{"id":34271,"date":"2023-08-22T04:54:19","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T18:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=34271"},"modified":"2023-10-22T13:33:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-22T02:33:08","slug":"prague-2-czechia-%f0%9f%87%a8%f0%9f%87%bf-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=34271","title":{"rendered":"Prague (2), Czechia \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddff 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Date: 19th August 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travelled: 0 kms in Prague  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visited: Prague  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stayed: Autocamp Hayek, \u20ac30, N50.11730, E14.42890  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget: 89 days @ \u20ac90 per day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Looks like another hot day in Prague, so we make an early start. Same tram starts our journey, but we change to a #25 at Strussmayerova. This takes us up the hill to the back entrance to Prague Castle and saves a lot of walking up the hill from the Old Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pay our \u20ac5 pp entry fee and join the throng.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Castle entry gates<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Leopold Fountain, circa 1686<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Once into the Castle complex we find the Saint Vitas Cathedral. Its foundation were laid in 1344 for the next 600 years attempts were made to complete it but it was not consecrated until 1929. The Cathedral is massive, but its exterior stone is blackened by pollution and age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We thought the interior a little austere only the individual chapels having any decoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking up the nave<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The altar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Soon enough we move on to Prague Castle\/Palace. We were a little underwhelmed. We follow the crowd through 2-3 largely empty rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Crown of Bohemia <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Thrown Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Vladislav Hall, great for functions and indoor cricket<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

We continue on the Chapel of Ludmila in the Basilica of Saint George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After reading the extensive blurb on Saint Ludmila whose remains were entombed in the Basilica in 925 we wait and wander only to find you cannot see the tomb which is situated in a small chapel on the right of the altar. Its all about the dogma, the mystery of Saint Ludmila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Basilica of Saint George<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

To escape the Castle we need to run the gauntlet of tat shops and walk through the gardens which do provide some nice views of the Old Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Tat Street<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Views from the Castle Gardens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Our next stop is some 300 metres outside the Castle walls, the Loreta. It\u2019s a pilgrimage site, I can only describe it as a series of churches and chapels that form a courtyard. The centre of the courtyard houses a replica of the Santa Casa (the home of the Virgin Mary). While the Loreta or Santa Casa looks Roman it\u2019s 17th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that Catholicism is beyond us I\u2019m afraid. The surrounding complex is now a museum dedicated to the Saints. By the time we\u2019ve done the ground floor where sainted out, there is a Saint for just about anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n