Prague ("Praha" to the locals) is a city with a long and colourful history. It is situated on the Vltava river, with the oldest part of the city being the castle on the west bank, which dates from the 9th century. The Old Town is located on the east bank of the river and came into existence just after the castle. There is also a New Town, just south of the Old Town, but the fact that it was founded in 1348 shows that the Czechs have a slightly different frame of reference to e.g. Australia (cf Newtown in Sydney). The west bank of the river, where the original castle was built, now has the unfortunate distinction of being called the Lesser Town.
Prague flourished from the 13th to the 19th centuries, as the capital of the Bohemian Kingdom, despite being incorporated into the Habsburg Empire (Austria/Hungary). After WWI, they finally got rid of the Habsburgs and became independent ... until Hitler marched in and took over. After WWII, the Czechs were grateful to the Russians for helping them out in the war and voted in a Communist-party government, which rapidly became totalitarian and they remained under the boot until 1989, when popular protests removed the government in the bloodless Velvet Revolution.
The images below are simply some interesting things that I saw in our long walks around the streets and parks of Prague.
Prague's answer to the Eiffel Tower (and allegedly taller)
Grafitti (should that be "Heart of Europe"?)
Grafitti on iron door
What to do if you don't like your view
Pavement (with confused-looking tourists)
Square containing above pavement
King Charles IV, national hero
The massive Tyn Church on main square of Old Town (by day and by night)
Prague streetlamp
Bar in the brewery in the Monastery
Modern motoring in Prague
Old stonework in an old church
The John Lennon wall (spontaneous grafitti tribute)
Side channel of Vltava River
Love padlocks on bridge over side channel of Vltava River
Narrowest street in Prague (one way at a time, controlled by traffic lights)
Plaque on Charles Bridge (shows famous priest being killed by throwing off bridge)
(allegedly touching the priest's image brings luck ... so why touch the woman?)
Franz Kafka Square (next to site of his birth)
Soft-focus autumn leaf
Souvenir shop
