Views From the Air

On our first full day in the city of Prague, Nellie and I wandered over to Old Town Square. This square is a central point in the city. It is surrounded by magnificent buildings, towers, and churches. We climbed the Old Town Hall Tower which was built little by little starting in 1338. From the top of this vantage point, we could see all the way across the city. The red terra cotta building tops provided a colorful display. Being able to see the breadth and scope of the city during my first day was very nice. Later on I learned that at one point Prague was larger than both London and Paris. Its size since then has remained constant, while that of London and Paris has grown.

This was what we saw from the top of the tower. The building in the distance is St. Vitus' Cathedral located in the center of Prague Castle. Note the color of the buildings. We were amazed by the beauty of the contrasting colors of the buildings.

If you look at the picture from my previous post that has the twin spires, you will also see the Old Town Hall Tower where I took the above picture. You can also see the river which separates the town into two distinct parts. Looking at these two pictures will give you some perspective as to the expanse of Prague.

This is Tyn church. The Gothic style architecture is much more impressive from the outside than from the inside. Gothic churches tend to be oriented toward style and impression rather than function. Prague is well know for its Gothic architecture which can be seen throughout the city.

Here you can see the actual square and the roads leading into it. Note the white, pink, and yellow buildings in the center.

On the day that Nell and I climbed the Old Town Tower, it was sunny and cold. We were not prepared for what happened the next evening-- six inches of snow! The spring blizzard that we experienced would have been the talk of the town in Michigan. The people of Prague didn't seem too concerned however. After the Saturday evening/Sunday morning snowstorm, skis began to appear in the hands of men and women as the rode the metro or walked from place to place. The next time that Nellie and I climbed to a high vantage point to look over the city, the view was quite a bit different as snow had settled onto the tops of the houses and streets.

The next few days were very cold and windy. We alternated between walking outside and visiting museums and shops to thaw out. Thankfully, there was always a McDonald's nearby at which we could sit and melt for a while! One thing that did surprise me was the complete absence of Starbucks, that great commercial giant, from Prague. They seem to have stores in every city in the world. I guess they haven't made it to the Czech Republic yet!

The snow and cold had no effect on our enjoyment of the city. We were able to do almost everything that we had planned on plus a few bonus stops along the way. The transportation system made traveling from one side of town to the other easy and relatively simple.

Hope you enjoyed these aerial view of Prague. If you are looking for a European destination, I would definitely recommend a stop in the Czech Republic!