So This is Prague...	Up To Overview Previous Next

Ah, Golden Prague... the beauty, the history, the tour groups. Almost completely untouched by war, Prague has been a center of Czech life for over 1000 years--and has seen quite a bit of action in the 20th century. An artist's in the early part of the 20th century, Prague had thriving German, Jewish, and Czech cultural scenes--many of these bohemians were caught up in the cultural movements of the time, from late French Impressionism to Cubism to the socialism and the dehumanization of mass production. Much of the legacy has been left behind in architecture.

Unfortunately, it seems most of us Americans miss out on that--so there's a few pictures here to show some of the complex and esoteric history of Prague. To the right, Chris takes a place in Wenesclas Square. Directly behind me is one of the most potent memorials I've seen, the Memorial to Victims of Communism. It's a small stone tablet, set in a planter in the street. Very moving in its simplicity.
	From the top of St Vitus Cathedral you can look out over the city. St Vitus Cathedral is inside the walls of Prague Castle. If you're thinking of castles in term of say, those castles you've seen in Monty Python And The Holy Grail or some 19th century Bavarian Romantic throwback... well Prague castle isn't it. So I'll indulge the curiosity for "old" Prague on the next couple of pages, because, hey, Prague Castle's been around for 1100 someodd years now, and, after all, it very much is the seat of the Czech Republic. Next, around Prague Castle.

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