This past weekend (July 21-23) I went to Prague.
I took a train to Nuremberg, then a bus to Prague from there. I had about an hour and a half before my bus, so I walked around Nuremberg while I waited. I made a similar side trip on my way home to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. More on that later. The old town part of Nuremberg (where the coolest stuff is) is pretty small because it used to be walled, so it is all within the former walls, so I was able to get from the train station (one end) to the castle (the other end) and back and still be on time for my bus.
One of the towers from the former wall. Konigstor. |
Train station |
Walking along Konigstrasse brings you to the first of the cool churches, St. Lorenz.
This fountain has to be the weirdest thing ever. Even worse than the statue of the peeing boy in Brussels.
Then you walk further and get to the Market Square, where the next cool church is. Frauenkirche.
The castle. I didn't have time to go in, but I saw the courtyard, it was pretty cool.
Later that evening I got to Prague, and it is a beautiful city. So many cool buildings and bridges and churches and a river...and all that. And this time I was able to book a room on a Boat Hotel - a Botel!! it was pretty cool.
Even the train station looks cool.
Those spires in the background are from the castle. Actually, from the full-sized cathedral inside the castle walls. but yeah, it looks cool in the sunset.
There's my hotel! Haha, just kidding.
That's my hotel!
The room is a bit small, but I didn't need much room, so it was cool. the bathroom though was bigger than some I've had in "normal" hotels.
This building is called "The Dancing house" or "Fred and Ginger" because it was modeled after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. And it was right across from my botel. And there is a bar at the top :)
In the daylight. You can see Fred and Ginger.
St. Charles Bridge from a distance
bridge gate
There are 32 statues of saints on this bridge.
There is the castle again
the Vltava River
Are those lions or dogs?
St. Nicholas Church
Petrin Park, you can see Petrin Tower
The view from the hill
The entrance to the castle. I'm sure it looks really cool when it isn't being restored.
I think you could probably spend all day in the castle if you wanted to. there are several different exhibits. There is an A ticket, which includes 8 exhibits, and a B ticket, which only includes 4, and several other exhibits you can pay to see separately. I bought the B ticket only because I only had 1 full day in Prague and couldn't spend it all at the castle. You have to pay for permission to take pictures, but it is only 50 crowns, which is about what I paid for a beer the night before. There are a few exhibits where you still can't take pictures, but none of them were on the B ticket.
St. Vitus Cathedral
Since I had to pay to take pictures, you know I took a million. But this was a beautiful cathedral, with several stained glass windows.
The outside looked great too.
Part of the "old palace"
View from the terrace
Crown
The back of the cathedral
St. George's Basilica
"The Golden alley" - where apparently all the smiths and special craftsmen lived
Cool armor
Do any other Dr. Who fans think of a dalek when they see this?
Then I crossed the river again to Old Town. First I walked around the Jewish Quarter.
Maisel Synagogue
Old New Synagogue
Ceremony Hall
Klausen Synagogue
Then off to the Old Town Square
Church of Our Lady Before Tyn
National Gallery
Town Hall
Church of St. Mikulas
These guys were playing some awesome music that kind of reminded me of the Game of Thrones theme song
The Astronomical Clock on the side of the Town Hall
I did not go in, but I did enjoy the decorations
Then I went to one of two breweries the hotel receptionist recommended, U Medvidku.
Then off to Vyserhad, which used to be a fortress.
Tabor Tower
The church in the fortress
Wenceslas Square, because of the giant statue of St. Wenceslas
And it is right in front of a big museum
Then to St. Henry's Tower, a belfry tower for the church next door
They renovated it several years ago, and now it has an outlook on the top floor, a restaurant, a gallery, a whisky cafe, an exhibit about the history of the tower, and an exhibit about all the towers in Prague
Views from the top
Bells
a model of the tower
models of towers layed out on a map of Prague
over 100 towers and spires in Prague!
The Powder Tower. I don't know why it's called that.
Opera house/theatre
The back of the tower
Another recommended brewery, U Fleku, the oldest in Prague (or so I was told). They only have one beer, but it was pretty good. They also had a good mead.
The next morning I walked to Letna Park before heading back.
One last shot of Fred and Ginger before leaving
Now that's what I call a Botel!
Stairs up to the park
"The pendulum"
The guy at my hotel said there was a spot up here where you can see the five major bridges at once. I don't think I found the spot he was talking about, but this shot here made me pretty happy.
Letna Park
Good bye beautiful Prague!
So on the way back, I decided to take the long way home and stop in Rothenberg ob der Tauber, which was highly recommended by my husband. Unfortunately I again only had like an hour and a half (unless I wanted to get home around midnight), so I wish I had had more time, but it was still good to see it. Like many cities in medieval times, it was walled for protection, but unlike many modern cities, it is still walled. But now for tourism. but it is pretty cool.
First gate
Second gate and tower
wall
inner wall
the main square
Rathaus
Church
Monastery garden
Another gate and tower along the wall
I walked along the wall for a section of it
View from the top
So after a whirlwind trip, I finally headed home.
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