This morning we took our time getting up and out - yesterday was a long day of walking, and we're both still feeling the effects of jet lag. Once again, the temperature was 39 degrees, and once again, I was really glad that I packed the extra layers.
We took the subway past the Old Town stop, to the other side of the Vltava River, and followed the signs up the hill toward Prague Castle. We stopped at every overlook !
Prague Castle and Grounds
Visitors from around the world are drawn to Prague by its unique symbols of carefully preserved monuments of all periods and styles. from Romanesque rotundas, Gothic cathedrals and Baroque churches, Renaissance palaces, to Art Nouveau, Cubist, and purely modern buildings, The skyline is dominated by Prague Castle towering above the Vltava River, which in turn reflects the city's landmarks, towers, church domes, palaces, and houses.
Prague Castle has been an important symbol of the Czech state for more than 1000 years. It was founded in the 9th century and became the seat of Czech rulers and later its presidents. The castle, one of the largest complexes in the world is made up of historical palaces, offices, church and fortification buildings, and innumerable picturesque spots.
The Cathedral is named after the three most prominent Czech saints - St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas, and St. Adalbert. This very Gothic cathedral is the spiritual symbol of the Czech state and was established in 1344 on the site of the original Romanesque rotunda. The construction took nearly 600 years and was finally completed in 1929. Its impressive interior is home to the magnificent and beautifully decorated St. Wenceslas Chapel with the tomb of St. Wenceslas, the crypt where Czech kings are buried (including some Holy Roman Emperors), and the Crown Chamber where the Crown Jewels are kept.
The Old Royal Palace was the seat of Bohemian princes and kings until the 16th century. Most notable is the Gothic Vladislav Hall - the largest secular space of medieval Prague with majestic rib vaulting - it is today the venue for ceremonial state events.
St. Georges Basilica is the oldest preserved church building at Prague Castle and the best preserved example of Romanesque architecture in Bohemia. Built around the year 920 and rebuilt in the 12th century, it now has a Baroque façade from the 17th century. Of significance is the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk and the Chapel of St. Ludmilla, grandmother of St. Wenceslas, and the first Czech Christian martyr.
Today's Lunch
Tom and I left the Castle complex to stroll the lovely streets of the Mala Strana area of Prague. Historically the home of nobles in favor with the king, it's full of palaces, ornate churches, and embassies, including the British, American, German, Irish, and French. The neighborhood has been featured in a number of period movies, ranging from Amadeus to Van Helsing.
As we came upon a cozy and inviting restaurant we both said, "Hey, shouldn't we stop for lunch"?
Our order of Moravian Sausage with horseradish and two kinds of mustard, bread, apple strudel with whipped cream and a Pilsner Urquell (which seems to be the national beer of the Czech Republic) was just what we needed to get us through the afternoon of walking and sightseeing.
The Infant of Prague
The Infant Jesus of Prague resides in the Church of Our Lady Victorious. The Infant of Prague was visited by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. This early Baroque church dates from 1611 and rebuilt sometime between 1634 and 1669 by the Carmelite order of religious. The Infant originally came from Spain and was donated to the Carmelites in 1628 and brought to Prague - now known as the Infant of Prague.
In April 1639, the Swedish army began a siege of the city of Prague. The frightened citizens hurried to the shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague as services were held day and night at the Church of Our Lady Victorious in the Little Quarter. When the army decided instead to pull out, the grateful residents ascribed this to the miraculous Holy Infant. The tradition of the Infant Jesus procession and the coronation continues to this day. This ceremony is the closing highlight of the annual Feast of the Infant Jesus in Prague.
The Infant Jesus is anatomically correct, has 2 crowns, and 46 outfits - which according to an old custom are changed 10 times a year depending upon the time of year. Considering what we know in the US about devotion to the Infant of Prague, both Tom and I were somewhat underwhelmed at our experience of viewing the actual Infant and its surroundings - the church was very plain on the outside, in a tourist area of souvenir shops with a tram stop not 25 yards from the front door, and the Czech populace seemingly non-devotional to the Infant in residence. However, we both liked the interior plainness of the main altar (the Infant is on a side altar), the bright airy feeling of the interior, and the actual display of the Infant in the gold altar.
