Street Traveler

List of Places in Prague

2010-01-28T07:27:00.001-08:00

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Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included Praga mater urbium/Praha matka měst ("Prague – Mother of Cities") in Latin/Czech, Stověžatá Praha ("City of a Hundred Spires") in Czech or Zlaté město/Goldene Stadt ("Golden City") in Czech/German.

Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. For many decades during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

Today, the city proper is home to more than 1.2 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million.

List of Places in Prague

Charles Bridge: The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded..	Old Town Square (Prague): Located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge, Prague's Old To..	Dancing House: The Dancing House (Czech: Tančící dům) is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederland..	Wenceslas Square: Wenceslas Square (Czech: Václavské náměstí (help·info)) is one of the main city squ..
Vinohrady: Vinohrady (in English literally "vineyards", formerly Královské Vinohrady, German..	Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague: Founded in 1885, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague is house..	Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral: The Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic, is..	National Museum (Prague): The National museum (Czech: Národní muzeum) is a Czech museum institution in..
Anděl (neighborhood): Anděl is a busy crossing and its immediate neighbourhood in Prague 5's centr..	Žižkov Television Tower: The Žižkov Television Tower is a uniquely-designed tower built in Prague betw..	Prague Zoo: Prague Zoo is a zoo in Prague, Czech Republic. It was founded in 1931 with the goal to &qu..	National Theatre (Prague): The Národní Divadlo or the National Theatre in Prague is known as the Alma ..
Rudolfinum: The Rudolfinum is a music auditorium in Prague. It is one of the most important neo-renais..	Petřín: Petřín (327 m) is a hill in the center of Prague, Czech Republic. It rises some 130 m above th..	Malá Strana: Malá Strana (German: Prager Kleinseite) is a district of the city of Prague, Czech Republ..	Josefov: Josefov (also Jewish quarter; Josephstadt in German) is a town quarter and the smallest cadas..
Lennon Wall: The Lennon Wall is a wall in Prague, Czech Republic. Once a normal wall, since the 1980s ..

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of Europe's (and the world's) most popular tourist destinations. It is the sixth most-visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin.[16] Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than some other major cities in the region, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form. It contains one of the world's most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and ultra-modern.

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Lennon Wall

2010-01-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

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The Lennon Wall is a wall in Prague, Czech Republic. Once a normal wall, since the 1980s it has been filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs.

In 1988, the wall was a source of irritation for the then communist regime of Gustav Husak. Young Czechs would write grievances on the wall and in a report of the time this led to a clash between hundreds of students and security police on the nearby Charles Bridge. The movement these students followed was described ironically as "Lennonism" and Czech authorities described these people variously as alcoholics, mentally deranged, sociopathic, and agents of Western capitalism.

The wall continuously undergoes change and the original portrait of Lennon is long lost under layers of new paint. Even when the wall was repainted by some authorities, on the second day it was again full of poems and flowers. Today, the wall represents a symbol of youth ideals such as love and peace.

The wall is owned by the Knights of the Maltese Cross, who allowed the graffiti to continue on the wall, and is located at Velkopřevorské náměstí (Grand Priory Square), Malá Strana.

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Josefov

2010-01-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

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Josefov (also Jewish quarter; Josephstadt in German) is a town quarter and the smallest cadastral area of Prague, Czech Republic, formerly the Jewish ghetto of the town. It is completely surrounded by Old Town. The quarter is often represented by the flag of Prague's historic Jewish community, a yellow Magen David (Star of David) on a red field.

Jews are believed to have settled in Prague as early as the 10th century. The first pogrom was in 1096 (the first crusade) and eventually they were concentrated within a walled Ghetto. In 1262 Přemysl Otakar II issued a Statuta Judaeorum which granted the community a degree of self administration. In 1389 one of the worst pogroms saw some 1,500 massacred at Easter Sunday. The ghetto was most prosperous towards the end of the 16th century when the Jewish Mayor, Mordecai Meisel, became the Minister of Finance and a very wealthy man. His money helped develop the ghetto. Around this time the Maharal was supposed to create the Golem.

In 1850 the quarter was renamed "Josefstadt" (Joseph's City) after Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor who emancipated Jews with the Toleration Edict in 1781. Two years before Jews were allowed to settle outside of the city, so the share of the Jewish population in Josefov decreased, while only orthodox and poor Jews remained living there.

