Prague Routes
In the height of spring, when Prague was drowning in the white blossoms of apple trees and magnolias, the fourth stage of the cultural and tourist project 'Czech Republic - a treasury in the center of Europe' was taking place in the Czech Republic. The goal of this state project is to introduce journalists and representatives of the tourism business from various countries to the historical, cultural, natural and architectural heritage of the Czech Republic. Twenty-six journalists from Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Poland discovered the beautiful Prague.
'I see a huge city, a city full of people, whose glory rises to the heavens,' said Princess Libuše, 'and its name shall be Prague ('prah' in Czech means 'threshold').' Thus began the history of Prague. That was a long time ago. Much water has flowed in the Vltava since then, and Prague has not lost either its grandeur or its attractiveness.
Prague is a mysterious city. Firstly, it became a city not so long ago: in 1784, as a result of the unification of six independent cities, each of which had its own history and architecture. These were Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad), Hradcany (Hradcany), Lesser Town (Mala Strana), Old Town (Stare Mesto), New Town (Nove Mesto), Vysehrad (Vysehrad). It is not easy for us now to understand the complex relationships of these towns; it is enough simply to travel along their streets. Secondly, Prague is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Eight million tourists annually visit the capital of the Czech Republic, and this figure is many times higher than the number of Prague residents. That is why the city has completely put itself at the disposal of tourists. And thirdly, Prague is a fairy-tale, 'gingerbread' city, whose true soul is not so easy to feel...
The historical center of Prague is completely free of transport and given over to tourists. You can examine, photograph, smell, touch, taste all historical and not-so-historical attractions. 'Prague antiquity' will amaze your imagination with the magnificent architectural ensembles of Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Here rococo and baroque, gothic and art nouveau peacefully coexist. Narrow cobblestone streets lead out to spacious squares with pointed churches and ancient buildings. Just as five centuries ago, the windows of the town hall astronomical clock open every hour, funny figurines parade through them, a piercing rooster crow sounds, and the melodious chime of the tower clock resounds across the square.
Elegant churches will remind you of children's fairy tales about princesses and knights. The centerpiece of tourist routes is, of course, the famous Cathedral of St. Vitus. The lacy gothic of the main tower rises almost a hundred meters into the sky. Here and there, stone heads of eerie monsters protrude from the wall - construction was begun in the mid-14th century by a French architect, which is why these monsters and the overall appearance make one recall Paris's Notre-Dame.
Where shall we go next? Let's walk from the Powder Gate to Charles Bridge, the true symbol of Prague with its baroque sculptures. We will tread the cobblestones of medieval streets that remember the wheels of carriages of Charles IV himself and his entourage, step onto the legendary Charles Bridge, from which a view of Prague Castle opens - red roofs and spires piercing the sky. We will admire a striking example of Art Nouveau architecture - the Municipal House. We will cast a glance at the house 'At the Black Mother of God' with a statue of the Virgin Mary behind a gilded grille. We will sit down next to a flock of students on the warm paving of Old Town Square, wait for the chimes, and gasp at the roundelay of figures solemnly gliding before delighted tourists. Perhaps that friendly Japanese man will take a picture of me as a souvenir against the backdrop of the unique facades of the houses 'At the Golden Unicorn' or 'At the Stone Bell'?
And now let's go to Hradcany Square, which opens the entrance to Prague Castle - the political and historical center of the city, the residence of the president of the republic. Here we will get acquainted with the elegant Royal Palace and the famous Golden Lane - a colorful row of tiny little houses of the 16th century. According to legend, alchemists once lived here, seeking the secret of turning iron into gold. And it seems they did find that recipe, judging by how much money tourists leave in the souvenir shops of this lane.