The small statue is a 19-inch high, wooden and coated in a wax representation of the Infant Jesus. The surface of the wax is quite fragile. In order to protect the fragile wax surface, the bottom half below the waist is enclosed in a silver case. The right hand of the statue is raised in a gesture of blessing, with two fingers raised symbolizing the two natures of Jesus Christ and the three folded fingers represent the Holy Trinity. The left hand holds an imperial orb with a cross on top, signifying sovereignty. The image is clothed in a long robe below which his bare feet can be seen. In the past, the statue was decorated with small jewels, presented as gifts. Since 1788, the statue's raised two fingers have worn two rings, as a thanksgiving gift by a noble Czech family for healing their daughter, along with its golden blond hair.
Today, thousands of pilgrims pay homage to the Infant of Prague every year. Statuettes of the Infant Jesus are placed inside many Catholic churches, sometimes with the quotation, "The more you honor me, the more I will bless you."
Devotion to the Child of Prague and belief in its power to influence the weather is still strong in many parts of Ireland which we saw last year in our trip to the island. A wedding gift of a statue of the Child of Prague is particularly auspicious. It is also common to see the Infant of Prague displayed in the window of houses in some of the older parts of Dublin and the practice of putting it out in the hedge or burying it in the garden as a solicitation for good weather is widespread in areas as far apart as Cork, Dublin, and Sligo - which we also learned last year - what a great way to connect our two trips a year apart from one another !
The Charles Bridge
The Charles Bridge is a famous historic bridge that crosses the Vltava River in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. The bridge replaced the old Judith Bridge built between 1158–1172 that had been badly damaged by a flood in 1342. This new bridge was originally called the Stone Bridge or the Prague Bridge but has been the "Charles Bridge" since 1870. As the only means of crossing the Vltava River until 1841, the Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town and adjacent areas. This "solid-land" connection made Prague important as a trade route between Eastern and Western Europe.
Throughout its history, the Charles Bridge suffered several disasters and witnessed many historic events. Czech legend has it that construction began on Charles Bridge at 5:31am on 9 July 1357 with the first stone being laid by Charles IV himself. This exact time was very important to the Holy Roman Emperor because he was a strong believer of numerology and this specific time, which formed a numerical bridge (1357 9, 7 5:31), would imbue Charles's Bridge with additional strength. During the end of the Thirty Years War in 1648, the Swedes occupied the west bank of the Vltava, and as they tried to advance into the Old Town the heaviest fighting took place right on the bridge. During the fighting, they severely damaged one side of the Old Town bridge tower (the side facing the river) and the remnants of almost all gothic decorations had to be removed from it afterward.
During the late 17th century and early 18th century the bridge gained its typical appearance when an alley of baroque statues was installed on the pillars - including one of St. John DeMatha - the namesake of DeMatha High School where Tom went to school in Hyattsville, MD just outside of Washington, DC. This marks the 2nd time in 2 years on our European trips where Tom has literally stumbled upon St. John DeMatha.
The picture here pays tribute to the saint as it depicts St. John (middle top with the Cross on his tunic) freeing the Crusaders (in the jail cell below) from the Moors (shown on the left) and depicting the DeMatha Stag with a cross (middle left) on its head !
Prague At Night
After dinner, as it began to get dark, we hopped on the subway once more. Although we usually don't go out in the evening, we wanted to see what the Charles Bridge and Castle looked like at night. Every tourist in Prague must have had the same idea ! The walkways along the River, and the Bridge itself were packed with camera-wielding visitors, including us ! In spite of the cold, it was definitely worth it, the Castle glowed, and the lights on the Bridge were reflected in the water. It seemed like Prague was having a huge party and everyone was invited !
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