Winter Walks (3) – Vrsovice (1)

Another beautiful day in Prague, yeah, I know, it is freezing and it is getting colder and colder -9°C/15°F right now. But the sun shines like crazy and it almost makes you feel warm, when outside.

I decided to take a walk through the part of Prague, which in fact looks like Paris. It is called Vrsovice and it is more residential area with nice cafes and pubs, and it is not a coincidence that the famous Krymska (Crimea) street (nightlife) is there as well. The area is also really cosmopolitan, as you can guess from the streets names :-).

When I have finished this post, it looked to long to me, so I decided to split it in two. The second one is on this link (will be added after the second post will be published :-)): Winter Walks (4) – Vrsovice (2)

Mosaics by Free Mosaic

As there was a problem in the tram traffic today, we decided to walk to our destination through Vinohrady area, with some street art and first republic (1918-1938) villas and “colonia Svoboda (Freedom)”. This Colonia was realized between 1921-1924 as simple, but healthy and comfortable living at the new part of Prague. And it is in my favorite Artdeco – rondo cubist architectonic style.

One of the colonia’s double-houses in Czech traditional colors red and white and blue

And another one, this time villa in rondo cubism in red and white as well

Through the villas area we moved to the Parisien style quarter on this street:

Pink house at Norska (Norwegian) street

balcony detail at the same street

And doors in the gallery

After this little walk we entered one of the most popular cafes – Cafe Jen, but you can choose another one, like Cafe Slagr or Cafe Tvoje Mama (Your Mother), as cafe Jen was quite busy and we have to wait to find a place to sit. But then we have enjoyed our filter cafe and some warm and cozy atmosphere.

Cafe Jen from the outside

and the interior, just a short moment before the empty seats were taken

Warmed by the coffee we wandered on Kodanska (Copenhagen) street.

Just a normal residential house at Kodanska

and another one

and beautiful gables at the gallery

We continued to Heroldovy sady (Herold’s Gardens) with a book stall (we had to check it for something interesting) and nicely reconstructed palace Rangherka (seniors house now).

Rangherka from the bottom, originally built in 19 century by the entrepreneur in silk business Jindrich Rangheri, used also for breeding the silkworms and mulberry orchard with 200 trees next to it.

Gazebo above the stairs next to Rangherka.

Church if St Nicholas, baroque reconstruction from 1704, bell in the tower from 1511 and the clocks shows hours and phases of the moon as well.

Another view from the balcony to Husuv sbor (Hussite / reformed church) at Vrsovice Square, Nusle valley and Bohdalec hill on the horizon.

Find more at the second post about our walk in the next post.

Other Winter Walks you can find on these links:
1. Letná
2. Vyšehrad
3. Vršovice (1)
4. Vršovice (2)
5. Kampa

The series about Night Walks can be found here:
1. Prague Castle

Winter Walks (2) – Vysehrad

Vyšehrad (“higher castle”) is so connected with Czech history and the oldest legends from father Czech coming to Bohemia and settling here to be the place of the last resting place (as we call the cemetery) of famous Czech people. Vyšehrad is located a little bit far from the main touristic attractions, that can be the reason why it is so much loved by Czech people, visiting the place in every season, during day and night and enjoying its quiet space. Visiting beer garden (in summer), jogging, walking dogs or kids.

I visit this place often and in this cold but sunny day I decided to visit it with my camera. But I haven’t made the most popular pictures, just some views from Vyšehrad, and then I oriented more at the cemetery and church.

Vyšehrad is now a fortress, surrounded by walls and couple of entrance gates. The main entrance (Tabor’s gate) is followed by Špička (Top) gate, you will find just part of it, as the original gothic gate is gone now, and what remained is occupied by information center with model of Vyšehrad area. And finally there is the baroque Leopold’s gate to enter the area.

Tennis courts under the bastions and Leopold’s gate

Just behind the gate you will find one of the oldest buildings in Prague, the rotund of St. Martin, three of the remaining rotunds in Prague area.

