Luboš Jeřábek

“ Close to the town-hall in a corner of a completely mediaeval character, under a high arch belonging to the monastery of Barnabite-nuns, we descend the steep stairs of the town-hall leading down to Neruda street. The dark edifice of this most strict and ascetic order of nuns, with its thickly grated windows forms a melancholy background to this otherwise very picturesque corner.
A brighter and more striking sight, is offered by the opposite Toscana-palace which is an effectively built corner of the Castle-town-square; it is in fact not only a corner-house, but fills its whole western side. ”

“ A new and beautiful prospect opens as we proceed but a few steps farther. At the very end of the garden, in the middle of the fresh green of a lawn, surrounded by very old yew-trees and cypresses stands the Dudák (Bagpiper) a grand fountain of bronze, a famous work of master Jaroš z Brna dating from 1536, and behind it rises as a pleasing background, the airy loggias, finely wrought architraves and the lengthy green dome-roof of Queen Anna’s Belvedere, the master work of the Italian architect Giovanni di Spazio and Paolo di Stella. ”

“ Going on through the crooked street we reach the beautiful house of the Counts of Millesimo, now the „casino of the nobility“, and passing a line of finely built houses of the characteristic Prague style we land at the end of the street before the steeples of the Týn church, glimmering high above the roofs of the houses in their shining covering of slate. The shape of these steeples is quite unique among all the Gothic steeples in Europe, and few can be found which could equal or even approach them in the peculiarity of general design and the details. ”

“ It is a sacred edifice of gigantic dimensions, the interior of which is as finely designed as the exterior, ornamented with real and artificial marble, with frescoes and sculptures, all productions of Dienzenhoffer’s contemporary Prague artists. It is an enchantingly beautiful part, just under the majestic dome, which is splendidly lit from all sides and is altogether a masterpiece, only possible in the baroque style. ”

“ No less attractive is the fine collection of arms and the beautiful chapel of St. Wenceslaus; Waldstein’s patron saint, and the splendid oratory filled with most valuable paintings. Close to the palace is a fine garden and opening into it, the largest Sala terrena known in Europe, with its splendid loggia, grander even than the famous loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, with frescoes representing scenes from the Trojan war, with the heroes depicted in the costumes of the time of the 30 years’ war. ”

“ And we trust the time is not far distant, when by redoubled energy, discipline and honesty, free from foreign influence the Bohemian nation will win for its royal Prague peacefully by its own genius and by weapons of intellect alone that importance and glory, of which whole generations of the past dreamt visions in joyful anticipation. ”

“ All these memorials of many centuries of diligence and unceasing cultural efforts of the small but staunch and dauntless Bohemian nation, unite here in a beautiful picture, in a sight of passing charm and freshness, which speaks to every one, to the foreigner as well as native who has preserved a sense of the beautiful; an undeniably exotic but at the same time an attractive and comprehensible language. It proclaims the earnest endeavour of the Bohemian nation to win an honourable place on the large wrestling-field of civilized European nations. ”

“ It is no wonder indeed that from time immemorial the most famous travellers considered and declared the „golden“, „the hundredtowered“ city of Prague to be one of the most beautiful cities of the world on account of its picturesque situation on both banks of the river Vltava and on the slopes of seven surrounding hills as well as for her many historic and artistic monuments.
Already at the beginning of the twelfth century the first Bohemian historian Kosmas praises it enthusiastically. ”

“ Further on we come to the Bridge tower itself, whose façade, towards the Old town is particularly rich in ornamentation. The statues of the patron saints of the country and of its kings, Charles IV. and Wenceslaus IV. the builders of this tower in the XIVth. and XVth. century, numerous gothic ornaments, bizarre supporters, knobs and finely formed phials and chaptrels, and the coats of arms of all the countries which belonged to the Bohemian crown under the reign of the Luxemburg dynasty adorn the tower all united in a beautiful whole like a poem in stone. ”