Most of the quarter was demolished between 1893 and 1913 as part of an initiative to model the city on Paris. What was left were only six synagogues, the old cemetery, and the Old Jewish Town Hall (now all part of the Jewish Museum in Prague and described below).

With only six synagogues, the old cemetery, and the Old Jewish Town Hall the Nazi German occupation could have been expected to complete the demolition of the old ghetto. However the area was preserved in order to provide a site for a planned "exotic museum of an extinct race". This meant that the Nazis gathered Jewish artifacts from all over central Europe for display in Josefov.

Currently Josefov is overbuilt with buildings from the beginning of the 20th century, so it is difficult to appreciate exactly what the old quarter was like when it was reputed to have over 18,000 inhabitants.

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Malá Strana

2010-01-12T18:18:00.000-08:00

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Malá Strana (German: Prager Kleinseite) is a district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic, and one of its most historic regions.

The name translated into English literally means "Little Side", though it is frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Quarter", or "Lesser Side". This name derives from its position on the left (west) bank of the river Vltava, on the slopes just below the Prague Castle, in opposition to the larger towns of Prague on the right bank, to which it is conjoined by the Charles Bridge.

In the Middle Ages, it was a dominant centre of the ethnic German citizens of Prague. It also housed a large number of noble palaces while the right-bank towns were comparatively more bourgeois and more Bohemian Czech.

In the distant past, Malá Strana was called Malé Město Pražské (Lesser Town of Prague). Malé Město Pražské was created in 1257 by amalgamating a number of settlements beneath the Prague Castle, into a single administrative unit. This was done during the reign of Přemysl Otakar II. The newly-founded town got the permission to be a royal town, and many more privileges. The residents were mostly German craftsmen, invited by the King. Even though the city was royal, the King did not master the city as a whole. By the middle of the century the city was renamed Malá Strana.

Baroque architecture predominates in Malá Strana, but the history of the district dates back to far before the Baroque era. Baroque architecture eventually dominated when the style became successfully implanted on Malá Strana after the district was devastated by fires in 1541.

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Petřín

2010-01-12T06:18:00.000-08:00

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Petřín (327 m) is a hill in the center of Prague, Czech Republic. It rises some 130 m above the left bank of the Vltava River. The hill, almost entirely covered with parks, is a favorite recreational area for the inhabitants of Prague. The hill (in German known as Laurenziberg) is featured prominently in Franz Kafka's early short story "Description of a Struggle" and briefly in Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being."

The summit of the hill is linked to Prague's Malá Strana district by the Petřín funicular, a funicular railway that first operated in 1891.

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Rudolfinum

2010-01-11T23:59:00.000-08:00

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The Rudolfinum is a music auditorium in Prague. It is one of the most important neo-renaissance buildings in the city. It is situated at Jan Palach Square on the bank of the river Vltava. For many decades it has been the home-stage of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the main venues for the Prague Spring International Music Festival held each year in May and June. The building was designed by architect Josef Zítek and his student Josef Schulz, and was opened February 8, 1885. It is named in honour of Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, who presided over the opening.

Dvorak Hall in the Rudolfinum, one of the oldest concert halls in Europe, is famous for its acoustics. On 4 January 1896 the Czech Philharmonic’s very first concert took place here conducted by Antonín Dvořák.

The building also contains the Galerie Rudolfinum, an important Art Gallery that focuses mainly on contemporary art. Major exhibitions have included: František Drtikol - Photographer, Painter, Mystic, (1998), Cindy Sherman: Retrospective, (1998), Jürgen Klauke: Side Effect, (1998), Czech Photography 1840-1950, (2004), Annelies Štrba, (2005), Neo Rauch: Neue Rollen, (2007), Uncertain States of America, (2007-2008), Gottfried Helnwein: Angels Sleeping, (2008).

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National Theatre (Prague)

2010-01-11T18:18:00.000-08:00

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The Národní Divadlo or the National Theatre in Prague is known as the Alma Mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art.

The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a rich artistic tradition which was created and maintained by the most distinguished personalities in Czech society. This tradition helped to preserve and develop the most important features of the nation – the Czech language and a sense for a Czech musical and dramatic way of thinking.

Today the National Theatre consists of three artistic ensembles – opera, ballet and drama – which alternate in their performances in the historic building of the National Theatre, in the Theatre of the Estates and in the Kolowrat Theatre. All three artistic ensembles select their repertoire not only from the rich classical heritage, but in addition to local authors they focus their attention on modern world output.

