Welcome to Prague
a.k.a. The City of Love
Prague is mostly famous for being the capital of Czech Republic, therefore being called the Heart of Europe due to the Czech Republic being the heart of Europe.
Prague is home to a number of well-known cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe. It’s history-rich city makes it the 5th most visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul.
During my trip to Prague, I immediately fell in love with the multicolored buildings and beautiful architecture. I felt like I was in a fairytale. We walked around for hours each day not wanting to miss a single sight.
The Lennon Wall
A Colorful Story
Tucked away on one of the side streets in Lesser Town is the Lennon Wall. Originally wanted to visit being a big Beatles fan, but once we got there, we understood the historical significance of this mark of freedom.
The wall was covered in layers upon layers of paint, graffiti, and words all symbolizing love, freedom, and many other good causes. We were told that the wall is constantly changing due to the amount of people that come paint over it. When I visited in 2014, people were still allowed to paint the wall but now, only pencil and small markers are prohibited.
(There’s a lot more text than pictures on the John Lennon Wall today but it remains the only place in the city where graffiti is legal.)
As you exit the area where Lennon’s Wall is located, you will pass by a bridge filled with love locks like these. Another beautiful illustration of the love that was overflowing in the city.
Prague Astronomical Clock
The astronomical clock in Prague, otherwise known as The Orloj, does all this, and much more. It tells the time, provides the date, shows astronomical and zodiacal information, and best of all, provides some theatre for its viewers on the hour, every hour.
The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still operating.
The Orloj is mounted on the southern wall of Old Town Hall in the Old Town Square. The clock mechanism has three main components— the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and the Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; statues of various Catholic Saints stand on either side of the clock; "The Walk of the Apostles", a clockwork hourly show of figures of the Apostles, and other moving sculptures, notably a figure of a skeleton, representing Death, striking the time; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months. According to local legend, the city will suffer if the clock is neglected and its good operation is placed in jeopardy; a ghost, mounted on the clock, was supposed to nod its head in confirmation. According to the legend, the only hope was represented by a boy born on New Year's night. (Wikipedia)
The Central Gallery
One Building, Three Exhibitions
The Central Gallery in Prague is a 3-story museum featuring an ever-growing collection of Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali & Alfons Mucha. (Important to note: Tickets for each exhibition had to be bought separately.)
On our visit, my dad and I enjoyed the Dali and Warhol exhibitions, the leaflets about each and the scattered quotes of the genius artists. I especially liked the way the sound system played Warhol's velvet underground songs.
