What follows will basicaly be a history lesson on Prague, for two very good reasons.
Reason 1: My inner nerd comes out to play in a number of subjects, one of them being history.
Reason 2: I'm going on a lot of tours.
Let me back up a smidge.
I came to teach English. Well, I've got a couple private students and like teaching and all, but figured I would really enjoy something else a bit more. So I've been pursuing a business license that will allow me to work at whatever I'd like. It does make the whole visa process a bit tricky, but I'm working on it.
Along those lines, I heard about an opening at a company my friend works for giving tours and stalked the owner till he answered my emails (it's okay, he's Irish). I led tours once upon a time at Fenway Park and loved it, I'm certain tours of Prague would be a great way to spend the afternoon. Way more history than the American League, and just as glorious :) The owner advised me to take the tour until I felt like I could give my own, meaning I'm going on lots of tours, which means I'm getting lots and lots of history, which means you'll be getting lots of history!!
Okay, here we go.
Prague was founded around 870 A.D. It's made up of four main parts which used to be four different towns before they combined into one city. It served as the seat of power for Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor (a.k.a. King of Bohemia). He was a kind and humble king, so most of the city was named after him once he died-- he didn't attach his name to anything himself.
The Czech Republic is home to the biggest beer drinkers in the world, dwarfing even Ireland, though not by much. It also claims the largest castle complex in Europe, complete with St. Vitus Cathedral, a crowning glory started in the 1300s and finished in the 1920s (it may also be my favourite spot in Prague...thus far. The outside is austere and commanding, the inside cavernous and soaring in delicate fashion far above your head).
Prague straddles the Vltava, Czech Republic's longest river. It starts in Cesky Krumlow (a beautiful village that made the 1,000 Places You Must See Before You Die list) and flows off into Germany at a snail's pace. Back in the 9th century, the founders established the castle where the river was shallow and easily crossed, and the city grew up from there.
Around the city you can see architecture ranging from Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic, Nouveau, and Brutalist. That last one describes the ugly as sin construction prowess of the socialist regime. You can tell it when you see it. Void of any sort of beauty or artistic temperment, these buildings are made of concrete and iron, are squat and square and only come in two colors: gray or brown. There is nothing appealing whatever about them, and I honestly wonder why they still stand. Thanks to a population boom during Communism, a large number of housing complexes were built surrounding Prague, all of them in this style. The Czech people still utilize them, but they're all painted happy colours.
More to come!
Reason 1: My inner nerd comes out to play in a number of subjects, one of them being history.
Reason 2: I'm going on a lot of tours.
Let me back up a smidge.
I came to teach English. Well, I've got a couple private students and like teaching and all, but figured I would really enjoy something else a bit more. So I've been pursuing a business license that will allow me to work at whatever I'd like. It does make the whole visa process a bit tricky, but I'm working on it.
Along those lines, I heard about an opening at a company my friend works for giving tours and stalked the owner till he answered my emails (it's okay, he's Irish). I led tours once upon a time at Fenway Park and loved it, I'm certain tours of Prague would be a great way to spend the afternoon. Way more history than the American League, and just as glorious :) The owner advised me to take the tour until I felt like I could give my own, meaning I'm going on lots of tours, which means I'm getting lots and lots of history, which means you'll be getting lots of history!!
Okay, here we go.
Prague was founded around 870 A.D. It's made up of four main parts which used to be four different towns before they combined into one city. It served as the seat of power for Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor (a.k.a. King of Bohemia). He was a kind and humble king, so most of the city was named after him once he died-- he didn't attach his name to anything himself.
The Czech Republic is home to the biggest beer drinkers in the world, dwarfing even Ireland, though not by much. It also claims the largest castle complex in Europe, complete with St. Vitus Cathedral, a crowning glory started in the 1300s and finished in the 1920s (it may also be my favourite spot in Prague...thus far. The outside is austere and commanding, the inside cavernous and soaring in delicate fashion far above your head).
Prague straddles the Vltava, Czech Republic's longest river. It starts in Cesky Krumlow (a beautiful village that made the 1,000 Places You Must See Before You Die list) and flows off into Germany at a snail's pace. Back in the 9th century, the founders established the castle where the river was shallow and easily crossed, and the city grew up from there.
Around the city you can see architecture ranging from Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic, Nouveau, and Brutalist. That last one describes the ugly as sin construction prowess of the socialist regime. You can tell it when you see it. Void of any sort of beauty or artistic temperment, these buildings are made of concrete and iron, are squat and square and only come in two colors: gray or brown. There is nothing appealing whatever about them, and I honestly wonder why they still stand. Thanks to a population boom during Communism, a large number of housing complexes were built surrounding Prague, all of them in this style. The Czech people still utilize them, but they're all painted happy colours.
More to come!
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