The National Theatre is the embodiment of the will of the Czech nation for its national identity and independence. Collections of money among the broad masses of the people facilitated its construction, and so the ceremonious laying of the foundation stone on May 16, 1868, was tantamount to an all-state political demonstration.

But the idea of building a dignified edifice to serve as a theatre matured in the autumn of 1844 at the gatherings of patriots in Prague and began to be implemented by an application submitted by František Palacký to the Provincial Committee of the Czech Assembly on January 29, 1845, having requested "the privilege of constructing, furnishing, maintaining and managing" of an independent Czech theatre. The privilege was granted in April 1845. But it was not until six years later – in April 1851 – that the founding Society for the Establishment of a Czech National Theatre in Prague made the first public appeal to start a collection. A year later the proceeds went toward the purchase of land belonging to a former salt works covering an area of not quite 28 acres (11 ha) which determined the magnificent site of the theatre on the banks of the river Vltava facing the panorama of Prague Castle, but at the same time the cramped area and trapezium shape posed challenging problems for the designers of the building.

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Prague Zoo

2010-01-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

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Prague Zoo is a zoo in Prague, Czech Republic. It was founded in 1931 with the goal to "advance the study of zoology, protect wildlife, and educate the public" in the district of Troja in the north of Prague. The zoo occupies 45 hectares (111 acres) and houses about 4,600 animals that represent 630 species from all around the world. Prague Zoological Garden has contributed significantly to saving the Przewalski horse. For many years it was the biggest breeder of the species in the world. In 2008 Forbes Traveler Magazine listed Prague ZOO among the world's best zoos.

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Žižkov Television Tower

2010-01-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

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The Žižkov Television Tower is a uniquely-designed tower built in Prague between 1985 and 1992. It stands high above the city's traditional skyline from its position on top of a hill in the district of Žižkov, from which it takes its name.

The structure of the tower is unconventional; it consists of three concrete pillars that carry cabinets for the transmitters, a restaurant and cafe, and three observation rooms. From afar, the tower resembles a rocket launchpad. The tower is 216 metres (709 feet) high, with the observation decks at 100 metres (328 feet) and the tower restaurant and cafe situated at 63 metres (207 feet) in the lower 'pods'. Elevators, equipped with speedometers, transport passengers to the different levels at a rate of 4m/s. The tower weighs 11800 tons and is also used as meteorological observatory. It is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.

Like many examples of communist-era architecture in Central and Eastern Europe, the TV tower used to be generally resented by the local inhabitants. It also received a spate of nicknames, mostly alluding to its rocket-like shape, e.g. "Baikonur" after Soviet cosmodrome, "Pershing" after the US IRBM, some more political, like "Jakešův prst" (Jakeš's finger, after the Secretary General of the Czechoslovak Communist Party), etc. Although official criticism during the time of its construction was impossible, unofficially the tower was lambasted for its 'megalomania', its 'jarring' effect on the Prague skyline, and for destroying part of a centuries-old Jewish cemetery situated near the tower's foundations. However, the official line remains that the cemetery was moved some time before the tower was conceived. Recently, the tower's reputation among Czechs has improved. Voted #2 on the World's Ugliest Buildings list.

Rumours have also circulated that the tower was planned to be used to jam incoming western radio and television transmissions (particularly Radio Free Europe) and that it had a potential use as a communications facility for Warsaw Pact forces in the event of an attack on (or attack by) NATO.

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Anděl (neighborhood)

2010-01-10T06:18:00.000-08:00

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Anděl is a busy crossing and its immediate neighbourhood in Prague 5's central quarter of Smíchov. The name means angel in the Czech language and originates from the 19th century U zlatého anděla (Golden Angel) pub originally named after an angel statue in front of it. The pub's awning painting of an angel was preserved after its demolition and is now displayed nearby.

Anděl is an important traffic center. Prague Metro's Line B runs beneath it, the area being served by Anděl Station and tramway lines in north-south and east-west direction cross there (lines 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 20). Otherwise, it is a pedestrian zone.

