Day 6 – PRAGUE | DADart Photography

Our last full day in Prague began a bit wet and overcast.

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Also rather gloomy, we often walked past this bit of bronze art near our hotel. It sits adjacent to the historic Stavovske Divadlo (Estates Theatre) and is one of several similar “Cloak of Conscience” sculptures by Anna Chromy (influenced largely by Salvador Dali). This particular sculpture was commissioned in remembrance of the performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the theatre in 1787.

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Even with overcast weather, looking up is rewarded with views of the amazing rooftops and spires of Prague.

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What better activity for a gloomy morning then to visit the cemetery… The Old Jewish cemetery is the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in Europe with the first burial in 1439. Active for over 400 years it served ‘the ghetto’ to bury about 200,000 Jews. To make room in very little space, they buried in layers; in places as many as twelve layers deep. Only 12,000 tombstones remain today. It is hard to imagine this is only a small percentage of the actual number buried here. The history of Jews in Prague is sad and unsettling. Adjacent to the cemetery is the Jewish Museum created in 1906 to preserve art and artifacts from synagogues being torn down due to renovations in the Jewish quarter. Ironically, during Nazi occupation in 1939, while the entire ‘ghetto’ was being exterminated, the Nazi’s decided not to demolish the museum but to use it as a “Museum of an Extinct/Vanished Race”. There were 92,000 Jews living in Prague at the beginning of WW-II, about 20% of the city’s population. More than 2/3 of them died in the Holocaust, including Franz Kafka’s three sisters.

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I don’t remember what building this was on but thought it was nice ornamentation. Would make a good underarm deodorant commercial too…

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Just a cool ornamental street lamp fixture somewhere near the Old Jewish Quarter.

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Odd bronze sculpture near the entrance to the Spanish Synagogue. The sculpture was unveiled in 2003 and features Franz Kafka sitting astride a walking headless person. Inspired by Franz Kafka’s story “Description of a Struggle”…

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Spanish Synagogue 1868 is decorated with Moorish and Islamic designs. Absolutely breathtaking detail!

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John Huss Statue in front of Our Lady of Tyn Cathedral (or Jan Hus – Czech) he preached at Tyn before being condemned and burned at the stake. Jan Hus Day is still celebrated as a public holiday in the Czech Republic on every July 6, the anniversary of his martyrdom in 1415.

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We took a short bus tour which took us on a whirlwind visit to other points of interest in Prague. The Art nouveau architecture at the Municipal House and in old hotels was especially evident.

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“Fred and Ginger House” or “Dancing House” by Architect Frank Gehry. Completed in 1996 for what is now known as ING Bank. Concept of Static/Dynamic, Yin/Yang, intended to symbolize transition from Communism to Democracy. Built on a small piece of ground that had laid dormant since a house on the site was destroyed by US Bombing of Prague in 1945. There are lots of better photos out there (that weren’t shot through a bus window).

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The bus tour began and ended adjacent to St. Nicholas Church (1737-Baroque) which now belongs to The Czechoslovak Hussite Church. The church features an immense crystal light fixture hanging from the central dome.

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Amazing stained glass

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And, an amazing door pull handle…

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After wandering in the church awhile we headed toward The Powder Gate which we had seen on the bus tour and not realized how close it was. This unique sign caught my attention on the way.

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The Powder Gate. Begun in 1475 as one of 13 gates into Old Town sits astride Celetna Street, one of the oldest streets in Prague, and leads directly into Old Town Square. Everything around it has since been replaced so it looks rather out-of-place (but cool). It got its name during period of time gun power was stored in the tower.

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Municipal House is an Art Nuevo civic landmark completed in 1912 and containing Prague’s concert hall for the Prague Royal Orchestra. Following are some of the Art Nuevo stained glass, and detailing.

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Finishing out our visit to Prague we went back to the Old Town Hall Clock Tower expecting to brave the stairs to the top. To our pleasant surprise there was an elevator… excellent.

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View of the Powder Gate from the top of the Tower shows how newer development all around it has left it standing proudly as a testament to older (and more permanent) construction.

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