Winter Walks (9) – Žižkov

Another cold day in Prague. I took the bus to visit Žižkov, one of the Prague quarters, just a little (North/West) part of it. In fact I went there to look for shoes :-).

View to Karlin Viaduct (now in reconstruction).

Crossing the border of Žižkov, Military History Institute in Prague: The Army Museum Žižkov in the middle of the picture.

I took a bus, it needs just 5 minutes from city center and I am here at Tachovske náměstí with some street art.

Horses.

Details on the buidling connected with Hussites (and Žižka) history.

Pedestrian tunnel under Vitkov Hill back to Karlin.

I look at the tunnel, but today I am not going there. I am even not going South and Up, where one of the most visible Prague landmarks is, Žižkov Tower, you can read about it in one of my previous posts about Prague towers here.

Žižkov TV Tower.

Another famous landmark of Prague in Žižkov is one of the biggest equestrian statues of Jan Žižka. But today I also wanted to make a picture of another equestrian status, of Jaroslav Hašek. Reading his book of Good Soldier Švejk (happening during the first world war) you can learn about Czech character and sense of humor, we even use the word “švejkovani” (švejking) after the main character, meaning something like: pretending being stupid to get something I want and not to get something I don’t want (like punishment for what I have done or something):-). The statue is quite interesting as well.

Jaroslav Hašek.

My goal is a visit to the shop with men’s fashion (I love them :-)) to look at their new shoes for my husband. I visit the place for the first time and it is quite nice with lot of interesting design supplements. The name of the shop is Gentleman Store.

Gentlema Store Shop.

The next place I really want to visit here is unique cubist Bethlehem chapel hidden at the backyard. The chapel is in use and unfortunately is closed now, as there is not any ceremony at the moment. But even from outside it is nice.

The entrance from the street to the courtyard.

The chapel itself.

Some details of the exterior.

Even today it is really really cold and I just need to go home, therefore I climb up the streets for a tram. During the walk I meet Czech writer Karel Havlíček Borovský in the middle of the square with some of his quotation written on the street.

Karel Havlíček Borovský.

The text bellow:
The honest one suffers from hunger
Thieves are at risk of gallows
The Czech writer has more troubles
He is at risk of hunger and gallows

A poem.

No one there to listen to him. No one wants to freeze :-)-

Empty chairs.

Some of the buildings at Žižkov are uninhabited, empty.

Street art doors.

Another street art piece on the wall.

What’s the time?

And quite new picturesque colorful building.

Studio Pokrok.

Couple of colorful windows.

And finally just under the tram stop, a memorial to Jaroslav Seifert, Czech author, who won Nobel price.

Jaroslav Seifert Memorial.

Winter Walks (8) – just around us

Today it was so cold that I decided to walk only around our place, have a coffee and and back home.

First are the buildings on our street, like the newly reconstructed Lanna palace (sorry, link only in Czech).

Lanna House.

Or Cafe Arco (soory link in Czeck again, but you can read there the list of people who were regulars to the cafe), where Franz Kafka used to come (but not regularly, but would not find the doors opened today, as the cafe is not in use.

Cafe Arco.

Not talking about touristic highlight of the Powder Gate / Tower at the end of the street.

Hybernská street with Powder Tower at the end.

Some other buildings on our street.

Where is also nice Podzemní antikvariát (Underground bookshop) – shop selling old books, print etc.

The entrance to the Underground bookshop.

And at the same building you will find this beautiful “detail”.

Hall? Balcony?

The oldest train station in Prague Masarykovo nádraží, on the opposite side of the street.

Masaryk train station.

My goal today is to visit another one of my favored cafes Kavárna Pražírna Voznice at YMCA palace. At the palace I will also show you something quite unique.

But still we have couple of steps to get there around Hilton Old Town with beautiful mosaic and through the shortcut to Na Poříčí street.

And we are there, at YMCA palace.

The main corridor of YMCA palace.

AND NOW the surprise. YMCA palace is one of the places in Prague where you can see and actually use the pater noster lift. That’ the one with lot of cabins permanently moving around and you jump in and out, when you want to use it. Even more adrenaline you drive at the top (or bottom) of the lift, but be careful as this is forbidden (the sign VYSTUPTE means EXIT NOW).

Find my reportage from the ride bellow, I was playing a little with time-lapse, so please survive my “creativity”.

Or you can just use the stairs in YMCA palace :-).

Up at the palace.

I think I have deserved the delicious cafe then :-).

Kavárna Pražírna Voznice.

Nice filter cafe.

Before you leave its good to use this one (specially when it is so cold outside).

Entrance to the bathroom at YMCA.

