Hey everyone! On our third day here in the Czech Republic, we are picking up where we left off: the Staroměstské Náměstí (Old Town Square)! Please note that today’s progression with the scavenger hunt was drastically lower than yesterdays due to an optional side trip (read below). With an overcast sky, the day started off with another cup of (can you guess it?) Starbucks coffee! Sometimes, you have to embrace Westernization. However, not today! This chilly autumn Monday, we will be taking you through more historical landmarks of Prague! And off we go! ENVELOPE 5: First stop is the Svatého Mikuláše (Saint Nicholas Church), built in the 13th century as a place of worship for local German merchants; it was taken over and turned into a stronghold for Hussitism, but returned to the Catholics in the 1600s. In the 18th century it was rebuilt by Baroque architect Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, who gave todays appearance as the Czechoslovak church (successor to the Hussites). Continuing with the tour (or rather here’s were we left off yesterday), we walked down to the Jewish Quarter. As an optional side trip (that in all honestly took up the majority of our day), we explored the Gothic Staronová Synagoga (the Old-New Synagogue), the Starý Židovský Hřbitov (the Old Jewish Cemetery) which houses 12,000 tombstones ranging in dates from the 15th century, and assorted smaller synagogues. Here marked the home of Rabbi Loew, advisor to Emperor Rudolf II and creator of the Gollum. Legend has it that Gollum was created from the mud of the Vltava, then given life to guard over the Ghetto against Christian persectuors. Similar to Shelley’s Frankenstein, Gollum could only be destroyed by his creator. As old as Old Town, the ghetto became a slum before being abandoned by most of the Jewish inhabitants by the turn of the 15th century. The city planners destroyed the majority of it around that time in order to create the straightest street in all of Prague: Pařížská street. This road now holds expensive shops such as Tiffany’s, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Dior, and other stores that Beci and I could never afford (but girls can dream, right?). ENVELOPE 1: Located right next to the Staroměstská Metro Station, we found the plaque dedicated to Jan Palach. In 1969, at 21 years of age, he poured gasoline on himself in Václavské Náměstí (Wenceslas Square) before setting himself on fire to protest the Warsaw Pact invasion in 1968. His death, as previously mentioned, touched the nation deeply; hundreds of Thousands attended his funeral. Across the street we found the Rudolfinium, also known as the Dům Umělců (House of the Artists). In Neo-Renaissance style, it was build in 1884 and named after Habsburg Crown Prince Rudolf (however, Praguers like to think of it as named after Emperor Rudolf III). Inside, there are expansive exhibition spaces and a 1,200 seat concert hall. Continuing on, we walked south towards Klementinum (at which point we once again detoured from the letters and took a guided tour of the University). The Klementinum was founded in 1556 by the Jesuits as a base for the re-Catholicism of Bohemia. Inside, it included schools, a college, libraries, a theatre, a publishing house, and an obersvatory tower. Today, however, it houses the greatest collection of books in the Czech Republic in several libraries. The entrance is near a Baroque church where it derived it’s name: Lostel Svatého Klimenta (Saint Clements’s Church) which was built in 1715 over a medieval church. Inside these walls we found the Baroque library hall (unfortunately no photos were allowed), which holds mainly philosophy and theology books written at the time in Latin and German. The library was opened to the public in the past but only on Sundays. Inside the Klementinum holds original murals and stucco work, the Mozart Hall, the Mathematical Hall, the Library Hall with original bookcases, painted ceilings, and an amazing row of ancient globes. And don’t forget that on top of everything is the observatory tower (which we were lucky enough to go up – please see following sunset photos) with Hercules carrying the Earth. Our third day here is now at a close, but check in tomorrow for more amazing sights of Prague! -Jen Quote of the post: "People can lose their lives in libraries. They ought to be warned." - Saul Bellow
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