Wenceslas Square - Prague

The Czech name for Wenceslas is Vaclav.  

The Czech name for Wenceslas Square is Vaclavske Namesti.

Wenceslas Square was named in 1848 in honor of St. Wenceslas (also known as Good King Wenceslas), the patron saint of Bohemia.  During Medieval times, beginning in 1348, this area had been a horse market.

Looking up Wenceslas Square, which is actually

more of a boulevard than a square.

There is always some sort of exhibit in the center of the Wenceslas Square.

Pam is enjoying this blanket of yellow tulips.

Tulips and pansies

Artistic arrangements draw pedestrians up the six block walk to the National Museum at the top of Wenceslas Square.

Pansies

The current beauty of Wenceslas Square is deceiving.

This small marker honors two young men who burned themselves to death in protest of the Soviet invasion of Prague in 1968
(commonly referred to as Prague Spring).

Jan Palach set himself on fire at the top of Wenceslas Square in front of the National Museum on Jan. 16, 1969.  He died three days later after issuing a statement that he set himself on fire to protest the Soviet occupation.

One month later Jan Zajic became the second member of a small suicide pact.  The members of this pact promised to give their lives in protest of Communism.

Grand Hotel Europa
Built in 1905
Wenceslas Square is lined with stunningly beautiful buildings.

At the top of Wenceslas Square is a bronze equestrian statue of Good King Wenceslas (built in 1912).

Equestrian statues tell how the rider died.
If both of the horse's front legs are in the air, the rider died in battle.
If one leg is raised, the rider died from injuries received in the line of duty.
If all four legs are on the ground, the rider died of natural causes.
Good King Wenceslas was murdered by his brother.

Wenceslas was the second ruler of Bohemia.
He became king in 922 at the age of 15.
In 929, on his way to mass, King Wenceslas was murdered at the church door by his younger brother Boleslav.
The remains of St. Wenceslas are entombed in St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle.

Behind Wenceslas, you can see the cupola of the National Museum.

Vantage point from St. Wenceslas equestrian statue,
looking down Wenceslas Square.

The statue of St. Wenceslas has always been a gathering place.

National Museum
Top of Wenceslas Square
Completed in 1890

Radio Free Europe (until 2009)
Next to National Museum

View of Wenceslas Square from the National Museum

Fountain in front of the National Museum

Memorial to Jan Palach in front of the fountain

Twenty years after the death of Jan Palach,
Wenceslas Square was the centerpiece of the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
One of the largest demonstrations during those November days drew an estimated crowd of 250,000 Czech citizens.
The Soviet occupation, which had begun in 1948, was finally over.

Jeannette

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is the largest medieval complex in Europe.

 St. Vitus Cathedral is the centerpiece. 
The lower buildings are the castle city complex.
The two small spires to the right belong to St. George's Basilica.

The entrance to the castle contains three courtyards.
Seen here are the offices of the President of the Czech Republic (currently Vaclav Klaus).

Two titans guard the entrance to the first courtyard. Note the two guard houses below.

The guard's uniforms were designed by the same person who designed costumes for "Amadeus," which was filmed in Prague.

First inner courtyard.
Note cage in distant background.

Rumor has it that criminals were placed in this cage for public taunting.

St. Vitus Cathedral rose window.

This cathedral took 1000 years to build from 929 - 1929.

Detail above one of the entrances to St. Vitus Cathedral.

One of three main entrances to St. Vitus.

Above the alter, this is called the "choir" in St. Vitus Cathedral.

The walls of St. Wenceslas Chapel are covered in precious jewels and fine art.

The tomb of St. Jan Nepomuk is made of silver, which was for a while more precious than gold.

There are always five stars above the head of St. Nepomuk.
He was thrown over the Charles Bridge and drowned in the Vltava River.
Then five stars appeared over the place where he drowned, and the people who killed him realized that they had mistakenly murdered a saint.

Many cultures honor the metaphorical legend of St. George (Svaty Jiri) slaying the dragon.

This statue is in the inner courtyard next to St. Vitus Cathedral.

The obelisk in the background was constructed by the builder who finally completed St. Vitus Cathedral in 1929.

Close up of the dragon.

St. George and the dragon.

Basilica of St. George (behind St. Vitus Cathedral)

Detail above side door to St. George's Basilica

Side door of St. Vitus.

Note gold decorations.

Golden zodiac signs decorate the side doors of St. Vitus.

Tulips grow along the side of St. George's Basilica.

Tulips were grown in the Kingdom of Bohemia before they were grown in Holland.

Back of St. Vitus Cathedral

Toy Museum on the castle grounds

Tomas Garygue Masaryk

First president of Czechoslovakia, which became a country in 1918.

Castle guards

View of Prague from the castle

There is so much more, but these are some of the highlights.

Jeannette

Old Jewish Cemetery - Prague

 Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov (Jewish Quarter in Prague) was created in the 15th century when Jews were forbidden to bury their dead outside their own district.

This ceremonial building was used to prepare bodies for burial.

Space was scarce in the Old Jewish Cemetery, so bodies were buried on top of each other.  Historians estimate that the graves are layered up to 12 deep.  Over the centuries, lopsided tombstones have formed crowded groupings.

Crowded groupings of tombstones

This cemetery was in use from 1439 until 1787.

Dates are not apparent.  Text is in Hebrew.

It has been estimated that there are approximately 12,000 tombstones presently visible and there may be as many as 100,000 burials in all.

Loving details still survive after hundreds of years.

A testament to the durability of the Jewish community in Prague.

This tombstone might be 500 years old.

Rich history creates profound art.

Love and respect endure.

People leave stones and pieces of papers with prayers for the dead.

The lion is an important symbol in Prague.

Ceremonial house in background.

The tenacity of the Jewish community inspires awe and reverence.

This cemetery is only a small part of the Jewish Quarter.  You can visit synagogues and walk the cobblestone streets to gain more insight into this unique part of Prague.

Jeannette