Happy Steps travel blog

Scenic views from the Vyšehrad Castle in Prague

Continued from Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at Vysehrad Castle, Prague

View of the Vltava River as seen from Vysehrad Castle.

Walking along the grounds of an ancient castle such as Vyšehrad in Prague, one can’t help but imagine its glorious past when royal families used to make this as their residence. The castle complex is situated on a hill, thus it is aptly named as “castle on the heights.”

Since it is highly elevated, another treat for its visitors, aside from the historical buildings and artifacts within, are the scenic views as seen from its outer walls. While visitors can take delight in a relaxed atmosphere of nature as they tour around, lounging in one of the benches, reading a book or having picnic on a quiet spot, they can also enjoy breathtaking views of the Vltava River or Prague’s buildings below.

Picturesque Prague cityscape.

The castle walls where visitors can view what’s down below.

Tired or just want to sit down and enjoy the view? Benches are strewn everywhere in the castle grounds.

Tinkering with the phone while having a beer… what a way to unwind!

Reading a book by the castle wall… cool, huh.

I love looking at the buildings below!

Another scenic view of the Vltava River

Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at Vysehrad Castle, Prague

Continued from The Vyšehrad Castle in Prague

You just can’t get enough of the beautiful and imposing Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at the Vysehrad Castle in Prague.

Right side view of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

This 19th century church is Neo-Gothic in style. You can’t miss gazing up at the church’s twin spires which identify the Vysehrad Castle when viewed from afar.

Inside the Basilica

The main altar

The hallway at the right side of the church

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The Vyšehrad Castle in Prague

One of Prague’s remarkable and beautiful buildings, the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at Vysehrad Castle, Prague.

Overlooking the Vltava River on a hill is Vyšehrad, an ancient castle in Prague built in the 10th century also known as “castle on the heights”.

Map of Vysehrad castle grounds posted at the information board (click for larger image, refer to Map Legend at the end of this post)

We started our tour at the Brick (Prague) Gate and hiked our way to the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Entrance to the Vysehrad Castle via the Brick (Prague) Gate which can be accessed from Vratislavova street.

The Brick (Prague) Gate as seen from inside the castle grounds

Hidden within the Vysehrad castle fortress are vaulted chambers also known as casemates which can be accessed via the Brick Gate. The largest area in the Vysehrad casemates is the Gorlice – Subterranean Hall, which used to be a storage room for food and weapons. Presently, it is where the original statues of St. Augustine, St. Nicholas, St. Bernard and others from the Charles Bridge are kept.
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Midnight at the Old Town Square, Prague

(Continued from Old Town Square, Prague: Tyn Cathedral, Old Town Hall and nearby buildings)

It was already midnight when we arrived at the Old Town Square in Prague and I thought we would be greeted with empty streets and deserted cobblestone walkways, but I was wrong. Even at such late hour, there were still tourists hanging around at the square. Most of them were on their way home, while some were already drunk with pivo (Czech for beer) and starting to get noisy in the sidewalks.

The Ministry of Economy building, the Goltz Kynsky Palace, the House at the Bell and the Jan Hus Memorial at the center of the square.

At night, the Tyn Cathedral looked even more beautiful yet somewhat intimidating.

The evening atmosphere at the Old Town Square has a different charm of its own, where devoid of the bright sun, one can have another look at the beautiful buildings which flaunt an interesting play of shadows and varied lighting.

The Old Town Hall Tower with the astronomical clock looked like a building out of a fairy tale. I can almost see Rapunzel letting down her long hair from the window.

The street lamps with their yellow colored glow add to the fascinating and historical character of the buildings.

We rested for a while at one of the benches beside the Old Town Hall Tower while enjoying this view in front of us.

Walking along the Old Town that evening, it felt like I was in a dream save by the loud singing of the Czech national anthem by some drunken guys across the street.

Old Town Square, Prague: Tyn Cathedral, Old Town Hall and nearby buildings

One of Prague’s must-see attractions is the Old Town Square which tourists can find within walking distance from the Charles Bridge.

Going to the Old Town Square, tourists are greeted with buildings lined up at the sides and the Tyn Cathedral straight ahead.

The varied architectural styles of the buildings in the square make it an open-air museum featuring the Gothic styled Tyn Cathedral with its pointed spires, the Gothic façade of the House of the Stone Bell, the nearby St. Nicholas Church with its Baroque dome and other buildings.

The Old Town Hall with the Kriz House (pink building) adjacent to it.

The Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall’s tower provides brief entertainment to tourists with its “Walk of the Apostles” mini-show every hour.

Another view of the Town Hall Tower.

The House at the Bell (right) and the Goltz Kynsky Palace where the National Gallery is housed.

The Ministry of Economy building.

St. Nicholas Church

At the center of the square is the Jan Hus Memorial made of bronze by Czech sculptor Ladislav Saloun.

The Jan Hus memorial is a favorite place for tired tourists with its benches around where one can sit back and enjoy the great view of the surrounding buildings.

To be continued

Weekend getaway at the Branik district in Prague

It was just one of those lazy Saturdays when you crave for grilled food and a picnic out in the sun, away from the usual environment at home.

There was really no definite place to go, and so we ended up at Branik, just few minutes away from Praha 4 in Prague. We were greeted by a wide expanse of green with the Vltava River calmly flowing by the side. The place is an idyllic weekend spot for sunbathers, families and yes, pets.

