One Day In Prague

This story first appeared in a 2010 issue of Lifestyle Asia Travel magazine 

Written and photographed by Paul John Caña

Additional photos by Eltaf Najafizada

My first glimpse of Prague was at night. Inside a rented Opel Astra, I drove myself and four other adventurers (one each from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Azerbaijan and India) on a weekend lark to explore the Czech capital. We left Berlin at 8 p.m., hearts racing at the thought of contributing our footprints on the streets of what has often been described as one of the most beautiful cities on earth.  Four and half hours later, bleary eyed but in good spirits, we pulled into the city. It was practically deserted; the main thoroughfare was quiet, with only a few passing cars and the occasional drifter and inebriated partygoer. We paid a taxi driver to lead us into our hotel and wearily crawled into bed. The adventure had to wait.

The Prague National Museum bathed in afternoon light

St. Wenceslas, patron saint of Bohemia

We woke to a clear summer's day. The sky was a deep cobalt, and the streets were slowly coming to life. After a breakfast of toast and eggs, we set out to explore the city. The plan was to find a place to park the Astra and explore what we could on foot. We found one right across the National Museum adjacent to the statue of St. Wenceslas, a former king and patron saint of Bohemia. Lined with offices, shopping boutiques, hotels, souvenir shops and restaurants, St. Wenceslas Square is a commercial and cultural hub in the city. A palpable energy emanated from the place: it was as if the city knew it was our first time and was eager to show us what she's got.

Me with Diana (Azerbaijan), Reva (Indonesia), and Surbhi (India)

Surbhi, Eltaf (Afghanistan) and me

Battling the summer tourist crowds

Further along, towards the far end of the boulevard, we saw a sinister-looking dark structure. This centuries-old guard tower welcomes visitors to the Stare Mesto  (Old Town). Tourists in their summer get-up (walking shorts, sandals-and-socks, fannypack and a digital camera attached to their wrists) occupied almost every available space; it was the peak of summer and it seemed like every conceivable country was represented in the thick mass of humanity that congregated in the city that day. 

Along the colorful rows of more souvenir shops, little cafes and restaurants, street performers fiddled with their violins, pounded on their drums, and stroked their guitars. An upturned hat sat in front of each group of merry musicmakers, a gentle appeal for each passersby's generosity. We trudged on ahead and were rewarded with a sight nothing short of amazing.

The guard tower serves as the entrance to Stare Mesto or Old Town

A shopkeeper selling souvenirs

It's impossible not to get all giddy when you're surrounded by all this majesty

History books (and Internet sites) place the founding of Prague in the 10^th century, when settlements first appeared on the banks of the Vltava River. Over 1000 years later, the Starometske nametski or Old Town Square still thumps with life and remains to be the very heart of Prague. All five of us (and most other first timers, I suspect) could not contain swoons, sighs and gasps at the magnificence laid out before us: the imposing tower of Town Hall on one end, the Gothic façade of the Tynsky chram (Church of Our Lady of Tyn) on the other, various other architectural marvels all around and a monument to the Czech martyr Jan Hus near the center. The entire place exuded romance and history. Despite the flurry of activity from tourists, musicians, performance artists, shopkeepers and more tourists, it was hard not to be moved by the glorious assembly of such towering monuments to culture and heritage all in one place.

Old Town square, with a monument to Czech martyr Jan Hus in the center

Lovers in Prague

While the fellows from Indonesia and Afghanistan chose to take a breather from all that sightseeing, my friends from Azebaijan and India joined me in paying the entrance fee to go up on the viewdeck of Town Hall. From here, it was easy to see how Prague earned the nickname “City of One Hundred Spires.” The orange rooftops of the city broken by towers and turrets made for a mesmerizing sight. The twin gables of the Tynsky chram are also more striking at this height. We could have stayed there for hours, but by this time, the sun was past the highest point in the sky, and our stomachs reminded us of much-needed sustenance. We shared lunch with fellow globetrotters al fresco at a restaurant just off the number one tourist destination in the entire city.

Tynsky Chram towers above the roofs of Old Town Square

The roofs of Prague, with Prague Castle in the distance

The Astronomical Clock features an hourly show of the Walk of the Apostles

Surbhi and Diana enjoying the sights

Charles bridge, I would find our later, was built in 1357 by King Charles IV.  It is perhaps the most visited attraction in Prague, and for good reason. Steeped in a colorful and often violent history, the stone bridge connects the Old Town with Mala Strana (Lesser Town) and is watched over by 30 statues and statuaries of saints and religious figures. With Prague Castle visible in the distance, the beauty and romance of one of the world’s most recognizable bridges is inescapable.

View of the Vltava River and Prague Castle from Charles Bridge

The statues on Charles Bridge are actually replicas; the originals are housed in a museum

Our one and only photo all together. I miss these guys.

It took us over an hour to reach the end of Charles Bridge towards the side of Mala Strana, partly because of a thick “tourist jam” and partly because we kept stopping to take snapshots. On the Mala Strana side of the Vltava River, a short hike led us finally up to Prague Castle. Fatigue instantly vanished when we were faced with the grand gate of the castle complex. Past two huge stone statues of Titans vanquishing their enemies, we craned our necks to see the jaw-dropping façade of the St. Vitus Cathedral, the most important church in the Czech Republic. Work on the cathedral began in the 14^th century and took all of 600 years, with the finishing touches not completed until 1929. 

The entrance to Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral is the most important church in the Czech Republic

The impressive interior of St. Vitus Cathedral

Intricate stained glass inside the Cathedral

Inside, the afternoon sun streamed through intricate stained glass, casting a colorful glow on the cavernous interior. Bohemian kings rest in tombs within the cathedral. The Czech Crown Jewels are also supposedly kept somewhere in the premises, behind a door with seven locks whose keys are held by seven of the most prominent individuals of the Czech Republic, including the President, the Prime Minister and Archbishop of Prague. Two art galleries inside the cathedral house a collection of priceless Czech art. There is also a lavish chapel dedicated to “Good King” Wenceslas, whose statue we first laid eyes on in the square that bears his name at the beginning of our Prague sojourn.

Taking a break and chatting with a Pakistani family

My friends

Legs weary and eyes almost popping out with the wealth of cultural and historical treasures spread out before us, we finally decided to call it a day. After a quick tour in the castle courtyards and one last round of picture taking in the palatial grounds, we took a tram back to our starting point, St. Wenceslas Square. The sun was hanging low in the horizon when we pulled out of the parking lot to head back to Berlin. It was then that we felt Franz Kafka’s words ringing true. “Prague doesn’t let you go,” he said. “This little mother has claws.”

Me with the Opel Astra we drove from Berlin to Prague and back