St. Vitus Cathedral was beautifully filled with light with wonderful side chapels and the tombs of St. Vitus and St. Wenceslaus.
Post-Tour Day 3: Josefov and the Medieval Museum
Close up of names on the walls of Pinkas Synagogue.
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Exploring Josefov With my masters degree having to do with the Holocaust seeing Josefov was a must do while in Prague. I had our tickets in hand so we started at the Pinkas Synagogue as soon as it opened. With the names written on the walls and being read aloud it is a very emotional place. Right next to it is the Old Cemetery, which is very evocative and along with Pinkas a must see Jewish site. We then headed through the Ceremonial Hall and Klausen Synagogue, the Old-New Synagogue, and Maisel Synagogue before lunch. The sites of the Jewish Quarter are so well intact because during WWII the Nazis intended it to be their 'Museum of the Extinct Jewish Race,' so they didn't destroy the synagogues and other buildings.
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I found the Pinkas Synagogue with its' names both on the walls and being read aloud, as well as the topsy-turvy headstones of the 85,000 and 12 layers deep burials of the neighboring cemetery, to be very evocative and emotionally compelling.
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St. Nicholas Church
The Spanish Synagogue
After lunch we headed to the Spanish, or Moorish, style synagogue which was built in the 2nd half of the 1800's when Jews were granted full rights within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and is typical in its' size and ornateness for the prosperity the Jewish community then enjoyed. This synagogue housed a Reform congregation, which worshiped in a more modern way. The interior is fabulously beautiful with intricate designs of stars and vines and every inch is covered in red, gold and green. Displays to peruse include Jewish history from the 18th century to today. This synagogue is really ornate, so make sure to take the time to notice all the amazing detail!
Close up of the Resurrection section of the Vyssi Brod Altarpiece, Prague, 1350.
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The Medieval MuseumThe Museum of Medieval Art in Bohemia and Central Europe is housed at the former Convent of St. Agnes where you can view both the art and the convent. They demonstrate how finely executed the art of the medieval world was and include altar pieces and religious art focusing on Mary, Christ, and the saints. The Convent of St. Agnes was built in 1211 by Princess Agnes as a branch of the Poor Clares. It flourished for 150 years until anti-Catholic sentiment came with Jan Hus and the nuns had to flee. It was one of the first Gothic buildings in Bohemia and today is the oldest Gothic building in Bohemia. This museum was delightfully empty, though I don't feel it should have been. It definitely deserves a visit when in Prague.
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Post-Tour Day 4: Prague's Castle Complex
Charles Bridge and St. Vitus CathedralCharles Bridge is an icon of Prague and connects the two halves of the city across the Vltava River and is lined with statues of Czech saints. It is busy day and night with buskers, vendors, tourists, musicians etc... We used it to cross to the Prague Castle complex enjoying its' offerings along the way. St. Vitus Cathedral is the Czech national church and is where royalty was crowned and have their tombs, saints are revered and the crown jewels reside. A church has stood on this spot since A.D. 930. The Cathedral is a very popular visitor's spot. Be prepared for the crowds, take your time, and enjoy this beautiful house of worship.
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Old Royal Palace, Basilica of St. George, and the Golden Lane
The Palace has been the seat of the Bohemian princes since the 9th century, and its' highlight is Vladislav Hall. The hall is 200 feet long and would have served many purposes including the electing of the king, and most recently the Czech Parliament in the 1990's. The Basilica of St. George is one of the oldest buildings in Prague Castle, the best preserved Romanesque Church in Prague, and the burial place of Czech royalty. The Golden Lane would have originally housed castle servants and was occupied until WWII. They now contain displays on days gone by and its' various occupants, which included Franz Kafka.
Organ and Soprano Concert - St. Nicholas on the Little Quarter SquareWe all love music and this was to be the last of the concerts we went to during our time in Europe. This one was very different from the others - an organ concert with a soprano accompanying. You just sat wherever you wanted in the pews and they started the concert on time in the balcony above. Hearing the organ in the church it was intended to be heard in was absolutely beautiful, and the interior was amazing to look at! We were treated to Concerto in D Major, Concerto in A minor, Ave Maria, and Handel's Messiah among many others. It was a wonderful end to our amazing adventures!
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These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things!
My favorite things in Prague were seeing all of Josefov including most of the synagogues and the cemetery, wandering the city for night photography, seeing the tomb of St. Wenceslas at St. Vitus Cathedral, and going to two wonderful concerts.