Bonjour, tout le monde! So, for those just checking in now, Beci and I are in the splendid capital of the Czech Republic! Prague (or Praha in Czech) holds over 1 million people with another 1 million in the surrounding urban area. The history of Prague goes back all the way to the Paleolithic age (founded around 1306 BCE to be exact). Praha stood as an important city during the Habsburg Monarchy, was the capitol of the Holy Roman Empire, and played important roles in the Protestant Reformation, Thirty Years’ War, and both World Wars. With a broad expanse of history to cover in our 9 days here (I mean just look at those dates again), Beci and I have started this trip with a scavenger hunt! In 16 envelopes, Beci’s uncle (who calls this city home with his wife and children) has given us clues, hints, and directions to lead us across this historical hot spot (otherwise known as Old Town)! With no rules other than to enjoy the adventure and give into any distractions that captivate us, it will take us all over the historical section of the city. How it works: inside each envelope is a question, pieces of information, and the answer (which we have to get right) corresponds to the next step. So, without further adieu, on y va! PRAGUE RALLY START: First stop, Muzuem Metro Station! At the top landing, near the exit to Václavské Náměstí (Wenceslas Square), we kick-started this scavenger hunt with the memorial of Vladimir List and Bohumil Belada, otherwise known as the first people to lay the foundation of Prague’s metro system in 1926. ENVELOPE 14: Outside of the station, Beci and I found ourselves in front of the Národní Muzeum (the National Museum). As the first national landmark of this trip, we can honestly admit there may have been some historian fan-girling... Second only to the Národní Divadlo (the National Theatre) as a symbol of 19th Century Czech revival, the museum was commissioned in 1818 by Count Kašpar Šternberk in a vacant lot left by a demolished old horse gate. In 1968, a Soviet gunman unleased a round of machine-gun fire onto the building due to a backfired car, which has left traces of his panic on the front columns even today. In front of the museum, good King Wenceslas (the country’s patron saint) sits atop his bronze destrier. A masterpiece made by Josef Václav Myslbek (1848-1922), the greatest Czech sculptor of his age, it was unveiled in 1912 after 25 years of work. **Please note the Pumpkin Spice Latte in the photo. Due to withdrawal from North American coffee (namely Tim Hortons, Blenz, and Starbucks), the discovery of a Starbucks outside the metro station left two Canadians very happy this Sunday morning. ENVELOPE 2: After turning away from the National Museum, we made our way down the square to Koruna Place (named inspired by its golden crown design which can be seen in the photo above). Originally a horse market, Václavské Náměstí (Wenceslas Square) has been marked throughout history as a favourite meeting point for the Czech people. For example, in 1848 during the riots and near-revolution, thousands gathered to attend a “Slavonic Mass”; and on October 28, 2918, they declared the very first Czechoslovak Republic at the base of St. Wenceslas’ Statue. Down the hill from the statue, a shrine to a Jan Palach (a Czech student) and other victims of Communism has been institutionalised. Palach protested the Soviet occupation by setting himself on fire in 1969. His death 4 days later brought out even more confident protests that culminated in the Velvet Revolution and subsequent withdrawal from the Soviets. In 1998, an Olympic gold medal in the Nagano games brought fans out for a huge celebration in Wenceslas’ Square. Needless to say, we have found the place pour une fête in Prague! **Fun fact: the entire lower part of the square is hollow and holds an underground concourse. ENVELOPE 4: At Můstek (Little Bridge) Metro Station, on the first underground platform, we found remains of the medieval bridge that crossed the moat in front of the Old Town walls. These remnants displayed on the wall were buried for centuries and only discovered when the building of the metro began in 1970. The Little Bridge was built during the 15th stoleti (century), and the fortress walls themselves were built in the 13th stoleti. ENVELOPE 13: Next stop, we followed Rytířská road to the Ovocný Trh (the Old Fruit Market) which is now the resting place of the Stavovské Divadlo (the Estates Theatre). A Neo-Classical building, this theatre will forever be associated with Mozart due to his premiere of “Don Giovanni” four years after the building's opening in 1783. He returned three more times and famously declared, “My Praguers understand me.” On the left side of the Stavovské Divadlo lies the gothic oriel window (pictured above) on the adjacent building. This window once belonged to the original structure of the Karolinum, the first university of Central Europe. Founded and named after Charles IV ( First King of Bohemia, as well as the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire), the unvierstity was established in 1348 **Fun fact: the same year as the Black Death. However, not much is left of the Karolinum’s original medieval structure other than the oriel window and various arches. In the 18th century it was remodeled and after partial destruction during 1945 from street fighting, it was thoroughly restored to it’s current state. ENVELOPE 7: Here, we followed our clues through to the Na Příkopě (On the Moat street, named for its location as part of the Old Town’s defences), where we found the blackened Gothic Prašná Brána (Powder Tower). Joined by a bridge to Obecní Dům (the Municipal House), the Prašná Brána was built in the late 15th century to honour King Vadislav II Kagiello during his coronation. It replaced an older tower (one of 13) that once stood sentential over Old Town. After the Royal Palace next door turned into housing unit for soldiers, the Prašná Brána became a gunpowder store. Obecní Dům, originally the Old Royal Palace, fell into decay when the Habsburgs chose to confine their coronation ceremonies to Vienna. A perfect example of the Czech Succession Style, it was built in the early years of the 21st century to provide an array of cultural facilities that range from grandiose halls, reception rooms, dining rooms, and more; the building holds onto the feeling of royalty. **Fun fact: on October 28th, 1918, the first Czechoslovak Republic was established here. ENVELOPE 3: Inside the Staroměstské Náměstí (Old Town Square), the cobblestones and history collide with a variety of attractions. Firstly, the Orloj (Astrological Clock), or otherwise known Horologium, which shows time in almost all measurements (Central European, the Old Czech, Babylonican, Celestial, relative position of the Sun and Moon to stars, times of sunrise and sunset, times of moonrise and moonset, eclipses, summer and winter equinoxes, solstices, and the phases of the Moon). Of course, you can also read the day, month, and year (because why not, right?). At every hour (on the hour) it announces the time with a show (as only such a clock could): death followed by saints and the saviour, then others religious personas enter the scene, all ending with the rooster’s crowing. The clock was created in 1410 and the machinery perfected in the 1550s. ENVELOPE 12: The Staroměstské Náměstí (Old Town Square) began as a medieval marketplace - a function that gradually decreased over time as its civic importance in the area increased after the construction of the Town Hall. During 1989, the year of the Velvet Revolution, the square returned to its ancient market role. However, on a darker note, over the centuries the square operated as the main area of executions. In 1422, a group of Hussites lost their heads, and, in 1621, 27 protestants were executed. To mark this moment, exactly 27 crosses were built into the stonework in their memory. At this point in the day, the sunlight had begun to fade and the promise of dinner sounded mighty promising. SO, that’s it for today’s adventures, folks! A brilliant introduction to this enchanting city, we cannot wait to see what Prague (and this scavenger hunt) has in store for us tomorrow! - Jen Quote of the post: "Prague isn’t just a city, but an entity of some kind." - Sezin Koehler
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