Prague and the South Bohemian region, Czech Republic, 31/07-07/08/08, episode I

PRAGUE

After Taiwan, Australia and Hong Kong, let's talk about... Czech Republic. One week in a beautiful country, visiting the capital, Prague, and the castles of the South Bohemian Region. The first 3 days have been spent in Prague.

We started with the Old Town, and the place of the old town with the astronomical clock. We first went down Vaclavske nam., that is a bit their 'Champs Elysees' starting by the National Museum and the Venceslas place. Straight ahead, you pass across a nice everyday uncovered market, before reaching 'the place'. In order to go to the city, there are many trams and metros, until 1.00 AM, and after that you have many night trams til the daily trams. The transportation system there is very practical. 

On the place of the Old Town, you can see:

The astronomical clock made in the 15th century. Every hour from 9 AM to 9 PM one of the 12 apostles shows up at the upper part of the clock, with four small 'puppets' moving and ringing the bell. The show ends up with a shouting of the cockerel, also in the upper part of the clock, but sounding like we were choking it! In the lower part of the clock is represented a calendar with the zodiac signs of Josef Manes.

the old city hall built in the 14th century

Going up the tower, you can have a nice view of the place:

with in the middle the statue of Jean Hus

the Church Notre Dame de Tyn, one of the most important Gothic church of Prague 

one of the churches Saint Nicolas (there are 2 Saint Nicolas churches, the other being in Mala Strana)

Still in the Old Town (Stare Mesto in Czech), you can see many other interesting buildings:

The Estates Theatre with it's classical style, built in 1781. In this theater took place the first representation of DON GIOVANNI of Mozart, the 29th of October 1787. This opera has been composed by Mozart especially for being played in Prague! On the left side of the theatre we find a statue of the commander, one of the characters of the opera.

 Close to the theatre is the Carolinum, belonging to Charles University, built in 1348. This is one of the oldest university of Europe.

Still in the surroundings, it is possible to find the Republic place, with its Powder Tower and the Municipality House:


Finally, in the Jewish area (Josefov) there are many synagogues, the ghetto of Prague, the Jewish cemetery. Here for exemple is the Old-New Synagogue, with a gothic style from the 13th century.  


Prague is also famous for its different buildings of art and culture, such as the Rudolfinum:


or the National Theatre, built in the 19th century with a neo-renaissance style:


in front of it, we can drink a bier in the Slavia cafe, famous because the artists used to go there after their representation in the National theater.


and behind the theatre, another one, but much more modern as you can see! There is presented the famous show Laterna Magika, which was played for the first time at the universal exhibition 58 of Brussels, and which is still played nowadays.


Prague also offers small theatres but where the shows are not less amazing. One of them is the National Marionette Theatre, where a performance of Don Giovanni with marionettes is done all year long since 1991!!  A two hours show, with a funny crazy Mozart, and wonderful marionettes, especially the one of Leporello!!  It makes us going back to childhood, the eyes filled with wonder seeing the hands of the puppeteers moving gracefully.


(from the left to the right: Tchantchès (Belgium), Pullcinella (Italy), Punch (Great Britain), Kasparek (Bohemia), Petrushka (Russia), Guignol (France), Kasperl (Germany))

from the left to the right: Leporello, Donna Elvira, Don Ottavio, Donna Anna.

TO BE CONTINUED...