DAY 10: Prague, Free & Easy

Monday, 8 SEPTEMBER 2014 [Free and easy in Praha]

Had already wasted a few days just lazing about the apartment in the previous week. Hence, decided to make up for lost time. First destination was the main post office located a 5 minute walk from the apartment. Managed to acquire a combination of stamps from a vending machine and a very nice self-adhesive booklet of 6x30Czk, which has artwork from Alfonse Mucha's Zodiac series. 30Czk being the prevailing priority postcard or standard letter rate to international destinations outside of Europe.

Main post office at Jindřišská street .. art museum or post office?

Seems like one could sit in here and sip tea for hours, what fine decor

Self-adhesive stamp booklet issued in 2010

SOB...rain ruined my plans for the evening

Recall in the previous day, I had visited the St Martin in the Wall church and decided to catch an organ+trumpet performance in said church. Well, I managed to find a reputable agent's office, Bohemia Ticket situated along Na Příkopě street, selling tickets to the performance and promptly bought a ticket for the evening. [Suffice it to say, it started RAINING HEAVILY 1 hour before the 6pm performance, i.e. before I could even leave the apartment, and, promptly stopped 40 minutes into the performance, ensuring I would never get to see the hour long performance ...  definitely one of the lowest points of my tour!@#!%^!!!#!]

I also wanted to visit a bank along Na Příkopě with a beautiful interior, but, said building was closed for renovations (covered in blue sheets), and will reopen in 2015/2016 and include within, a special exhibition on glass works. The building is the former headquarters of Živnostenská Bank which merged with another banking group to now become UniCredit Bank.

Come to think of it quite a few major tourist attractions in the city were also covered in blue sheets (e.g. the statue of Jan Hus and the St Nicholas church in the Old Town square).

Bank's adjoining building has a beautiful interior

  

Next, decided  to join a guided tour of the interiors of the Municipal House with its intricate, ornate and beautiful marble & stone structures, decorations, paintings, murals and furniture. The declaration of independence from the Austro-Hungarian empire on 28 October 1918 was made here. 

Commencing tour of the interior of Municipal House (290Czk fee + extra 40Czk for photo rights)

Smetana Hall: Early 20th century art nouveau murals and finely carved white stone

Marbled pillars and walls

Smetana Hall - concert performances are held here

Fountain with figurine on top - in Božena Němcová Room 

Božena Němcová was a Czech writer from the final phase (19th century) of the Czech National Revival movement, which sought to revitalise Czech language and culture. Her portrait is on the current 500Czk banknote.

Municipal House: Confectionery

Intricate floral ceiling in the Conductor's Room

Ceiling in Lord Mayor's Hall in Municipal House, titled Slavic Concorde depicting unity of Slavic people

Lord Mayor's Hall - pictures of important medieval era Czech figures such as Jan Hus, a young Charles IV, Jan Žižka

Lord Mayor's Hall - 3 murals here depicting youth pledging allegiance to Slavic nation

All murals in the Lord Mayor's Hall were by celebrated Czech artist Alfonse Mucha, who depicted Czech historical figures and Slavic unity in the pictures. By producing these murals, he was inspired to further paint about his people and struggles of the Slavic people against oppression and subsequent triumph and hope - these paintings are now known as the Slav Epic paintings which we would see a half week later. 

The tour concluded with a visit to a final room/hall (and there were still more, albeit less interesting rooms which we didn't visit). But this was not it for the Municipal House, I had to feast at one of their famous eateries - either the cafe or the restaurants (the up market Francouska or the beer hall in the basement). I opted for the cafe.

Rather plush cafe interior

Cheesecake, cherry cake and hot chocolate = Lunch!

After a sugar & carb laden lunch, had to shake off some of those calories and what better way to accomplish that than to climb the Powder Tower, which is attached to the Municipal House.

After paying the entrance fee of 70Czk, ascended a tight and ancient stairwell and about 85 rather narrow steps later, I reached the observation platform and, what sights to behold...

Church of Our Lady Tynn dominating this segment of skyline with Prague Castle in the background. Forgive the poor camera angle, church is NOT tilted..

Dome of the Municipal House

Czech central bank in foreground, ugly TV tower spoiling the skyline in the background

Observation platform of the Powder Tower

Climbing back down

After descending the tower, made my way back to the apartment. Wanted to rest and freshen up in time for the 6pm organ concert in the St Martin church ... but you know the story!#! After the disappointment, I simply stayed in the apartment for the rest of the evening and relieved my feet from further stress. In any case, the next day would be a very busy one as I had booked a Trabant tour! 

Stay tuned.



NEXT: Day 11, Full day Trabant tour in Praha