“ The multitude and variety of forms, the boldnes of design in this respect must surprise even a non-artist. From the simplest outlines of the sober gothic taste which reigned in the beginning of last century to the exuberant luxuriance of the baroque and rococo styles almost all degrees of development, as it progressed through nearly three centuries, are here represented in the different groups of statues. It is very likely on account of this variety of forms that the long row of statuary does not tire the passer-by, be he a refined connoisseur or merely a man of humble calling. ”

“ There is stone upon stone, tomb upon tomb, monument upon monument, and between them wherever you turn your eye, syringa-trees and bushes. From among broken rocks, from dark corners of tombs and sarcophagi, from the hollows of decayed stones, stems, sometimes winding like serpents, make their way out into space and spread into thick bushy crowns, which form a wealth of green and shady arcades of branches descending from above to the rotten tombstones, and to the damp clay of the ground which is overgrown by a monotonous sickly yellowish green. ”

“ It was only at the end of the XVIIth. and the beginning of the XVIIIth. centuries that two statues of saints were placed above every arch. These works having been presented by different people and carried out at different times by eminent sculptors and being very well preserved, transform Charles’ Bridge into a grand open air gallery of saints’ statues, certainly the only gallery of its kind in the world. It is the subject for wonder of all religious people of the Bohemian crown and of all admirers of art and is an art treasure perhaps without its equal in the whole world. ”

“ This dome and tower will ever be to us a visible symbol of the victorious Roman Catholic anti-Reformation, which tried to compensate, at least by outward splendour, and by the promotion of art which had always been cultivated in our country, for the heavy sacrifices and losses endured by our nation during the bloody strife that had to be fought for the final victory of the Roman Catholic views over those of the Protestant faith. ”

“ We feel refreshed by this majestic sight after the examination of the copious collections, and turn now to the neighbouring Artistic and Industrial Museum, which was built after the designs of Prof. Schulz, and splendidly ornamented by frescoes of the best Bohemian painters. In a row of light, spacious, and splendidly appointed rooms, rich collections are kept and an extensive library of books treating on industrial matters. ”

“ To the left of the tower on the opposite side there is a row of well built houses remarkable for their arcades which are generally a characteristic feature of Bohemian towns, and in Europe are only met with in northern Italy. The high gables of these houses, adorned with pillars,vases and statuettes form a beautiful adjunct to this picture, which by its arrangement and by the particulary local, Prague-like character cannot fail to make a lasting impression on the mind of every visitor. ”

“ The reader we hope will be enabled, to form a tolerably correct idea of the beauty of Prague in general, of her characteristic streets picturesque squares and palaces, surrounded by old gardens and ornamented by ascending terraces, loggias, pavilions, and salla-terrenas, which offer the finest views of the hundred towers, red-bricked roofs and walls which form the attractions and charm of the ancient capital. ”

“ Worthy of notice are the special collection of old Bohemian and especially Prague artistic industry, of old Bohemian glass, and ceramics, of iron and metals smithwork, embroideries, polished stones and jewelry. After a brief inspection, we proceed to the neighbouring Riverbank-street and enter by it the characteristic but slowly disappearing old Jewish-town. Only a few synagogues and a small number of narrow frightfully neglected but for that all the more picturesque houses in narrow and crooked streets are left, and farther on a small square surrounded by low houses. ”

“ It was once the capital of Central Europe and in Charles IV. time the seat of the first university of Central Europe and possessed the first botanical garden. In Rudolph’s age it was famous as a town containing the most valuable collections, and for the splendour of its court and for the pleasures it offered, it was considered the Paris of Central Europe. Prague is the cradle of modern journalism: here the very first news-paper of the world was published (in the Bohemian [Czech] language) . ”