After a redevelopment in the late 1990s, when French architect Jean Nouvel designed an office building called Zlatý Anděl (Golden Angel) above the Metro station with a picture of an angel and quotes from Rilke on its facade, Anděl became one of the busiest parts of the city, with many offices of national and international companies. Across it (in the north-west quadrant), there's one of Prague's biggest shopping malls, called Nový Smíchov with the biggest underground garage of the central city that was built for the shopping mall and multiplex (cinema) Palace Cinemas; another multiplex, Village Cinemas, is nearby in the Anděl City complex. Anděl is a gathering place for young Czechs, but also for a lot of homeless people that beg for money off the people walking there.

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National Museum (Prague)

2010-01-06T08:51:00.000-08:00

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The National museum (Czech: Národní muzeum) is a Czech museum institution intended to systematically establish, prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical collections. It was founded 1818 in Prague by Kašpar Maria Šternberg. Historian František Palacký was also strongly involved.

At present the National Museum houses almost 14 million items from the area of natural history, history, arts, music and librarianship, located in tens of buildings.

The founding of the National Museum should be seen in the context of the times, where after the French Revolution, royal and private collections of art, science, and culture were being made available to the public. The beginnings of the museum can be seen as far back as 1796, when the private Society of Patriotic Friends of the Arts was founded by Count Casper Sternberk-Manderschied and a group of other prominent nobles. The avowed purpose of the society was “the renewed promotion of art and taste”, and during the time of Joseph II, it would be adamantly opposed to the King. In 1800 the group founded the Academy of Fine Arts, which would train students in progressive forms of art and history.

The National Museum in Prague was founded on April 15, 1818, with the first president of the Society of the Patriotic Museum being named Count Sternberk, which would serve as the trustee and operator of the museum. Early on, the focus of the museum was centered on natural sciences, partially because Count Sternberk was a botanist, mineralogist, and eminent phytopaleontologist, but also because of the natural science slant of the times, as perpetrated by Emperor Joseph II of Austria.

The museum did not become interested in the acquisition of historical objects until the 1830s and 40s, when Romanticism became prevalent, and the institution of the museum was increasingly seen as a center for Czech nationalism. Serving as historian and secretary of the National Museum in 1841, Frantisek Palacky would try to balance natural science and history, as he described in his Treatise of 1841. It was a difficult task, however, and it would not be until nearly a century later until the National Museum’s historical treasures equaled its collection of natural science artifacts.

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Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral

2010-01-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

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The Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic, is the principal church in the Metropolitan Council of the Czech Republic. The existing structure had its origins as a Roman Catholic church built between 1730 and 1736 by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, archibishop and cardinal of Milan in the XVII century.

In 1942, during World War II, the cathedral was the scene of the last stand of a number of Czech and Slovak patriots who had assassinated Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi SS Obergruppenfuhrer and General of Police. After a fierce gun battle, they reportedly committed suicide to avoid capture. Presently there is a museum in the church dedicated to them as national heroes.

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Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague

2010-01-04T04:59:00.000-08:00

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Founded in 1885, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague is housed in a Neo-Renaissance edifice built in 1897–1901 after the designs of architect Josef Schulz. The Museum’s rich collections include decorative and applied arts and design work ranging from Late Antiquity to the present day, with focus on European objects, particularly arts and crafts created in the Bohemian Lands. The impressive interior of the permanent exhibition “Stories of Materials” offers visitors an excursion into the history and development of decorative arts: glass and ceramics, graphic art and design, objects made in metal, wood and other materials, jewellery, clocks and watches, textiles, fashion, toys and furniture.

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague collects and preserves for future generations—in both national and international contexts—examples of historical and contemporary crafts, as well as applied arts and design. We believe in harmony between function, quality and beauty; our ambition is to inspire, educate and entertain in a unique way.

The foundation of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague in 1885 reflected the dramatic development of Czech society at the time. Following the establishment of a similar institution in Brno in 1873, the Prague museum soon became an important cultural and educational centre in the Crown Lands of Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The unfavourable impact of the Industrial Revolution on the aesthetic appearance and, consequently, the quality of products had for a long time been the subject of justified criticisms from artists, theorists and the public. The idea of establishing a permanent exhibition of decorative and applied arts in Prague was realised through an exhibition arranged by the Arkadia Association in 1861 at the Old Town Hall in Prague. Another source of inspiration had been the founding of a similar institution – the South Kensington Museum (now Victoria and Albert Museum), which opened in London in 1852, originally containing a collection of objects of applied and decorative arts. More important for the Czech public, however, was the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie, which opened in Vienna in 1864. In 1868, in cooperation with the Vienna museum, the Prague Chamber of Trade and Commerce held an exhibition on Žofín Island of objects obtained from the World Exhibition in Paris in 1867, supplemented by historical arts and crafts mostly from the collection of Vojtěch Lanna (who became the Museum’s most important donor and sponsor). In a period when funds and suitable buildings were hard to find, the promise of the exhibition area in the Rudolfinum (the House of the Artists), made in 1872 and realised in 1885 when the presidium of the Chamber of Trade and Commerce decided to establish an independent museum, also contributed greatly to the birth of the Museum. Between 1897 and 1900, a Museum building in Neo-Renaissance style was built according to the design of the architect Josef Schulz on a plot of land located between the Old Jewish Cemetery and a street on the edge of Josefov quarter.

