PRAGUE
The jewel of the Czech Republic
PERSONAGES
Franz Kafka
(1883 -1924) He was a German-speaking Bohemian writer. He was born in Prague, which at the time belonged to the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which became the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. Kafka is considered one of the major figures of 20th-century literature and an important exponent of modernism, surrealism, and magical realism.
Vàclav Havel
(1936 - 2011) Son of a prominent building contractor and creator of the legendary Barrandov film studios, playwright and philosopher, dissident and political prisoner of the communist regime, leading figure of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, last president of Czechoslovakia and first president of the independent Czech Republic. His sensitivity and his loyalty to the values of goodness and justice are known to the world in the form of his motto: 'Truth and love must triumph over lies and hatred'.
Jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá
The Czechs say "Who makes it, waits for it", which means that the way a person treats other people comes back to him/her.
WHAT TO EAT
Stuffed sandwich
Tongues say that the stuffed sandwich is not an original Czech delicacy, as similar sandwiches were eaten by the ancient Romans, Napoleon or Lord Sandwich. But we do know that it was Jan Paukert, an owner of a Prague delicatessen, who in 1916 elevated the sandwich to a work of art and equipped it with all sorts of specialties such as capers, truffles, and goose liver. It was the special ingredients that turned an ordinary sandwich into a delicacy that could only be afforded to a few and only on special occasions.
Metropolitan cut
The fact that the opening of the subway in Prague was an extraordinary event is evidenced by this sweet delicacy of the same name. It was created to commemorate the opening of the C line in 1974. The shape of the 4 pieces in the package was reminiscent of Soviet train cars at the time. After the Velvet Revolution the dessert was forgotten for a while, but later its production was revived and expanded to include other flavors.
Prague ball
The popular sponge cake filled with cream and dipped in chocolate with peanuts was not missing from any of the socialist bakeries and bars. The fact that it is a Prague specialty can only be deduced from its name. Shortly after the Velvet Revolution, it was replaced by new modern desserts, but in neighboring Slovakia it remained extremely popular.
MUST-SEE
Saint Clara Vineyard
It may come as a surprise to find several vineyards still in operation in a large city like Prague. St. Clare Vineyard belongs to the oldest and most beautiful ones, it was first documented in the 13th century. It is located on the slope above Troja Castle. It includes a nature trail and an exhibition on local wine production.
Břevnov Monastery
The oldest male monastery in Bohemia. It was founded at the end of the 9th century by the Czech prince Boleslav II and the Prague bishop St Vojtěch. It was settled by 12 Benedictine monks from the Aventine Monastery in Rome, where Vojtěch himself had previously taken monastic vows. After the last reconstruction in the first half of the 18th century, the entire complex has a Baroque appearance and is one of the landmark buildings of the architects Christopher Dienzenhofer and his son Kilian Ignatius.
Vyšehrad
The rock above the Vltava River where a medieval fortress originally stood. It was founded at the beginning of the 11th century and in the early Middle Ages was sometimes in competition with Prague Castle, from which the rulers moved here. Today Vyšehrad offers an area full of greenery, parks, and many architectural treasures such as the Romanesque Rotunda of St. Martin, the neo-Gothic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, and the national necropolis called Slavín where 600 personalities of modern Czech history are buried.
PICTURES
Panoramic view
Prague, Czech Republic
Břevnov Monastery
Prague, Czech Republic
Saint Clara Vineyard
Prague, Czech Republic