| Short Break in Prague with Gillian Hull
Some years ago we went to see the film ‘Amadeus’, shortly after a visit to Vienna. With Mozart’s music ringing in our ears, we admired the glorious architecture of the film’s setting which seemed to transport us back to the Austrian capital. At the end of the film, to our surprise, the credits included Prague, used as background to the film’s story of Mozart and his rival, Salieri.
I resolved to visit the Czech city and finally realised my ambition this spring. Gloomy prognostications warned of noisy stag and hen parties and pickpockets on the famous Charles Bridge. We chose to go mid-week, and found a charming city in the middle of its month-long music festival. We were plied with handbills advertising concerts and found all the Czechs we met pleasant and keen to help us enjoy our stay.
 The Czech Republic, once Bohemia, was peopled very early by Slavs. Prague has a long history, with its original castle dating back to the 9th century. Built on a hill above the River Vltava the extensive palace buildings on the site and St Vitus Cathedral, offer a commanding view over the city bisected by the river. On the far bank the medieval mercantile city grew up, and we spent time gazing at its wonderful array of towers, spires and domes.
In 1333 Charles IV became not only King of Bohemia but Holy Roman Emperor as well. At the same time Prague became an archbishopric, and work started on the cathedral, finally finished in 1929! Prague was a leading cultural centre under Charles, who founded Central Europe‘s first university, named after him. The country came under Hapsburg rule in the 16th century, a situation which ended with the First World War. Between the wars the Czechs finally achieved an independent republic, which came to an end with World War II and communist rule. Their peaceful ‘Velvet Revolution’ in 1989 enabled them to establish a democratic republic with a very real identity.
Our hotel was situated in the heart of the merchant city, just off the traffic-free Old Town Square. Prague’s centre is quite small, and exploring its narrow streets and squares on foot is a delight. With a wealth of old buildings it has achieved World Heritage status. People-watching over a glass of beer or cup of a coffee in a pavement café is a major attraction and there is plenty to look at.
Prague is a city of pantiles, many houses are painted in subtle colours, and some facades covered in complicated designs. One of the city’s oldest churches was beside our hotel. Dedicated to Our Lady of Tyn, it was begun in the 14th century, and has a most distinctive aspect with its complicated spires. In the square is the old Town Hall which boasts a 15th century astronomical clock. Wooden figures of the twelve apostles emerge on the hour to be watched by tourists in the square below. We visited St Agnes Convent, now part of the National Gallery, and admired Czech medieval paintings glowing with colour, and beautifully carved wooden figures.
Prague had a large Jewish population, tens of thousands of whom died in the Holocaust. The Old-new synagogue, the oldest in Central Europe, is 13th century; it has a distinctive brick gable in an otherwise very simple façade and is still in use. A boat ride down the river gave us a real feel for the city and some wonderful photographic opportunities. We passed under the 14th century Charles Bridge, now for pedestrians only, and admired the statues which were a later addition. At each end of the bridge is a handsome medieval tower.
In this city of music we stood outside the palace listening to a quartet performing with tremendous verve and skill a programme ranging from Czech classical music to traditional jazz. A concert in one of the many baroque churches included a wide range of composers, ending with Smetana’s ’My country’. The highly professional performers were all quite young; musical tradition is alive and well in Prague.
Our last day was spent in the area of the Castle and Cathedral. Memories of the city include the beautifully proportioned Renaissance Summer Palace, the street of the goldsmiths, its tiny workshops now inhabited by craftsmen producing tempting gifts to take home, the 10th century St. George’s Basilica and the amazingly complex beams of the vast Gothic Vladislav Hall in the old Royal Palace. Three days flew by in such a fascinating city, and we saw nothing of the country beyond!
Above: Our Lady of Tyn church from the top of the old Town Hall
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