St Martin’s rotund

I never miss going to the view to the South of Prague, where Podolí quarter is. Silver river is beautiful and unlike the Central area of Prague (around Charles Bridge), the river is quite narrow and deep here. If you have a chance to listen the music composition My Country by Bedrich Smetana, listen (at least) to the part which is called Vltava, and when you hear the royal fanfare, it means the river enters Prague under Vyšehrad rock.

River coming to Prague from the South

The I walked around Vyšehrad on the rampart with more views and finally there is the view to the Prague Castle.

The rampart walk with the church at the back

One more river with sport island and little port

Prague Castle and the whole city center in one view

St Peter and Paul’s basilica is wonderful piece of architecture, completely rebuild in puristic Gothic style by Josef Mocker at the end of 19 century. Surprisingly the interior is very colorful and decorated in art nouveau style.

Gallery (click on the picture to enlarge it)

After visiting the church I found myself wandering through the cemetery of famous Czech people, finding the names and tombs which I skip the other times, so lot of them were “new” for me as well. I love the cemetery as there you can learn a lot about our history, about our traditions, about our clever people, inventors, musicians, and others. And it is not only about people who are buried there, but also the tombstones itself are art pieces by popular artists, showing who lies underneath.

Gallery – click on the picture to see the full size

From Vyšehrad I descended to the river to make a picture of the less photographed cubist house and the to Náplavka next to the river, which was empty today but for weekend it changes to be the favorite farmers market place.

Gallery – click on the picture to see the full size

Josef Chochol cubist house under Vyšehrad

Náplavka on Vltava river

Náplavka with sauna on the river

Stairs up to the street

Another post about Vysehrad you can find here.

Other Winter Walks you can find on these links:
1. Letná
2. Vyšehrad
3. Vršovice (1)
4. Vršovice (2)
5. Kampa

The series about Night Walks can be found here:
1. Prague Castle

Winter Walks (1) – Letna

Prague is lovely city also in winter, when the number of tourists slows down (but not that much as expected). It can be freezing but when the sun shines, its nice and almost warm for nice walk. Find some pictures from the winter walk on Letná hill and area, which rises above the river and the Old Town to combine walk in the nature with beautiful views with wandering through the residential area with hipster cafes, pubs, or design places.

Buildings built on bastions of Prague walls

I started my walk at Hradčanská tram stop and walked by the former ramparts around the Prime Minister villa for the views to the river from Hanavský Pavilion.

Hanavský Pavilion was built in 1891 for the Jubilee World Fair, it is cast-iron structure built as a representation pavilion (commercial) for Iron and Steel Company.

The view from here is really beautiful :-),

Vltava river and some of its bridges (Mánes bridge, Charles bridge, …)

… and you even see the Prague Castle behind the Prime Minister villa.

And then I walked in the edge of the hill, enjoying the weather, watching dogs plays, joggers, seniors or mothers with babies walking around, not missing the view of Prague.
One of the most favorite places is also the monument, where the biggest monument of Joseph Stalin used to be, but now metronome and meeting point of young people is.

Metronome on large marble pedestal ( walk down the stairs and find stones from the whole Czech Republic incorporated to the pedestal) and the shoes.

My steps goes to the sporty area, finally I decide not to got to the cafe here but buy a cup at a stand and sit in the beer garden at the Letna Castle with views to the Old Town. The weather is too nice and even it is freezing, there is more people enjoying the sun rays and even cyclists drive by.

Winter cafe at the beer garden at Letná.

More garden in gallery:

After the sunbath I walked around the tunnel ventilation (see picture) between the Technical and Agricultural Museum to the Letohradská street with famous functionalist buildings and finally took a seat in one very famous and photogenic cafe – Cafe Letka for warming with a cup of cappuccino.

Café Letka

Cafe Letka is always full of people.

More cafe in gallery:

And even the weather was nice I decided to slowly finish my tour with some window shopping at the design stores on Letna’s main street (CVRK, Scoro Coco) and old time cafe with delicious sweets (Erhartova Cukrárna).

I didn’t miss the beautiful details on the buildings around me …

…and then I took the tram home.

Tram traffic.

Other Winter Walks you can find on these links:
1. Letná
2. Vyšehrad
3. Vršovice (1)
4. Vršovice (2)
5. Kampa

The series about Night Walks can be found here:
1. Prague Castle