Outside from the palace, and you can take tram, subway, go shopping to Palladium or just simply walk home in this cold.

St. Joseph’s Church and monastery.

The list of pater nosters in Prague here (some of them closed = zrušené).

Night Walks (3) – Yards of the Old Town (2)

Lights at the garden.

And now I go on with my walk through the yards of the Old Town, and its after dark. The previous part you can find here. We ended the previous post at Cathedral Cafe, and we are not leaving yet, as its courtyard is really nice as well.

And the next picture is really interesting, look at the white chairs and table, what they are standing at?

Is it a well?

Yes! It is an old well, older then the buildings, so when the buildings and courtyards were built, people just put halves of the well to the different yards. Let’s look at it from the other side.

Much better, what you think :-).

And a little closer look.

No water, but snow.

Courtyards of the Old Town and House by a Stone Bell.

Beautiful blue light at the yards of the Tynska street.

Brick a brack and cafe and private appartments.

House by a Golden Ring, museum that much worth visiting.

House by a Stone Bell stands on the Old Town Square and not long time age it had Renaissance facade. When I watch movies from 1970 and there are shots from this place, I wait to see it in its Renaissance version. But at late 70s they reconstructed the building and gave it the original Gothic appearance by taking down the Renaissance “dress”.

How it looks inside of the Stone Bell yard.

Look up.

And we are at the Old Town Square.

From Old Town Square I went through my favorite spot the Tyn yard to finish the evening at lovely Cafe No.3.

Ungelt (or Tyn).

Cafe no.3.

My espresso.

Cafe no.3 is fortunately (for me) empty at his time of the day and year, as it s cozy but small place with just a few seats and I am happy when I can have a chat with the owners Pierre and Zbyšek about life, taste Zbyšek’s delicious dessert (the pecan one, but others are great to). Sometimes I have just espresso, but mostly I get “štrudl” (hot apple juice with whipped cream and cinnamon), or London fog and white hot wine, that is just great as well.

Winter Walks (7) – Yards of the Old Town (1)

This post can be either in Night Walks or Winter, as I went out at the evening and it was freeezing :-). But still it was very beautiful to visit hidden yards and places just around the Old Town Square. Finally I decided to split the photos to before and after dark. And this post is about the before-sunset one :-).

I was happy to have a chance to visit the premises of the Monastery of Minor Brothers next to the Saint James Church at the Old Town. Its best years were in 14 century, when the weeding dinner of Czech King John of Luxembourg and his bride Elisabeth from Royal Czech Premyslid family (parents of Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV)) took place, next wedding celebration was the one of John and his second wife Beatrix. You can rent this place even now :-).

The refectory / ceremonial hall.

With its beautiful courtyard:

Paradise court of the monastery.

And even better pictures at the gallery:

After the visit of the monastery I have just wandered around the area, where originally meat and fish markets used to be, so the names of the streets will not surprise you – Masná (Meet st) or Rybná (Fish st) – and also the house signs reminds you of this business.

House U Podvinů

From Týnská street is also nice view to the spires of the Church Our Lady in front of the Tyn (Ungelt), or as we call it shortly Tyn or Ungelt, even thought the Tyn (or Ungelt, which is the same but in German and we historically use both names as synonyms) is in fact the courtyard behind the church.

Tyn church.

From Týnská street you can visit hidden courtyards.

Týnská 15.

Take a seat. Or not?

And as the dark is coming, you can also see the ceilings through the windows in enlightened interiors.

Look at the ceiling.

And finally some warming up in my favorite Cathedral Cafe.

Cathedral cafe.

Look through to its courtyard.

Cathedral cafe.

Night Walks (2) – Vysehrad

I hope you had a chance to read a little about my Winter Walk in Vysehrad here, and now I want to share some night photos from the same place.

Religious sign at the Vysehrad area.

Guarded entrance to the rotund of St Martin.

Back view of basilica of St Peter and Paul.

Boats on Vltava river.

Prague Castle on horizon.

Moon above the ramparts.

Entrance to the basilica (closed for night).

Gable above the entrance.

Not the best quality picture of Emauzy monastery and New Town under Vysehrad.

St Apolinar.

One more Castle view.

Down from the ramparts to the entrance gate.

Leaving Vysehrad through the Brick Gate.

CTU’s Rector Inauguration

CTU stands for the Czech Technical University in Prague (in Czech we call it ČVUT) founded 1707 being the oldest non-military technical university in Europe and every forth year it chooses its head. We call him (or her) rector. University has 8 faculties, and their heads are called deans. And when the new rector is elected, there must be some celebration and official inauguration.

