Fairytale Foundations in Prague
Honestly I enjoyed Prague so much that I expect to write a few entries about my time there. The city is renowned for looking like the setting in a fairy tale, and the Czech Republic tourism board even markets it as such. There are many legends associated with the region; alchemists tried to invent gold, and a Jewish rabbi supposedly gave life to the Golem there.
Click through here to see the Czech Tourism video "Travel to a Fairy Tale"!
According to the Guinness Book of World records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle complex in the world. It exhibits many architectural styles, all of which are visually stunning, and I constantly found myself daydreaming of some other fantastic life in which I (clearly some sort of bohemian princess-knight) ruled an awesome kingdom.
Praha was apparently founded by the mythical Duke Krok, who upon camping near the Vltava river decided to have fort Vyšehrad built there. He had three daughters, one of whom (Libuše) is said to have been endowed with prophetic powers. One day while overlooking the Vltava, she said, "Behold, I see a great city whose glory will one day reach the stars!". Knowing that Libuše had prophesied it, her attendants went to the wood and found a man fashioning a wooden threshold for his house. The city then grew from this initial location, which is said to be that of Prague Castle.
The city was named Praha - 'threshold', supposedly for the one being made by the man in the tale, however many believe it is derived from the prahy - 'rapids' - that form in the Vltava, or because the founders had to vyprahnout - scorch - the woods to build the town.
It is impossible to not fall in love with a city that has an extensive history woven with such beautiful fables. I found it so interesting that I even bought a book called Old Prague Legends, which I've been citing in this entry. I would go back in a heartbeat, and hope to do so some time during the summer, maybe visiting some locations outside of the city as well to get a more rounded taste of the Czech Republic.
Na shledanou!
Click through here to see the Czech Tourism video "Travel to a Fairy Tale"!
According to the Guinness Book of World records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle complex in the world. It exhibits many architectural styles, all of which are visually stunning, and I constantly found myself daydreaming of some other fantastic life in which I (clearly some sort of bohemian princess-knight) ruled an awesome kingdom.
Another love lock bridge! You KNOW that face could rule a kingdom.
Praha was apparently founded by the mythical Duke Krok, who upon camping near the Vltava river decided to have fort Vyšehrad built there. He had three daughters, one of whom (Libuše) is said to have been endowed with prophetic powers. One day while overlooking the Vltava, she said, "Behold, I see a great city whose glory will one day reach the stars!". Knowing that Libuše had prophesied it, her attendants went to the wood and found a man fashioning a wooden threshold for his house. The city then grew from this initial location, which is said to be that of Prague Castle.
The city was named Praha - 'threshold', supposedly for the one being made by the man in the tale, however many believe it is derived from the prahy - 'rapids' - that form in the Vltava, or because the founders had to vyprahnout - scorch - the woods to build the town.
Face of St. Vitus Cathedral, situated within the Prague Castle complex
It is impossible to not fall in love with a city that has an extensive history woven with such beautiful fables. I found it so interesting that I even bought a book called Old Prague Legends, which I've been citing in this entry. I would go back in a heartbeat, and hope to do so some time during the summer, maybe visiting some locations outside of the city as well to get a more rounded taste of the Czech Republic.
Na shledanou!
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