Lets add the Czech Republic to our trip! Why not!

Czech Republic 11^th August 09

Detoured at the bottom of Poland!

The last time we were here it was Czechoslovakia in 1972 there were lines at the border, compulsory moneychange, vehicle search etc. now – nothing!  As usual, in these newly appointed EU countries there were more empty offices & waiting areas at the border growing weeds while we breezed past at 70kms an hour towards Hranice our first stop!

Our first Czech campsite was, we discovered, reached only by going under a 3.1metre bridge. With the motorhome being nearly 3m high it was a bit scary, but we got through, just-took some pics! The town of Hranice is well preserved and was worth our brief look.  We then set off for Hrad Helfstyn, a 14^th century stronghold still in a wonderful state, and one of the largest walled complete castles in the Czech Republic which would’ve been difficult to storm as its’ perfectly positioned atop hills with its many bastions and baileys ready to pour oil, arrows etc on attackers!  They have an annual blacksmiths competition here annually resulting in an exhibition of prizewinners work over the years, both traditional and abstract.

The journey onwards then took us through undulating country – unusual for the kilometres of apple trees lining the roadside.  Telc was our next stop with the town centre being totally medieval, its chateau dominating the town with a huge square lined where old burgher houses stood & two churches, all of a great age and well renovated.  We felt it a pity so many cars were still allowed through the centre of this lovely old town. The same went for Trebon, a place we nearly missed due a bypass and traffic, good job we went back!  Even better, we think than Telc with similar medieval churches, houses and squares, still sporting the original arches and gates to each side of the old town and flanked by the Schwarzenbergs Chateau (1660), beautifully restored, plus chateau parklands.  

We digress to bring you fishpond culture, a feature of the area. Some started around the 1400s’ but mainly from 1600, sourced from rivers and fed by small canal systems they have been a mainstay to the present day and now providing sport and food for the table.  Carp, eel and whitefish can be caught, whatever they are!

Csesky Krumlov was something else! Situated on two bends of a river with an immense chateau-castle flanking one side of the town having survived several wars and restorations over 600 years. It had a multi arched walkway taking  you high above the town from its gardens to the castle proper. Below it was a beautifully preserved old town going beyond just a chintzy town square. Restored burgher houses, town hall, several fine churches and a maze of cobbled streets made it a place to wander aimlessly .

After a rustic camp and very pleasant meander northwards we reached Prague and lucky to find a small pension/camping only 15 mins by tram from the centre.

We had reached mid August and with it a stinking hot day and decided the castle complex was the go. This is a sprawling mini city of buildings with origins from the 12^th century. Intending to make a day of it we went by way of a funicular taking us up to Pentrin hill then walked gently round the woods by way of the Strahov Monastery (founded 1140) and housing a huge library of old maps, manuscripts and rare books.  Next we passed Loreta Church - very Baroque and with a 27 bell carillon striking every hour ending up at the Castle complex entrance.

The castle complex houses the old Royal Palace, the magnificent St Vitus church, St Georges Basilisc and convent, Golden lane (a row of preserved former court officers and guards houses, very old, very nice & very touristy!) then the Lobkowicz Palace which housed a private museum of art and artifacts from the same named family.  Below the castle are the royal gardens on one side and the battery gardens on the other, both now in pristine condition. There is in fact not much of the real old castle left at all having been modified often over the 600 years but it still retains an impressive aura over the city.

Tired and very hot we made our way back by way of the old Karlov Bridge, now full of hawkers and crowds but with a great little Jazz band called appropriately the “Bridge Band”. We were pleased to get back to our oasis.

The following day it was much cooler having had a small storm during the night.  We took the tram to Vyshrad, the old fortress hill just south of the city, by the river. Walked up to the top through woodland and found St Peters and Paul church and cemetery, apparently well known for famous Czech persons ending up here. The ramparts here are original and amazing and gives one a clear picture of what it looked like around the 1200s’. Walked down the other side and trammed it back to Charles square(Karlov Namesti) the biggest in Europe we are told! There stands the “new “ town all a mere 500 years old with its gothic tower and all.  

This area then lead into the old town area and we wandered the many picturesque back streets taking in the former Powder Tower from 1400’s and the much newer (1905) “art deco” masterpiece of the municipal building, it really was a treat.  Finally we got to the old town square where Jan Hus’s monument  (you’ll remember of course  that he was the religious reformer executed in 1415) surrounded by the Baroque and the Gothic and the Rococo. The old town hall sports the Astronomical clock, origins in the early 1500s’ which celebrates each hour with a bell ringing skeleton and a parade of apostles & inexplicably draws applause from the crowd!  We spent a while here drinking it all in, tourists from all over, horse carriages, bike rickshaws & Segways,[ an odd  electric motored contraption where you stand up and balance as you poodle along, trying to read a guide book and eat a sandwich at the same time]. Finally we wandered up a wonderful street to catch our tram-a virtual replica of Boulevard Hausmann in Paris [name dropping]. We shall remember Prague fondly .

Our last stop in the Czech Republic was a bit of a backtrack to Kutna Hora to visit the Sedlec ossuary-an extraordinary chapel where the interior is furnished entirely with skulls and bones, initiated in 1511   by a half blind cisterian monk using 30,000 displaced skeletons from mainly plague victims,especially when parts of burial grounds were destroyed. The actual ossuary was built in around 1280-1300 as a chapel to the local cemetery just across the road from the catherdral of the Assumption built at the same time