The best place for such an occasion is of course the ceremonial hall of CTU, that can be found in quite important and historic building, which is the Bethlehem Chapel. Historically it is known as the oldest reform church, where Jan Hus used to preach (BTW Jan Hus served as rector of the University of Prague, now known as Charles University, in 1402–03).

Bethlehem Chapel.

The entrance hall.

The interior of the chapel is quite pure, just paintings on the walls and Hussite chorals, meanwhile everything is ready for the celebration.

In a moment the chapel is filled with people and with the beginning of the ceremony the “university people” are coming in their wonderful gowns. Members of the scientific board, senators of academic senate, deans in chains and their beadles with wonderful scepters. Invited rectors of other Czech Universities, and finally heads of the faculty senates and the head of the academic senates, behind them the old (emeritus) and new rector.

After speeches the new rector gets the golden chain, it is real gold, being brought from the safe in Czech National Bank just for this occasion.

The head of Academic senate giving the speech…

… and the chain to the new rector.

More speeches are on the scene, newly appointed and elected deans of 4 faculties get their chains, and the ceremony is over. All the people in given order are leaving the space to go the crypt of the chapel (its the same place, where Christmas exhibition took place in December) for refreshment. It lasted a bit more than 2 hours.

University scepter.

And the scepters of 8 faculties:

New rector with student members of Academic senate.

Choco Cafe by A Red Chair.

After the ceremony and refreshment I make some pictures in front of the chapel and the I go to my favorite Choco Cafe. They have wonderful rich chocolate and my favorite is hot peach with mint leaves, but today I take coffee and after I warm up I go for a little walk around the hidden streets of the Old Town.

Used to be a museum of old postcard.

Lot of chocolate.

Night Walks (1) – Prague Castle

With Prague becoming really popular place, it is getting more and more difficult to visit the most famous places and really enjoy it, not to get hurt by someone else selfie stick and have the place for yourself. Therefore the best times to visit are early in the morning or later at the evening. You can find pictures how Prague Castle (and around) looks like after dark.

My beloved street Novy Svet (the New World) at night

And the view from the same place to the other side … yes, Prague Castle from the back

One more old time gas lamp of Prague

Army Church of Saint John of Nepomuk, not available for tourists, (just in case you are lucky and it is opened, peek in :-))

Private entrance at Hradcanske namesti

Don’t miss the Castle behind/under the light

We are getting closer to the Castle.

The main entrance, which serves as an exit only now.

I simple love these Plecnik’s round stairs, I had to make picture even at night.

Already in, entrance to the St Vitus cathedral.

Cathedral entrance detail, yes, the empty spots were never occupied by statues, did we run out of money?

It’s Majesty Cathedral.

And again …

… and again, from back now.

Private bridge from the Royal palace to the Cathedral.

Look at the beauty, from Castle to Little Town with St Nicholas Church dominant.

The Old Castle Stairs (Stare zamecke schody) back to the city.

Winter Walks (4) – Vrsovice (2)

Second part of our Vrsovice freezing walk, first one here.

Balcony in front of Rangherka with view to the church and nice building of saving company.

Our walk went on to the church and the area behind it, as it looks like you went directly from the city to small village with homesteads from 19 century in Botic stream valley, under protection now, but currently not available to go closer or inside.

What’s-behind-the-church gallery

One more street art on new reconstructed building.

Nice glasses :-).

Finally we crossed the border of Vrsovice back to Vinohrady area to visit Havlickovy sady (Havlicek’s Gardens). I have visited these gardens (and vineyards) many times, but always from the Vinohrady side, to visit the popular vineyard gazebo or nice grotta(east part), but never been to the western part until now. Therefore I was nicely surprised by the architecture and views from here.

Garden building with balcony, secret stairs and hidden places.

Details in the gallery:

View to Nusle and Bohdalec.

After the walking on the freeze we needed to warm and have some more hot drinks, and we visited nice Cafe Kavárna Pavilon Grébovka for tea and coffee.

Pavilon Grébovka.

Lovely and sunny, but we decided to sit inside. 🙂

With the coffee we fulfilled our daily plan for walk and drink and took tram home, with enjoying more beautiful buildings around the Gardens.

New York in Prague 🙂 (you must look closer to the sign on the light green building).

U Havlickovych sadu street, beutiful living

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

Vilnius

Please find my photo blog about Vilnius with lots of shots and juste a few words in Czech about Vilnius.

Vilnius, gothic complex of churches so beautiful, that Napoleon wanted to take them home with him

Vilnius is a capital city of Lithuania and it is beautiful baroque city, with cozy atmosphere and nice streets.

Please follow the link here: Vilnius.