Birthday Celebration in Eastern Europe

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Sunday, 11 September 2016 - Woke early to photograph Prague in the morning light, walked across Charles Bridge capturing statues and views of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, explored the empty Old Town Square and its historic Old Town Hall with its astronomical clock, learned about the clock's history and the restoration after World War II, visited St. Nicholas Church in Lesser Town, saw the pedestrian bridge and the site of St. John of Nepomuk's martyrdom, and discovered a hidden garden and photography exhibit of Steve McCurry inside the Church and Monastery of Our Lady of the Snows.

easterneurope2016 — Up early to capture Prauge in the early morning light. A walk across the Charles bridge gave me a chance to photograph the statues along the bridge.

This is Saint John the Baptist holding a golden cross and pointing the way down the Kings Road with the Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral in the background.

easterneurope2016 — The normally busy streets of Prague are empty in the early morning - seems Czechs and tourists like sleeping in.

I was headed toward the Old Town Square before all the tourists awakened.

easterneurope2016 — Once at the Old town Square there was plenty to see - and no people!!

The Old Town Hall is a unique building which is comprised of several structures over time. The original start was in 1338 with the clock tower being added in 1364. The last house was joined in 1879. So still pretty old.

easterneurope2016 — In 1835 the Old Town Hall was extended by the addition of a fourth house - "the Cock house". The clock itself was built in 1410 and still works making it the oldest astronomical clock still operating.

The clock is composed of three main components: the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; "The Walk of the Apostles", a clockwork hourly show of figures of the Apostles; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months.

easterneurope2016 — We stood around with all the other tourists to watch the clock strike and the Apostles marching around the little doors at the top of the clock.

easterneurope2016 — The clock suffered heavy damage on May 7-8, 1945, during the Prague Uprising, when the Germans fired on the Old Town Square from several armoured vehicles in an unsuccessful attempt to destroy one of the centers of the uprising. The hall and nearby buildings burned along with the wooden sculptures on the clock and the calendar dial face. The machinery was repaired, the wooden Apostles restored, and the clock started working again in 1948.

easterneurope2016 — St. Nicholas Church is also on the Old Town Square and was completed in 1735 The church replaced a parish church mentioned in records dating back to 1273 which was also dedicated to Saint Nicholas.

easterneurope2016 — The bridge tower in the old town side of Charles Bridge is this gothic tower built in 1373 as a gate and watch tower for the city. The tower was part of a fortification built around Old Town to protect it from invaders.

Over the years this historic Tower held the heads of Protestant leaders executed in Old Town Square in 1621 and was also the site of the last conflict of the Thirty Years War in 1648.

easterneurope2016 — The morning light on the Liechtenstein Palace - a very photogenic building from the Charles Bridge.

easterneurope2016 — This is a man made stream dug to power mills many years ago. It creates an island called Kampa which is on the right bank in this picture. The mill stream is called the Devil's Stream.

easterneurope2016 — The tower on the Charles Bridge at the Little Side of the river. The end to the Old Town is the Upper Side and the side where our hotel was located is the Little Side (or Lessor Side). There are towers on each side to protect the bridge and town.

easterneurope2016 — The Church of Saint Nicholas in the Little Side or Lesser Town of Prague. This church was on the main square of Lesser Town which was the main square we walked through from the hotel. The Lesser Town was created by the King so it was an area with big homes - now many are embassies and the area is very upscale.

The church was built from 1704-1755 on the site where formerly a Gothic church from the 13th century stood, which was also dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Much like the church with the same name in the Old Town.

easterneurope2016 — Statues on top of the Saint Nicholas church.

During the communist era the church tower was used as an observatory for State Security since from the tower it was possible to keep watch on the American and Yugoslav embassies respectively and the access route to the West German embassy.

easterneurope2016 — A pedestrian bridge between two buildings in Lesser Town - just down from our hotel.

easterneurope2016 — This spot commemorates the martyrdom of St. John of Nepomuk. When he hit the water 5 stars appeared. He was martyred because he would not reveal to the king the confessions from the queen.

This is the exact point where the priest was thrown in the water in the year 1383. Legend has it that stars appeared when he touched the water.

easterneurope2016 — This is one of many statues along the Charles Bridge - The Crucifix and Calvary. There has been a crucifix at this spot on the Charles Bridge since 1361. The early ones were wooden and then metal. The current statue was erected in the 1600s - and has been modified over the years.

easterneurope2016 — After climbing the Old Town tower of the Charles Bridge there was a great view of the activity on the bridge and the hill dominating the town of Prague topped by the palace and the great cathedral.

easterneurope2016 — The view from the Bridge Tower looking across the Vltava River and the Manes Bridge

The building in the upper left serves as the residence of the Prime Minister for the Czech Republic.

easterneurope2016 — From the Old Town tower looking toward the old part of Prague you can see why the town is called the "City of Hundred Spires". This number was based on a count by an 1800's mathematician, today's count is estimated by Prague Information Service at 500.

easterneurope2016 — Also From the Old Town Tower you get a great view of St. Vitus Cathedral

easterneurope2016 — Thanks to Rick Steves we discovered a small garden and a church set back from the main roads - a secret garden in the middle of bustling Prague. The Church and Monastery of Our Lady of the Snows in Prague established by Emperor Charles IV in the mid-14th century.

Due to the detour to the Secret Garden we also stumbled into a photography exhibit of Steve McCurry a very good National Geographic photographer. The show was in the monastery.

easterneurope2016 — The interior of the Church of Our Lady of the Snows

easterneurope2016 — After lunch we hiked over 200 stairs to the top of the hill to tour the palace and cathedral. It would take several days to explore all the buildings as it is the largest ancient castle in the world - 18 acres within the walls.

There are huge statues at the Palace gates.

easterneurope2016 — A side plaza to the Place

The Palace is the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic.

easterneurope2016 — St. Vitus Cathedral the present-day Gothic Cathedral was founded on 21 November 1344, when the Prague received an archbishop posting.

It was not finished for several hundred years and was finally completed in 1920.

easterneurope2016 — Sunlight through the stainless makes a colorful pattern on the cathedral columns.

easterneurope2016 — This is an interesting painting which incorporates a statue right into the scene.

The cathedral had many chapels but its most popular one is St. Wenceslas Chapel which is dedicated to the country's patron saint. This chapel was built during the 14th century and is above St. Wenceslas' tomb. The wall frescoes show biblical scenes and St. Wenceslas' life.

easterneurope2016 — A Baroque organ in the northern wing of transept.

easterneurope2016 — Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk outside the cathedral. Saint John of Nepomuk was the priest thrown into the river because he would not revel the queen's secret confession.

easterneurope2016 — The flying buttresses of the cathedral

easterneurope2016 — We visited friend's (Jason Wong) home who lived in an apartment near the Zizkov Television Tower. The tower is a unique transmitter tower built in Prague between 1985 and 1992.

The lower three pods, approximately half-way up the length of the pillars at 207 feet, house a restaurant and cafe bar.

easterneurope2016 — In 2000, sculptures were attached by Czech artist David Cerny of babies crawling up and down to the tower's pillars.

easterneurope2016 — It was 9/11 this evening and at night the radio tower was lit up in red, white, and blue. Of course the Czech Republic also shares red, white, and blue as their flag's colors

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