We will go further to the Jewish Quarter, a world of synagogues and ancient cemeteries. The famous Rabbi Loew lived there. People still wonder what he was more famous for: for creating the Golem or for living in good health for 92 years. They say that when death came with a list, he always managed to look over her shoulder and cross out his name, but one day his granddaughter distracted him - that is when death overtook him. Now notes with wishes are placed on his grave: he fulfills them, but the wish must be short, because he has a lot of work, he can't read them all in one night. His bronze sculpture stands near the town hall as a gift from the Jews to the city authorities.
And on the other side of the town hall stands a bronze knight, turned to stone after drunken escapades with rapes in the Jewish Quarter. They say he will come to life when at least one victim is found on earth who forgives her rapist - in 500 years none has been found, so the knight stands.
You can wander around Prague endlessly. And each of us will have their own route...
My Prague
I first saw Prague at night: throwing my bag hastily in the hotel, I went to wander around the unfamiliar night city. It was about eleven o'clock. Prague was not asleep. Here, under the lanterns of a summer cafe, large blond tourists from Germany are drinking beer. They are easily recognizable by their beer bellies, akin to the Czechs, and their clanging 'Kaiser' speech. Busily, like a stream, Japanese travelers hurry somewhere, managing to capture the most impressive spires in their lens along the way. International student youth wander through narrow streets and choose cheaper souvenirs. Martyred grimacing and loudly talking, our Russian female tourists clomp somewhere on high heels...
In the morning, when we arrived as an organized tourist group at the place where I had wandered the night before, the women were still stomping. It seemed the same people were sitting in cafes, photographing sights, sorting through souvenirs. In Prague, time stops and space mixes. And, wandering like a small ant among ancient buildings, I began to understand why everyone had been and still is drawn here: romantics and mystics, pragmatists and cynics.
Kafka and Nietzsche, Hasek and Mucha lived here. Prague cultivates taste. It takes your breath away when you look at these walls blackened by centuries of soot. In architectural Prague, the main color is gray. All house facades are initially gray, with the black patina of centuries. All shades of this gray give rise in us to a special poetic elegy, which allows artists of the pen and brush to understand the correlation of colors better than in any other city in the world. The city does not change a single tile or a cobblestone on the pavement. Somewhere, of course, new houses and office buildings are being built. But here, in the heart of Prague, everything is as it was in the time of the Czech kings. For us, Kyivans, this is probably not given. We strive to “modernize” our city at any cost. In any case, the result is evident...
Czechs and Czech women
Czechs live in Prague. Strange as it may seem, somewhere and somehow they survive among crowds of motley tourists. What are they like?
Czechs are unhurried. This can be observed in how slowly and with relish you are served in any Prague “vinarna”. And it's not about the waiter's laziness: it's simply not proper to make a person hurry with food or especially with drinking beer.
Czechs are tight-fisted. This apparently began in time immemorial, when the provost of Vyšehrad Cathedral hired the devil himself to roof a building. How he settled accounts with him, how he pestered the poor unclean one, history is silent. But the devil got so angry that in a fit he threw a huge stone and swore he would never have dealings with Czechs. The stone still lies to this day in the Vyšehrad garden. And enterprising Czechs lead tourists to it and even charge 5 crowns for the toilet in McDonald's.
Czech men can be seen from about three or four o'clock in any Prague “vinarna”. They drink beer and eat meat. They are always calm and frighteningly good-natured. By the way, the best in Czech cuisine is beer and meat. Dumplings (knedliky) - tight pieces of boiled dough - are a real test for Czech patriotism. To eat such a piece without choking is a skill. Czechs can do it, tourists are learning. Among the indisputable delicacies is the famous apple strudel: with cinnamon, apples, almonds, raisins, drizzled with melted butter and dusted with vanilla powdered sugar. Oh! Austria and Germany, Czech Republic and Poland are fighting for the honor of being called its homeland.
Czech women are divided into young and... not so young. Young ones do not wear pointed-toe shoes and do not use cosmetics. Instead, they “wear” well-groomed hair and smooth, baby-like skin. With all their appearance, young Czech women make it clear: they are Europe. Communicating with them is difficult not only because they don't know Russian. In both English and German, they are equally polite, smiling and... closed.