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Vinohrady

2009-12-31T01:48:00.000-08:00

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Vinohrady (in English literally "vineyards", formerly Královské Vinohrady, German: Königliche Weinberge) is a cadastral district in Prague. It is so named because the area was once covered in vineyards dating from the 14th century. Vinohrady lies in the municipal and administrative districts of Prague 2, Prague 3 and Prague 10. From 1867 to 1968 it was called Královské Vinohrady ("Royal Vineyards"). In 1922 Vinohrady was made part of Prague. Because it was known as a "bourgeois" district and thus politically unreliable, the then-ruling Communist Party of Czechoslovakia split Vinohrady into different municipal districts in 1949.

Havlíčkovy Sady (literally Havlíček's Orchards), Prague's second-largest park, is in this district. There is a vineyard still in production in Gröbovka Park, next to Havlíčkovy Sady.

Famous Czech artists such as Jakub Schikaneder, Otto Gutfreund, Hugo Boettinger and Karel Špillar are buried here.

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Wenceslas Square

2009-12-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

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Wenceslas Square (Czech: Václavské náměstí (help·info)) is one of the main city squares and the centre of the business and cultural communities in the New Town of Prague, Czech Republic. Many historical events occurred there, and it is a traditional setting for demonstrations, celebrations, and other public gatherings. The square is named after Saint Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia.

Formerly known as Koňský trh (English: Horse Market), for its perodic accommodation of horse markets during the Middle Ages, it was renamed Svatováclavské náměstí (English: Saint Wenceslas square) in 1848 on the proposal of Karel Havlíček Borovský.

Less a square than a boulevard, Wenceslas Square has the shape of a very long (750 m, total area 45,000 m²) rectangle, in a northwest–southeast direction. The street slopes upward to the southeast side. At that end, the street is dominated by the grand neoclassical Czech National Museum. The northwest end runs up against the border between the New Town and the Old Town.

In 1348, Bohemian King Charles IV founded the New Town of Prague. The plan included several open areas for markets, of which the second largest was the Koňský trh, or Horse Market. At the southeastern end of the market was the Horse Gate, one of the gates in the walls of the New Town.

During the Czech national revival movement in the 19th century, a more noble name for the street was requested. At this time the statue was built, and the square was renamed.

On October 28, 1918, Alois Jirásek read the proclamation of independence of Czechoslovakia in front of the Saint Wenceslas statue.

The Nazis used the street for mass demonstrations. During the Prague Uprising in 1945, a few buildings near the National Museum were destroyed. They were later replaced by department stores.

On January 16, 1969, student Jan Palach set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square to protest the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union in 1968.

On March 28, 1969, the Czechoslovakian national ice hockey team defeated the USSR team for the second time in that year's Ice Hockey World Championships. As the country was still under Soviet occupation, the victory induced great celebrations. Perhaps 150,000 people gathered on Wenceslas Square, and skirmishes with police developed. A group of agents provocateurs provoked an attack on the Prague office of the Soviet airline Aeroflot, located on the street. The vandalism served as a pretext for reprisals and the period of so-called normalization.

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Dancing House

2009-12-25T03:39:00.000-08:00

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The Dancing House (Czech: Tančící dům) is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building in downtown Prague, Czech Republic at Rašínovo nábřeží 80, 120 00 Praha 2. It was designed by Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić in co-operation with Canadian architect Frank Gehry on a vacant riverfront plot (where the previous building had been destroyed during the Bombing of Prague in 1945). The building was designed in 1992 and completed in 1996.

The very non-traditional design was controversial at the time. Czech president Václav Havel, who lived for decades next to the site, had supported it, hoping that the building would become a center of cultural activity.