“ He says: „Prague est bien une ville du moyen âge, belle, bien percée couverte d’edifices énormes à cheval sur une grande rivière et couronnée par une acropole, qui conserve l’aspect d’une vaste citadelle gothique avec son enceinte des murs suivant les sinuosités de la colline qui lui sert d’assiette. Nuremberg malgré ses richesses architectoniques fatigue par la multiplicité des details; les edifices les uns sur les autres, petits dormant sur les rues ou des places peu étroites, ne permettent au regard de se réposer nulle part. ”

“ In the centre of the place there is a beautiful renaissance fountain a master-piece of smithwork from the XVIth. century. In former times flowers used to be sold in this very lively market-place. At the western corner of it we enter a very winding narrow street leading to Charles’ bridge, which (beside the Celetná in the Old town, the Mostecká and Nerudova in the Smaller town) is very likely the most ancient and interesting street of the old city of Prague. ”

“ Here in the vicinity of the former temporary residence of the kings of Bohemia, the two masters erected one of the most renowned Gothic towers in central Europe, majestic in general outline and marvellously attractive in the details of its ornamentation. ”

“ It is the oldest preserved Jewish Cemetery of Europe, dating as can be proved from the XIIth. century. It is an old garden full of picturesque tombs, covered with very old, even centenarian (sambucus, elder-tree) which give the whole place an indescribable charm. ”

“ The tower is crowned by the statue of Atlas bearing a large globe upon his shoulders. In the Observatory some ancient instruments are preserved among them an ingenious sextant of Tycho de Brahe; and all the other internal appointments of the building dating from the XVIIth. century are the chief building of one of the courts is of cruciform shape, the lower part of which contains the Mirror-chapel (Zrcadlová kaple) . On the upper floor is a splendid hall of the library of the adjoining university, which contains 300.000 volumes of books and 4000 very valuable manuscripts. ”

“ And under these higher tombs there is a medley of smaller grave stones, some of them much inclined to the ground, others completely turned over and lying flat, the higher monuments are not unlike venerable forms of olden patriarchs, beaten down and praying over grass-grown graves of thousands and thousands of men, long forgotten amongst their own people. ”

“ The other parts of the Castle, especially its still preserved medieval fortifications, bastions and towers, the old Bohemian Chancery with the former rooms of the landregistry (zemské desky, an institution similar to the Doomsday book of England) makes the Castle of Prague an object of interest not easily equalled by any other. ”

“ The steeples are the chief object of attraction in this neighbourhood. Not far from them is the Týnský dvůr (Town court) once the centre of commerce not only of the town of Prague, but in the middle ages of the whole of central Europe. ”

“ The history of this Bridge-street lying before us, is not at all uninteresting. The very first house on the left side built in the renaissance stvle and adorned with picturesque gables, now called „u Steiniců“, formerly the „Saxon“ house, is worth notice. In the time of Charles IV., Rudolfus, duke of Saxony resided here, and latterly it was the refuge of William I., elector of Hessen. The opposite house „At the three bells“ has to this day, the remains of a tower, which is the last remnant of the „Bishop’s court“ which used to be fortified by moats, walls and towers. ”

“ To the right we have the nicest picture of all, the characteristic group of buildings of the knights of the Red Cross, rising directly out of the depth of the river, where the current of the Old town-mills is liveliest. ”

“ The edifices and their gardens are worthy of notice chiefly by their precious artistic monuments as well as by beautiful prospects of the neighbouring parts of the City. Then there are wide and spacious parks and public gardens: the Královská Obora, Letná (Belvedere) the large Seminary-garden with fields and a farm in the midst of the town, the splendid Kinský garden with a well arranged ethnographical Museum. ”

“ This is a very noble building, adorned by a lofty attic with a collection of beautiful statues, and by a balcony over a splendid porch, which forms a nice prospect for the opposite entrance into Joseph’s street. Passing a few houses further on, among them a well-known brewery „u Hermannů“ and an unimportant large modern dwelling house, the property of a „Záložna“ (Saving-bank) we see a pretty turret window at the opposite side, under it a long vista of characteristic arcades, and we turn to the most typical space of contemporary Prague the Malostranské náměstí (Small-town-square) . ”