Exotic east europe tour

After viewing a GOTHIC church from outside,we visited a 14th century WINE CELLAR.We saw how wine is produced.
Then we drove to our hotel in BRNO for a good night's rest.
It was very hot that day ,though our rooms did not have air conditioner we managed to have our rooms windows open.With cool breeze and sounds of trains whistling by we managed to fall into deep slumber to move onto our journey to PRAGUE the next day.
It seems EUROPE was unusually hot this year,though it is warm in JULY,AUGUST,this year it was an exception This what the local guides told us....

 

We boarded the bus and reached PRAGUE in 2 hours time.PRAGUE IS PRONOUNCED as PRAHA in Czech.It is the capital of CZECH and the 14th largest city in EUROPE.It was the histoical capital f BOHEMIA.It was the seat of the TWO HOLY ROMAN EMPIRES.Then it was under HAPSBURG rule for some time.During the world wars it did not suffer much damages. It was communists after that then after the VELVET REVOLUTION ,smooth transition and elections were held and new democratic powers came in place.It has many heritage sites and is under UNESCO list.It is 6th most visited city in EUROPE.It has said to have achieved status almost that of LONDON or BERLIN.Fastest growing economy in EUROPE.

 

A quick word of BRNO,tourism is an important industry ,so is software which is rapidly picking up,you can find offices for IBM,HONEYWELL here.Motorola has an office here as well.

 

yeah simply enjoyed each moment of it,thanks.

 

We first walked to the PRAGUE castle which has several courtyards and squares gardens,cathedrals,shops etc,. In the main entrance there is a large statue of first PRESIDENT TOMAS GARRIGUE MASARYK.
The courtyard I of the PRAGUE castle gate is decorated with fighting giants guarded by 2 castle guards.The MATHIAS gate leads to courtyard second ,which has the oldest BAROQUE monument.It has KOHL'S FOUNTAIN ,ST.CROSS CHAPEL .There is a white tower in the long wing of NEW ROYAL PALACE.Through the north gate of courtyard second you get into POWDER BRIDGE ,PALACE GARDENS ,PICTURE GALLERY .
In the courtyard THREE you can see the office of the PRESIDENT
It is the largest castle and is spread over 7 hectares.

 

Thanks Hachiko for the wonderful reply,you will visit them one day,you dream and dreams do turn into reality one day.

 

Then we moved on to see the ST.VITUS and ST.ST.WENCLESLAS cathedral. ST.VITUS is a ROMANSQUE ROTUNDA,(built as a dome according to the ROMAN architecture)by PRINCE WENCLES in 935,maybe because his tomb lies there.Rotund's importance grew after he was buried there.In 973 ROTUNDA CATHEDRAL CHURCH BECAME SACRED and is one most important churches in PRAGUE.
In 1060,SPYTHIHNEV SECOND replaced it with a spacious BASILICA. Cathedral of ST,VITUS was then renovated in 1344,then it was modified by CHARLES 1V. Then there were additions,modifications up to 1929,600 years after it was initially being built.Choir chapels ,vaulted ceilings were built later
It is 124 m long ,60 m wide and the main dome is 33m.The cathedral is dominated by trio of steeples.South steeple is 100 m high.SIGISMUND BELL which weighs 13-17 tonnes is the biggest bell in the world.There is a golden portal with a spectacular mosaic on the theme of LAST JUDGEMENT in one of the entrances made out of quartz colored glass.It represents presence of GODS and CHURCHES.
W e also found gargoyles in the shape of monsters to protect the place from evil power there.
Then we also saw 21 sanstone busts of ROYAL MEMBERS.There were 21 chapels full of valuable artifacts .Gothic,Renaissance wall decorations with precious stones .In the center is tomb of ST.WENACLES .There is a silver tomb of ST.JOHN NAPOMUK.Behind there is a place where crown jewels are stored.Many historical figures like CHARLES 1V,HIS 4 WIVES,LADISLAS THE POSTHUMUS ,RUDOLPH TWO ,MARIE AMELIA WERE ALL BURIED HERE.It is the pride of PRAGUE.
Then we walked to see GEORGE BASILICA,ROYAL GARDEN,ARCHIBISHOP PALACE,TUSCANY PALACE,GOLDEN LANE where godsmiths lived.Then we came over to the place where we could have a lovely aerial view of PRAGUE ..........endless buildings,cathedrals,churches,modern buildings,river VLATVA........against the backdrop of a lovely clear blue sky...........

 

It was long walk,then we walked along the cobble stone roads past small vineyards in the courtyard of the castle through the LESSER TOWN VIA NERUDOVA STREET TO CHARLES BRIDGE.LESSER TOWN has many shopscafes,restaurant, etc,.Then we move on to NAERUDOVA STREET which has burgher houses,shops,cafes.In olden days it seems there used to be a symbol on top of each house,house which had violin makers had 3 violins on top and the house of NERUDOVA ,the famous writer had 2 sun on his roof top .Looking past by the quaint lane,we reached CHARLES BRIDGE.Originally it was a stone bridge, it was replaced by a stone bridge by KING CHARLES1VPrevious bridge was destroyed in 1342 and the base stone for the new one was put on 1357 at 5.31 A.M. Serious damages were caused by flood to the bridge in 1890.It connects the old town to the Castle and is built across the river VLATIVA .The bridge is protected by 3 bridge towers. You can see almost 30 statutes here,only copies original ones have been moved elsewhere.The most famous of JOHN NEPOMUK the archbishop who was tortured and thrown in the river.There are reliefs under the statue showing this,and it is supposed to bring you luck if you touch this. Then we saw a statue of a FLEMISH BLIND NUN CALLED LUTGARDE who saw JESUS crucified in her vision The whole bridge was full of tourists.....
Then we walked past ST.FRANCIS CHURCH,ST.SALVADOR CHURCH,OLD TOWNSBRIGE TOWER ,where the king was crowned,JESUIT COLLEGE,(WHICH IS THE SECOND PRAGUE UNIVERSITY),PUBLIC LIBRARY,HOUSE WHERE KEPLER (THE ASTRONOMER LIVED),3 DWELLING PLACES WHERE FERDINAND ONE LIVED,THE OLDEST METEOLOGICAL CENTER IN EUROPE ETC.,. Walking by we moved on to the OLD TOWN SQUARE.....