{"id":1757,"date":"2012-01-26T20:50:20","date_gmt":"2012-01-27T03:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/?p=1757"},"modified":"2012-04-01T14:25:05","modified_gmt":"2012-04-01T20:25:05","slug":"guest-wanderluster-john-prague-and-charles-bridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/?p=1757","title":{"rendered":"Guest Wanderluster John: Prague and Charles Bridge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our previous post on Eight Great Bridges Around the World<\/a> piqued the interest of an old friend, who felt the list incomplete without Charles Bridge in Prague.\u00a0 I begged him to tell me more and he wrote up this tantalizing overview.\u00a0 Enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

When Brad I and I went to lunch a few weeks ago, I had a chance to tell him a little bit about Prague.\u00a0 I had seen his post about some of the great bridges of the world and I mentioned that I did not see Charles Bridge on his list.\u00a0 Prague is my favorite city that I have ever lived in or visited.\u00a0 It\u2019s a city that everyone should visit and one that I cannot wait to go back to in the near future.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Prague lies at the crossroads of East and West. \u00a0It is a city drenched in history.\u00a0 In the last 100 years alone Prague has been occupied twice by oppressive regimes.\u00a0 However, in terms of history, the fact that Prague escaped much of the devastation of World War II makes it unique among similarly situated locations. \u00a0For example, if you were to visit Dresden, Germany, then you\u2019d see a city rebuilt from the firebombing of World War II.\u00a0 Prague is different and that fact is palpable inside the city.\u00a0 The city\u2019s architectural integrity remains largely intact and visitors get to see the city largely as it naturally developed over time.<\/p>\n

Seeing everything in Prague can be a challenge.\u00a0 The first thing I usually do when I visit Prague (and I\u2019ve been there several times) is venture to New Town and Wenceslas Square.\u00a0 Prague can be seen mostly on foot but the public transportation system provides ready access to all of the major locations.\u00a0 Stepping off the Metro at the National Museum presents the impressive sight of the open and inviting Wenceslas Square.\u00a0 History has truly been made on this town square.\u00a0 In 1989, the Velvet Revolution<\/a> became a reality there.\u00a0 In 1969, Czechs became martyrs there during the Prague Spring.\u00a0 The square exudes history and I usually spend a lot of time just taking it all in and enjoying its scope.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Wenceslas Square ends at the almost imperceptible boundary between the New and Old Towns of Prague. \u00a0The star of the trek between New and Old Town are the narrow, cobblestone streets.\u00a0 But once I reach Old Town Square, that\u2019s where the city again just takes over.\u00a0 The Old Town Square\u2019s beauty surpasses even Wenceslas Square.\u00a0 The Astronomical Clock, the spires of Tyn and St. Nicholas Churches, and the monument to religious revolutionary Jan Hus <\/a>make the square one of the most enjoyable to visit.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The iconic \u201cPrague moment\u201d however is Charles Bridge.\u00a0 I love this bridge.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing like it and when I\u2019m staying in Prague I visit it basically every single day that I am there.\u00a0 Honestly, there\u2019s something special, almost magical, about stepping onto this cobblestone bridge over the Vltava.\u00a0 Seeing Prague Castle sprawl out on the hillside is inspiring and the steeples of the Lesser Quarter frame the entire experience. \u00a0Over 30 statues line the bridge and are spectacular.\u00a0 I like to go to the bridge at night, when all the vendors have gone home, and just enjoy the tranquility that accompanies the bridge.<\/p>\n

Though the walk from the National Museum to the Lesser Quarter is the quintessential Prague experience, the city offers a lot more.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen operas, plays, and other productions at the beautiful and ornate National Theater and State Opera.\u00a0 I\u2019ve stopped in at the \u201ccosmopolitan\u201d Caf\u00e9 Slavia for drinks and dinner.\u00a0 I\u2019ve visited Vysehrad Castle<\/a> and visited the graves of Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana.\u00a0 I\u2019ve walked down the \u201cZlata Ulicka\u201d and stopped in at Franz Kafka\u2019s home.\u00a0 Prague is also a convenient launching pad for Eastern Europe and other impressive Czech cities like Cesky Krumlov or Karlovy Vary.\u00a0 Prague is just a great place to visit under any circumstances.\u00a0 I can\u2019t wait to take my wife and go back there as soon as I can.<\/p>\n