Originally named Fred and Ginger (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - the house vaguely resembles a pair of dancers) the house stands out among the Neo-Baroque, Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous. Others have nicknamed it "Drunk House".

On the roof is a French restaurant with magnificent views of the city. The building's other tenants include several multinational firms. (The plans for a cultural center were not realized.)

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Old Town Square (Prague)

2009-12-19T01:37:00.000-08:00

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Located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge, Prague's Old Town Square is often bursting at the seams with tourists in the summer. Featuring various architectural styles including the gothic Týn Cathedral and baroque St. Nicholas Church, the square is an oasis for travelers wearied by Prague's narrow streets. Among many churches, tourists may find the Astronomical Clock on this square, while the tower at the Old Town Hall offers a panoramic view of Old Town.

The square's center is home to a statue of religious reformer Jan Hus, who was burned at the stake for his beliefs. The statue known as the Jan Hus Memorial was erected on July 6, 1915 to mark the 500th anniversary of his death.

Not only a popular meeting place, Old Town Square sees its share of celebrations (New Year's), holiday markets (Christmas and Easter), and protests. On occasion, ice-hockey and football (soccer) games are shown on huge screens, drawing large crowds of fans.

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Charles Bridge

2009-12-18T23:35:00.001-08:00

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The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by three bridge towers, two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side. The Old Town bridge tower is often considered to be one of the most astonishing civil gothic-style buildings in the world. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, erected around 1700.

During the night the Charles Bridge is a quiet place. But during the day it changes its face into a very busy place, with painters, owners of kiosks and other traders alongside numerous tourists crossing the bridge.

The need for building a new bridge emerged after the old romanesque Judith Bridge (Juditin most, built around 1170 and named after King Vladislav I's wife Judith), was destroyed by a flood in 1342. The building began in 1357, was supervised by Peter Parler and was led by a "magister pontis", Jan Ottl.

There is a modern legend saying that the foundation stone was laid in 1357 on the 9th day of the 7th month at 5:31 AM and that Charles IV chose this time so that when one writes out the opening time, one writes the sequence of odd numbers, 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1.

The bridge was built from Bohemian sandstone. There is a legend saying that eggs were used to enrich the mortar used to bind the stone blocks to make it harder. Although the saying cannot be verified, modern laboratory tests have indeed proved inorganic and organic ingredients to the mortar. Later, the use of eggs in Charles Bridge mortar was confirmed. The construction of the Charles Bridge continued until the beginning of the 15th century. To sustain the bridge, tolls were collected, first by the religious order of the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, who had their mother-house nearby, then by the Old Town municipality (until 1815).

Throughout its history, the Charles Bridge suffered several disasters and witnessed many historic events. A flood in 1432 damaged three pillars. In 1496 the third arch (counting from the Old Town side) broke down after one of the pillars lowered, being undermined by the water (repairs were finished in 1503). A year after the Battle of White Mountain, when the 27 leaders of the anti-Habsburg revolt were executed on 21 June 1621, the Old Town bridge tower served as a deterrent display of the severed heads of the victims to stop Czechs from further resistance. During the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648, the Swedes occupied the west bank of the Vltava, and as they tried to advance into the Old Town the heaviest fighting took place right on the bridge. During the fighting, they severely damaged one side of the Old Town bridge tower (the side facing the river) and the remnants of almost all gothic decorations had to be removed from it afterward. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries the bridge gained its typical appearance when an alley of baroque statues was installed on the pillars. During a great flood in 1784, five pillars were severely damaged and although the arches did not break down, the traffic on the bridge had to be greatly restricted for some time.

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List of Places in Barcelona

2009-11-23T00:04:00.001-08:00

Photo by Wolfgang Staudt

Photo by SlapBcn

Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Rhine-Ruhr Area, Madrid and Milan with the population 4,185,000. 4.9 million people live in Barcelona metropolitan area. The main part of a union of adjacent cities and municipalities named Área Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) with a population of 3,186,461 in area of 636 km² (density 5.010 hab/km²).