True, young Czechs are now starting to learn Russian: the reason is the situation in Karlovy Vary (where Russians make up about 80-90% of the population) and tours of Russian music groups. “Tatu” brought back the fashion for the Russian language. Apparently, Czechs will not be learning Ukrainian for a long, long time. Russians are associated with rich and slightly crazy “merchants”, and we... Well, nowadays Ukrainians are joining the ranks of those who work “dirty and for pennies”.
“Wrap me a piece of Prague...”
Wherever you set off, sooner or later the human flow will carry you to Charles Bridge. The power and solidity of the half-kilometer pedestrian bridge over the Vltava, which withstood the pressure of time and the water element for six centuries, are set off by majestic stone figures resting on its parapets. Guides tell in detail about the deeds of these twelve saints, but the information will be forgotten, while what you see will never be forgotten. Many remain standing by the railings, unable to tear themselves away from the view of the greenish domes of baroque cathedrals and the dark gothic of churches, cutting the horizon of tiled roofs like needles.
On Charles Bridge, you will gasp and groan, both at the indescribable beauty of the city panorama and at the scale of the souvenir industry. In the middle of the day, Charles Bridge is like Andriyivsky Descent during a public celebration. Poor Jan Nepomuk has a dozen souvenir T-shirts tucked under his arms. Other kings and saints look with horror at the nimble photographers, artists, and other “souvenir sellers” who briskly collect tribute from dazed tourists.
My old jeans and equally old ECCO slippers immediately excluded me from the ranks of Russian-speaking tourists, so while wandering among souvenir stalls, I heard a lot of interesting things. A third of the sellers are ours: Russians or Ukrainians. They chatter in low voices in the great and mighty language, occasionally seasoning what they say with their native obscenities. Their prices are about 20% higher than those of Czech sellers. What do they offer? Just about everything. For example, a pretty little landscape touched my soul somehow. And I gasped: on the watercolor I liked, the domes of the familiar... St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kyiv were gleaming gold. A young bearded artist smiled indulgently at the “suckered tourist” and casually said, “Fifteen dollars.” I shook my head, unable to find a worthy answer, and wandered on. A fellow portrait artist asked in a low voice, “What, not selling?” “Cheapskates, they just walk around for nothing,” the other sighed.
So what to bring from Prague? It would be nice to take all of it. But as for small things... One can be tempted by Czech Art Nouveau. Alphonse Mucha is, no doubt, still blessed in the hearts of all Czech 'artisans of art': how else, it is his mannered Salomes and nymphs that adorn countless porcelain saucers and vases, which are snapped up by Russian tourists. Beer mugs, crystal - from the 'military wife's dream' style to truly stylish and delicate works, napkins, coasters, tiny spoons and bowls... On the way from Wenceslas Square to Charles Bridge you can buy everything: from 'genuinely Czech' red-starred ushankas and matryoshka dolls (interesting, what wind brought them there?) to funny marionette dolls: dancing dogs, dressed-up witches, brave Schweik soldiers. And as for gold... Somewhere around the twentieth jewelry store you swear off wearing any jewelry at all. And after the hundredth souvenir shop you want to bring from Prague only a scarier witch.
...I returned to Charles Bridge in the evening. It was getting dark. The traveling crowd had quietly vanished, and the dark silhouettes of tired saints stood lonely and black against the velvet-blue sky. Here and now I for the first time felt the true hidden rhythm of life of this mysterious 'gingerbread' city. A plump Czech woman hurried past me, laden, like our women of the same indefinite age, with bags of groceries. She was hurrying home, casting a brief glance at her bridge. And it seemed that Jan Nepomuk, tired after the day, followed her with a sympathetic look...
We express gratitude to the Czech Center in Kiev and the travel company Czech Tour Service for organizing the trip.