet Union after 44 years of occupation on November 17, 1989.

After the tour, I went with some classmates to a restaurant near Old Town, which was underground with walls resembling a castle. The food is much cheaper than in Vienna as the Czech Republic is not slated to adopt the Euro until 2010.

After dinner, we walked around the city and saw the National Theater- a magnificent building that dates back to 1868. It was restored in the 1970’s.