List of Places in Barcelona

Barcelona Airport: Barcelona Airport, commonly known as El Prat Airport, is located 10 km (6.2&nb..	Cathedral of Santa Eulalia: The Cathedral of Santa Eulalia (in Catalan, La Seu, the bishop's "..	Sagrada Família: The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, often simply called the Sagrada Família, ..	Santa María del Mar (Barcelona): Barcelona‘s Ribera district is dominated by Santa María del Mar, an i..
Portal de l'Àngel: Portal de l'Àngel is a pedestrian street in the Ciutat Vella district of Ba..	Casa Batlló: Casa Batlló, is a building restored by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol, built in the y..	Casa Milà: Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera (Catalan for 'The Quarry'), is a building des..	Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya: The National Art Museum of Catalonia (Catalan: Museu Nacional d..
Palau de la Música Catalana: The Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music) is a concert ha..	Arc de Triomf: The Arc de Triomf (English: Triumphal Arch) is an archway structure in Barcelona, Spain..	Casa Vicens: Casa Vicens is a family residence in Barcelona (Catalonia), designed by Antoni Gaudí and ..	Hotel Arts: The Hotel Arts is a 39-story, 600 room luxury hotel on the seafront of Barcelona, in Spain..
Torre Agbar: The Torre Agbar, or Agbar Tower, is a 33-story tower at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, B..	Torre de Collserola: Torre de Collserola is a uniquely designed tower located on the Tibidabo hill in ..	Park Güell: Park Güell is a garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of el Carm..	La Boqueria: The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, often simply referred to as La Boqueria, is a la..
Barri Gòtic: El Gòtic, also known as Barri Gòtic ('Gothic Quarter' in Catalan; Spanish: Barrio..	Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art: The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu d'Art Contem..	La Rambla, Barcelona: La Rambla is a street in central Barcelona, popular with both tourists and local..	Teatre Lliure: The Teatre Lliure is a theatre in Barcelona considered one of the most prestigious in C..
Palau Güell: The Palau Güell is a town mansion (translated literally a "palace") in Barcelon..	Hospital de Sant Pau: The present Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Catalan for Hospital of the Ho..

Barcelona is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade. Barcelona is a major economic centre with one of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports, and Barcelona International Airport is the second largest in Spain after the Madrid-Barajas Airport (handles about 30 million passengers per year). Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage. Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is well known in recent times for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona.

As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the Catalan government, known as the Generalitat de Catalunya; of particular note are the executive branch, the parliament, and the Supreme Court of Catalonia. The city is also the capital of the Barcelonès comarca (shire).

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Hospital de Sant Pau

2009-11-22T20:15:00.000-08:00

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The present Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Catalan for Hospital of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul) in the Guinardó, Barcelona, Catalonia, is a complex built between 1901 and 1930, designed by the Catalan Modernisme architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Together with Palau de la Música Catalana, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is still a fully functional hospital. There have been discussions to convert this building to a museum sometime in the future.

Although the hospital's current buildings date from the 20th century, the Hospital de Sant Pau was founded in 1401 when six small medieval hospitals merged. The hospital's former buildings near the center of Barcelona date from the 15th century, and now house an art school (Escola Massana) and Biblioteca de Catalunya (National Library of Catalonia).

In 1991 was awarded with the "Creu de Sant Jordi" by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Since 2003 a new hospital building is placed to the north of the Domènech i Montaner modernist pavilions.

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Palau Güell

2009-11-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

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The Palau Güell is a town mansion (translated literally a "palace") in Barcelona, Catalonia, designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí for the Catalan industrial tycoon Eusebi Güell.

It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

The home is centered on a main room for entertaining high society guests. Guests entered the home in horse drawn carriages through the front iron gates, which featured a parabolic arch and intricate patterns of forged iron-work resembling seaweed and in some parts a horsewhip. Animals could be taken down a ramp and kept in the livery stable in the basement where the servants resided, while the guests went up the stairs to the receiving room. The ornate walls and ceilings of the receiving room disguised small viewing windows high on the walls where the owners of the home could view their guests from the upper floor and get a 'sneak peak' before greeting them, in case they needed to adjust their attire accordingly.

The main party room has a high ceiling with small holes near the top where lanterns were hung at night from the outside to give the appearance of a starlit sky.

In 2004, visits by the public were completely suspended due to renovations; some of the stone used in the original construction was weak and has cracked over the years causing structural problems within the building. As of February 1, 2008, Palau Güell has been partially reopened to the public, with access to limited parts of the building only.

It was used in Antonioni's film The Passenger as a backdrop for the first meeting between Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider.

