Czech Republic

In August of 1996 Lil, Laura and I went to the Czech Republic for a week-long visit. The reason for the trip was a neuroscience meeting in the Prague Castle so we took the opportunity to go a week earlier to explore some scenic small towns in the countryside. We flew into Prague and took public transportation to Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Krumlov and Telc before returning to Prague for the meeting. In general the trip was wonderful except that the weather was not very cooperative, rainy and chilly on most days.

Ceske Budejovice

After arriving in Prague, we took a bus from the airport to the city and explored Wenceslas Square while having lunch and waiting for the train to Ceske Budejovice. The train ride was a bit over 2 hours. Initially we considered going directly to Ceske Krumlov but decided to stay in Budejovice for a couple nights instead. The city is probably best known for its role in brewing beer, which began here in the 13th century. It is the home of the beer brewery Budweiser Bier, or Budvar, from which the American Anhueser Busch Budweiser originated. However, once one samples the Czech beer, you know that the two breweries are not making the same thing. The nearby town of Pilsen is the home of Pilsner beer so this region of the Czech Republic is famous for beer brewing.

In addition to walking around the old town and sampling some of the great beer, we also toured the Hluboka Castle which is a 9 km bus ride from the town.

The central square from the Black Tower

Taxis for hire in the central square

Hluboka Castle

Český Krumlov 

Our primary target in the countryside south of Prague was the small medieval town of Český Krumlov. The city is situated in a multi-S-curve of the Vlatava River (or Moldau River). The old town is a charming mixture of medieval architecture in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles on winding narrow cobblestone streets. Cars are allowed in the town though it is easy to access everything on foot. We found a place to stay in the Pension Navizi which is located in a cylindrically-shaped stone guard tower which of course meant that it has oddly shaped rooms.

The dominant geographical landmark in town is the Vlatava River which seems to be but a short block from anywhere in town. The center of activity is the historic 13th century castle which is a World Heritage Site. The central old town is a great example of a quaint middle-European town whose historic architecture has been preserved. It is easy to imagine oneself strolling around the town during the Middle Ages..

Our room in Pension Navizi

View of the old town (stare mesto) along the banks of the Vlatava

Kajovska Street

In the courtyard of the Castle

View of the St. Vitus church and the Vlatava River from the castle

From Stare Mesto (old town)

Narrow streets abound

View of the round tower of the castle

View of the town from the castle framing the St. Vitus church

Telc

After 3 nights in Cesky Krumlov we took the 2 hour bus ride to Telc, which is in the Moravian area of the Czech Republic. Telc is best known for its 15th-16th century town square (Zacharias of Hradec) with Baroque and Renaissance houses. The square is unusually large for a small town and oval shaped with a fountain and a column in the middle. The facades of the houses are a similar style and size, giving the town a fairy-tale look. When we were there it was very quiet with few tourists.

In addition to the town square we also visited the large Telc Castle which has been rebuilt into a 16th century chateau. Both the town square and castle are memorable.

The town is best known for its large and scenic central square

The large central square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Closeup of houses in the main square

Closeup of unusual house on the square

Courtyard of the Telc Castle

Courtyard of the Telc castle

Old town hall

Prague

In my opinion, Prague is the most photogenic city in Europe. One of the main reasons is that it was virtually untouched by the bombing during World War II that destroyed so much of so many of the other large cities. In 1938 the Munich Pact ceded the western portions of Czechoslovakia, the so-called Sudetenland to Germany on the promise by Hitler that there would be no more demands for land. A year later, Germany violated the pact and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia so Prague was essentially in German hands during the war. But the Western powers still considered the land to be part of Czechoslovakia, not Germany so they did not bomb the city like they did German cities. In any case the city has preserved much of its rich history as the cultural and economic center of central Europe. There is a photo op around every corner of the old town.

Old town square in Prague

The striking Our Lady before Tyn Gothic church which dominates the Old Town Square in Prague dates to the 14th century.

Old town square building, formerly for bookprinting

Entry to the famous Charles Bridge

Horses on the old square

Astronomical clock dating from 1410 on old town square. It is the oldest working clock in the world.

Powder tower, one of the original 13 gates to the city, was used to store gunpowder

Under the Charles Bridge Malostranka side

Entrance to Prague Castle

Lunch in the Spanish Room of the Prague Castle

View from Charles Bridge

Karlstejn Castle

Near Starometska Metro stop

Neruda Street below castle

Old town square Karlova Royal Way

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