Prague – the Astronomical Clock, Carolus Bridge, Castle and a wonderful Alchemy Museum

The Bear is back!

After a pleasant if wet summer enjoying my home in London, I am back on the road again. My destination this time is Eastern Europe. My main holiday will be in Poland, but my journey actually starts in Prague, which will allow me to complete a little more of my project to go all the way around the world by land or by boat. So far, I have crossed all of the USA, Europe from the UK to Prague, and Eurasia from Kyiv to Vladivostok. I still have to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but my only remaining land section to complete is Prague to Kyiv. This trip will take me halfway, as far as Krakow in Poland.

Prague is one of Europe’s prettiest cities, which fortunately escaped destruction in WWI and WWII. It has been through many periods of prosperity and decline. Its most notable golden ages were in the 14^th century under Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (who built the famous Charles bridge) and in the 16^th century under King Rudolf II. At times, it was the centre of the Holy Roman Empire or an important city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Like other old cities, it has a pretty main square, which I visited on my first evening.

The old town hall in the square has a famous clock. It was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation. On the hour, tourist crowds gather to hear the clock chime and see “The Walk of the Apostles”, a parade of small statues of saints.

Prague has an active nightlife, including many bars, clubs and restaurants. I decided to do something different – a classical music concert where the Kronos Quarter were celebrating 50 years since their formation.

The next day I set early off to avoid the crowds. I crossed the famous Carolus Bridge…..

….and then climbed the hill to the castle with its beautiful cathedral.

I spent the afternoon wandering around admiring yet more elegant architecture, this time by the side of the river.

Finally,  I visited a former alchemist’s laboratory with a wonderful history, which is now the Alchemy Museum. It operated in the 16^th century when the then King Rudolf II supported the science of alchemy. Since the activity was looked upon with distrust by most of the population, the laboratory was hidden underground and had two exit tunnels – one an escape route, leading outside of the city, and the other leading to the castle.  

The alchemists supplied the king with an elixir of youth, love potions and wisdom potions. Some of these must have worked, since he had a string of lovers (of both sexes) and lived to the then respectable age of 60. After Rudolf’s death, his successors were less interested in alchemy and the laboratory was closed and forgotten behind a secret door. It was only rediscovered when bad floods hit Prague in 2002, causing the road above to collapse into the escape tunnel. Excavators followed the route of the tunnel to rediscover the laboratory. Today, the laboratory has become the Alchemy Museum and you can still buy its Elixirs of Youth and Love Potions…

After the visit, I had a traditional heavy Czech dinner – duck, dumpling, cabbage and beer. Even though bears have famously big appetites I have to confessed I struggled with the impressive size of the serving.

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