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Teatre Lliure

2009-11-22T01:13:00.000-08:00

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The Teatre Lliure is a theatre in Barcelona considered one of the most prestigious in Catalonia. It was created in 1976 in the neighborhood of Gràcia by a group of professionals from Barcelona's independent theater scene. It became distinguished for its practice of presenting theater in Catalan, its revisiting of classics, and its penchant for contemporary theater. Its first staged play in its original location (La Lleialtat factory in Gràcia) was Camí de nit, by Lluís Pasqual, in 1976.

The Teatre Lliure is not only a place of exhibition, but also a cooperative society that makes its own productions, many of which have been exported to other cities across Europe and America. From the beginning, theater productions were performed as well as music and dance.

In 1989, it was one of the founding members of the Union of the Theatres of Europe. In 2001, the theater opened at its new location in the old Palace of Agriculture on the mountain of Montjuïc of Barcelona. The new building contains several halls equipped with the latest technology which permits changing the order of the rooms in mere minutes, changing the positions of props, expanding the available room, and facilitating the manipulation of the scene and staging elements.

The theater has been directed by Fabià Puigserver, Lluís Pasqual, Lluís Homar, Guillem-Jordi Graells, and Josep Montanyès. Àlex Rigola has been the director since March of 2003.

The theater is a member theater of the Union of the Theatres of Europe.

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La Rambla, Barcelona

2009-11-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

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La Rambla is a street in central Barcelona, popular with both tourists and locals alike. A 1.2 kilometer-long tree-lined pedestrian mall between Barri Gòtic and El Raval, it connects Plaça Catalunya in the center with the Christopher Columbus monument at Port Vell.

La Rambla can be considered a series of shorter streets, each differently named, hence the plural forms Les Rambles (Spanish: Las Ramblas). From the Plaça de Catalunya toward the harbor, the street is successively the Rambla de Canaletes, the Rambla dels Estudis, the Rambla de Sant Josep, the Rambla dels Caputxins, and the Rambla de Santa Monica. Construction of the Maremàgnum in the early 1990s resulted in a continuation of La Rambla on a wooden walkway into the harbor, the Rambla de Mar.

La Rambla can be crowded, especially during prime time tourist season. Most of the time, there are many more tourists than locals occupying the Rambla—this has changed the shopping selection, as well as the character of the street in general. For this reason also, it has become a prime target for pickpocketing.

Spanish poet Federico García Lorca once said that La Rambla was "the only street in the world which I wish would never end".

The name rambla means, in Catalan, but also in Spanish, an intermittent water flow, and is derived from the Arabic 'ramla' which means 'sandy riverbed'. The name of the city of Ramla, now in Israel, shares the same origin.

There are three Barcelona Metro stations with entrances in la Rambla, all of which are served by L3, the green line:

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Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

2009-11-21T08:12:00.000-08:00

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The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, or MACBA) is situated in the Plaça dels Àngels, in El Raval, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain.

It was designed by Richard Meier & Partners (1987-1995). The building’s architectural style has strong references to Modernism. This large (120 by 35 meters) white building has much of its southern elevation glazed, providing the visitor with views across the plaza, and allowing natural light into the interior. It includes a central library, specialized in art books and publications.

The museum opened to the public on 28 November 1995. All the art dates from the mid-20th century onward. There are three periods of modern art represented: the first one covers the forties to the sixties; the second spans the sixties and seventies; the third period is contemporary. The collections focus on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art, although some foreign art is also represented. Opposite the main museum, inthe medieval Convent dels Àngels for which the square is named, a chapel has been converted into a separate exposition area known as the Capella del MACBA, with regular video art performances. Entrance to this part of the museum is free.

Another contemporary art museum, Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), is adjacent to MACBA, and accessible both from the street and from the inner patio.

The closest metro stations are Catalunya and Universitat.

The surrounding square and architecture outside of the museum is among the most well-known and respected places for modern skateboarding. Together with surrounding places in Barcelona, it is a meeting ground in youth culture due to its reputation in the world of skateboarding photography and cinema.

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Barri Gòtic

2009-11-21T01:11:00.000-08:00

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El Gòtic, also known as Barri Gòtic ('Gothic Quarter' in Catalan; Spanish: Barrio Gótico) is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere.

Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Remains of the squared Roman Wall can be seen around Tapineria and Sots-Tinent Navarro to the north, Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Nova to the west and Carrer de la Palla to the south. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area too.

The Barri Gòtic retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis.

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