Catching the sun’s rays while reading a book

Few meters farther are thick trees along a higher terrain with a path where some enjoy speeding with their bicycles or skates

Bridge over peaceful water

Sitting by the Vltava River while discussing politics, hehehe…

Wordless Wednesday: Sunset at Praha 4, Prague

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Prague artist David Cerny: pink tank, hanging statue, crawling babies and more

Would you paint a war tank pink? Maybe not, but controversial Czech artist and sculptor David Cerny did it to a Soviet tank when he was still an art student in 1991. While that tank is now kept in Lešany Military museum, a pink torso of a tank by Cerny was just recently planted on the grounds beside the Justicní Palác in Prague. The white stripe at the center is reminiscent of the invasion of the Soviet tanks in Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Call him weird, creative or what, incidentally he’s also the sculptor of the Viselec or the ‘Hanging Man’ at Jilska Street which I featured in my previous Wordless Wednesday post. The ‘Hanging Man’ is a life-size statue of famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud who was born in Moravia, Czech Republic. In 2007, the sculpture was part of art exhibitions held at the Open Concept Gallery in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the Columbia College in Chicago where it was installed high on top and caused alarm among the motorists who thought it was a real man about to take his own life. It has also made its appearance in other art exhibitions in Europe such as Berlin and Stockholm. Now that it’s back home, nobody seems to mind this hanging artwork when we were at the Old Town in Prague.

Another interesting work of Cerny is the crawling babies at the Prague Television Tower.

Photo credits: Prague TV Tower by rainydazeee.com

Wordless Wednesday: A building at the Old Town, Prague

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Weekend at Lipence

A district in the southwest of Prague, Lipence is great for weekend getaways. Thanks to a friend who invited us for a Saturday barbeque at their cottage in this picturesque place. Though the weather was a bit cold (she sent an SMS to bring sweaters), it was just fine for us with the sun peeking out of the clouds oftentimes during the day.

The wooden cottage is situated on a hilly terrain overlooking vast fields of wheat. It’s small yet charming, with a kitchen, dining room, guest bedroom and a T&B downstairs and bigger bedroom up in the attic. It was like stepping into a little Czech museum seeing some old paintings and antique household items being displayed – from tableware to cooking stove and some really old clothes irons on the shelf.

Later in the afternoon, we hiked to the River Berounka which is about 15 minutes walk from the cottage.

It was such a relaxing Saturday; we went home at almost midnight. Having a cottage in the outskirts is a good idea for those who need a place to unwind after a stressful work week in the city. In my friend’s case though, it’s more of a summer cottage – it’s not advisable to stay there during winter since the walls are not that thick enough to withstand the cold.

A world of benches: Prague

Waiting for us by the roadside or under the trees, benches provide not just a breathing space for passersby to rest but a chance to initiate a conversation and meet new friends.

At a neighborhood in Praha 4, Prague

Whenever I see an empty bench, I would often wonder how many people have stopped by and rested on it, and how many brilliant ideas, endless arguments or crazy jokes have been exchanged among friends and strangers with the bench as their silent witness.

Thus I have acquired an interest in taking photos of benches recently. I have my virtual collection of benches captured by the lens and I’d like to share some of them in a series of posts.

A lady leisurely reading by the wall, Vyšehrad Castle, Prague

Inside the Vyšehrad Castle grounds, Prague

By the fountain at Justicní Palác, Prague

Bench around a tree, at Kutná Hora, another town few hours travel from Prague

Medovnik from Prague and Piaya from Bacolod

Here’s how two famous sweets from the east and west would look like side by side…

Prague’s Medovnik and Bacolod’s Piaya!

Medovnik is a layered honey cake with chopped walnut toppings and is one of Prague’s best-loved and known desserts, while Piaya is Bacolod’s famous delicacy. The above photo shows a slice of Medovnik bought from a mall in Prague, while the two pieces of Piaya were leftovers from a bunch baked by sis during my vacation.

I am not a big fan of the Piaya, but I can eat lots of ‘em only if it’s cooked by sis! *wink* Yup, her version of our native delicacy is the yummiest, since she makes it not too sweet and the crust is crispy and tasty especially when fresh from the oven or heated in the microwave. You can get my sister’s very own piaya recipe here.

Eye-catching illumination inside historical buildings

Castles, churches and other historical buildings are usually on my top travel destinations. Aside from being interested with the architecture of the building and the exterior details, going inside can be even more breathtaking. For instance the interiors of the cathedrals such as the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at the Vysehrad Castle are elaborately done, with the detailed chapels at the sides decorated with statues or paintings and other interesting artifacts. Not to miss are the beautiful hanging lamps and chandeliers which provide a subdued mood.

Chandelier inside the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle

Hanging lamps provide a quiet mood for contemplation at the church of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Vysehrad Castle

Chandeliers and other stylish lighting fixtures lend an artistic touch to a room, aside from providing mood lighting. They’re even considered as art centerpieces to hotels and some homes. Finding one for your home can’t be that easy though since they should complement the room’s look.
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Prague is calling!

Yesterday my cutie sis in Prague showed me some pics of my parents posing by the trees at the park nearby their flat. It’s spring time there and the photos look so refreshing especially this:

Spring flowers in Prague

It left me green with envy (kidding!) – they’re finally in Prague and I’m still here - but I just tried to cheer myself up with the fact that next month I will be going there too. I can just imagine those hotels in Prague filled up with tourists for the summer.

One of the must-visits in Prague for tourists especially Catholics is the Church of the Infant Jesus or the Church of Our Lady Victorious where you can visit the famous statue of the infant Jesus (Pražské Jezulátko). Another tourist attraction is the Charles Bridge which crosses the Vltava River and is a historical landmark of Prague.

Tourists at the Charles Bridge
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Photographic guide to Prague

I met a friend in Austria who gave me this treasure of a book:

A Photographic Guide to Prague

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