The City of 100 Spires

Prague is a beautiful city, principally undamaged by war in Europe over the last 350 years. Hence it has become popular with tourists...

Everywhere you turn is a picture postcard moment - that's if you can get a quiet moment without someone pushing you out of the way. The streets have that rabbit-warren charm, where you can get lost when only 100 m from your hotel.

There are concerts to be had everywhere in Prague. At some stage I knew I would succumb to the touts, so I went the first night I was in Prague to an organ and trumpet recital in a baroque church. The setting was amazing and the quality of the music, excellent. All over Prague are similar experiences to be had - as there are so many well-preserved building and churches.

This is the church where I heard my recital. The organist and trumpeter were in the balcony at top right. They played some well known stuff, like Handel's Largo and Schubert's Ave Maria, both of which were beautiful and in such a great setting.

That 'out of the way', I was off to explore the following day...

The Old Town Square and Jan Hus Memorial

Hus tried to reform the Bohemian Church and was found to be a heretic and burnt at the stake for his troubles (by the Catholic Church) in 1415. This memorial was built on the site to commemorate the 500th anniversary. Hus had an impact on the Protestant Church and Martin Luther, in particular.

The Mission Band in the Old Town Square

There are concerts everywhere in Prague, some free, some not. In the middle of the day when I was there the military band used to welcome visiting dignitaries and the President struck up. They were pretty good and had a couple of people singing with them and even a marching girl group.

The Astronomical Clock Tower and Town Hall Tower

The Astronomical Clock Tower and Town Hall Tower surround the Old Town Square.

The Astronomical Clock Tower

The Astronomical Clock was built in the late 15th Century. Every hour it chimes and out from little windows pop a procession of the apostles. It really is the biggest let-down in Europe.

The Astronomical Clock

You have to brave the crowd to wait for the hour to chime. It's a very beautiful clock but you can't read the time from it and the figures that pop out are pretty hopeless. But a crowd pleaser anyway! They all cheer and clap.

The Old Town Square

A church at the Old Town Square.

Statue of King Wenceslas in Wenceslas Square. At the time of the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989 Alenxander Dubček (who was the leader of the Czech people at the time of the 'Prague Spring' of 1968 when the Soviet tanks rolled into Prague) appeared on a balcony overlooking Wenceslas Square to hear a sea of protesters below shouting "Dubček to the castle!" As they pushed for him to take his seat as president of the country at Prague Castle, he embraced the crowd as a symbol of democratic freedom. Havel was to ultimately take office as the first President of the new Czech Republic. You may remember scenes of this square being packed with people (300 000) all rattling their keys to indicate to the then Communist Government that it was time to leave power.


The famous astronomer Johannes Kepler lived in Prague in the 16th Century (as did Tycho Brahe).

Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral in the background

Prague Castle was built in the 15th Century and St Vitus Cathedral before that in the 14th Century. Prague Castle is currently the home of the President of the Czech Republic.

A restaurant menu that took my eye.

I was keen on trying the 3 Kingdoms Deal - where you can eat an animal from and 3 of the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish groups. I wasn't sure on whether to choose to eat bear or Antelope...

Changing of the Guard at Prague Castle.

Huge crowd came to see this - amazingly, cars and even a crane just tried to drive through the crowd rather than wait the 10 minutes for the ceremony to be over! Nevertheless, the pushy Russian, German and Japanese tourists managed to survive.