Weekly Photo Challenge: Favorite Place

It was quite difficult to chose my favorite place for Weekly Photo Challenge, as I love almost every place I had a chance to visit, but finally I decided for one that really touched my heart.

I was there in October 2015 for the first time and I have been there for 4 weeks, not surprisingly I have chosen the place also for our holiday in summer 2017. Where is it? It is just a little suburb of Brighton in the UK called Shoreham-by-Sea.

In the first gallery pictures from early autumn morning walks to school around River Adur with typical houseboat colony.

I also got a chance to find nice friends in Shoreham / Lancing and it is also thank to them that I love the place so much.

Lake view.

For our visit in summer 2017 we found an accommodation right in the river in a houseboat in a shape of firetruck. The stay there was really pleasant and I fell in love with the place even more.

Beautiful view from the boat across the river to the city center during the day.

Shoreham over Adur.

And at night.

Nightview.

The Shoreham Fort at the mouth of the river.

Fort.

Gallery

And my try to get the city atmosphere on a picture.

Watercolor Shoreham by me.

Palace Gardens – Prague Castle Hill

Let’s start this talk at the place, where we ended the previous one. At the south flank of Prague Castle hill.

Castle Gardens descending from the Castle hill

Winter overall view to Gardens

In the history this place has mainly defense character, the fortress system there was established around 1241. At the beginning of 15th century the defense function at this place lost its importancy, the place was sold by municipality to nobles and rich burghers.  Sinister elements were hiding at cabins standing at small gardens for some time.

Kolowrat Gardens

But later the small gardens and vinyards were joined to bigger complex, so at 1580 was big Fürstenberk Garden founded, soon garden behind Pallfy Palace followed and the last surviving vinyards were changed to garden at Ledeburg palace in 1624. The gardens were in italian Renaissance style, built for joy and distraction.

Top of the Small Fürstenberg Garden in Fall

Same place in winter, St. Nicholas Church in lesser Town Square in the back

At the end of Thirty Years War 1648 were spoiled by Swedich Army adn after that rebuilt again, but now in rich and decorative Baroque style, as was asked to show the status of ich and powerfull noble or burgher owners.

View from the bottom of Ledeburgh Garden

Balustrade terasses were decorated with sculptures, monumantal stairs, fountains and waterwors sweetened the specially during summer time.

Triton Fountain in Big Palffy Garden

We can still find there sala terrena in renaissance style, galerries, pavillons. From high-pitched stairs we can admire magis views to Lesser Town and Old Town with other Prague quarters on the horizon.

Nice view and relaxing zone at the top of Small Palffy Garden

The gardens system now consist of Ledeburg, Small and Big Palffy, Kolowrat and Fürstenberg gardens.

Parter of Ledeburg Garden in winter

Sala Terrena at Parter of Ledeburg Garden with small Christmas tree

And Ledeburg Parter once again, this time in autumn

Gardens are opened for Spring, Summer and Autumn, but from November to March they are closed. Few years ago I had a chance to visit the Gardens during Advent time, they were covered with snow and it was really perfect atmosphere there.

Ledeburg Garden in fall …

… and in winter

And now enjoy some stills from gardens.

Hidden corner at Big Palffy Garden

Stairs and alcove at Fürstenberg Garden

Top of the Fürstenberg Garden (ticket office)

Small gate between Kolowrat and Fürstenberg Gardens

Pink flowers at the bottom entrance to Gardens (Kolowrat Garden)

A view from the bottom entrance again

Autumn Airing in Prague

I love fall, I love all the colors around, and as the weather is beautiful this October in Prague, I want to take you for a small walk with special emphasis to views and trees and autumn colors. It won’t be really long, we will start at Strahov Monastery and end our tour around Prague Castle Gardens, but I hope you will enjoy it.

I love Strahov Monastery and the view to Prague from there, also the beer Norbert in small brewery is perfect.

Strahov Premonstratensians Monastery yard, side of the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, golden rail with golden leaves

View from Strahov to north.

Prague Castle on the left, small green spires right from the center belong to CHurch of St. Nicholas, famous baroque church, Monastery of Karel Boromejsky down right

South direction.

St. Nicholas again and beautiful garden on Petrin hill, dressed in autumn colors

Our trip follows down by the Uvoz street with baroque buildings on the left and Boromejsky Monastery Gardens on the right, with Petrin Hill on background.

Leaves on former wine house in Uvoz street

Deatils of Uvoz street

Street with rowanberries

Gas lamp

Where Uvoz meets Neruda street, we go up to the castle gardens, with a look to red roofs of Lesser Town.

Typical Lesser Town red roofs and Petrin hillside

South castle gardens are closed in winter, but now we still have a chance to enjoy green, yellow and red colors of trees there together with the milky view to Prague roofs and spires.

Church of Our Lady Victorious with Baby Infant Jesus in the middle

Garden Na Valech, just bellow the Castle, and the nicest autumn views from there.

Royal Palace, Ludwig’s wing behind the leaves

Old Town and Zizkov at the background

Small vinyard and nice place to live

I hope you liked our small tour around the Prague Castle and enjoy the autumn colors at your neighborhood, they can remind you our walk and hopefully bring you to Prague to see it on your own eyes.

View Down to South Prague Castle Gardens