TOUR OF PRAGUE / CZECH REPUBLIC: DAY 16: Prague, Little Quarter

Sunday, 14 SEPTEMBER 2014 [A full day around certain sections of Malá Strana]

If ever there was/is a good time to snap pictures at and, of the Charles Bridge relatively devoid of people between sunrise and sunset during early autumn, it would be a Sunday morning, around 7:00am or earlier. Drop everything else, forget about sleep, forget breakfast just head to the bridge. In my case, helped that the lodgings were nearby. And Yep - my good companion, the rain, was again with me ...

Construction of the 621m long Charles Bridge, or Karlův Most in Czech, commenced in 1357, commissioned by Holy Roman emperor Charles IV and designed by architect and builder Petr Parléř, who also worked on Saint Vitus Cathedral. Until 1870, the bridge was called Kamenný most or Stone Bridge.

Legend has it Charles IV ordered the bridge's first brick to be layed in 1357 on 9 July at 5:31am, which would give a palindromic number sequence of 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1 (I recall seeing a plaque on this near the Charles IV statue on the Old Town side of the bridge but didn't get a photo). It seems there is another palindrome, in Latin, on the side of the Old Town Bridge Tower and the message is rather cryptic, "be told, be told, watch out, he who touches me dies"...

For a period up to the late 1970s(?) (trying to locate the timeline) non-pedestrian traffic including motor vehicles were allowed on the bridge and there was even a tramline there - some old postcards or photos will show the tramline or road with pedestrian sidewalks on the bridge. Over the centuries, much has occurred on and beneath this bridge, skirmishes during wars (Hussite and Thirty Years), floods and of course Saint John Nepomuk was thrown off this bridge. Perhaps Charles IV's astrologers' emphasis on symbolism were correct as the bridge has lasted for over 600 years and today, attracts so many visitors.

Wish these early birds weren't so early, I would have had a perfect daytime picture of the bridge sans a human on it

Malostranská věž or Bridge Tower at Malá Strana (At left and shorter tower a.k.a Judith Tower, has been around since the 12th century albeit rebuilt in the 16th. The taller tower on the right was rebuilt in the 15th century in the image of the Old Town Bridge Tower at the opposite end of Charles Bridge)

Great view - gloomy or sunny conditions

Saint John of Nepomuk

I rubbed both left & right panels so will return to Praha or get a faithful friend or have bad luck or a combo ...On the right panel, one is supposed to rub the small figure thrown off the bridge, but visitors have also been rubbing the woman and her child!

"Little Venice" with waterwheel in the distance. One can just about make out the Vodník, a mythical water goblin by the wheel

Seems there's a supernatural type legend at U tří pštrosů (if you are there, look up to the second floor for the three ostriches painted on the facade). This used to be the shop of Jan Fux, a trader in exotic feathers. The legend tells of his wife who loved jewellery, clothes, luxurious goods and when these were not enough, asked for an ostrich, then two and then a third. Rather than fulfil his wife's ask for the third ostrich, the hopping mad Jan Fux cursed his wife, who was never again seen - but there was a third ostrich in the building.

U tří pštrosů (At the Three Ostriches) - hotel and restaurant right next to Charles Bridge

Had a few specific places to visit on this day but not in any particular order. Decided to head first to the Vrtbovská zahrada (Vrtba Garden), a Baroque style garden located on the slopes of Petřín hill. Skies looked really ominous but went ahead without a raincoat or umbrella, too cumbersome.

In Malaysia, many public signs like these would be completely plastered with money lenders' stickers @#!!!#!

The Garden is accessible to the public via Karmelitská street, corner building 373/25.

Approaching Vrtba Garden - the original of the statue of man with a globe, in the centre, atop the arch is at the Lapidárium

Vrtba Garden was created in the 1720s soon after the renovation of the adjacent Vrtba Palace owned by Jan Josef, Count of Vrtba. The Garden design was by František Maxmilián Kaňka and the statues by Matyáš Bernard Braun (who also designed some of the statues on the Charles Bridge - e.g. Vision of Saint Luthgard). The Garden which has apparently retained its Baroque features to this day was opened to the public in 1998.

The entrance fee to the Vrtba Garden was an unusual figure of 62 Czk. The garden is open only during the spring to autumn months and closed from November to March. It is not uncommon to see couples having their wedding functions here.

First sight upon entering the Garden: Sala Terrena (pavilion) with its original frescoes by Václav Vavřinec Reiner. Venus and Adonis are depicted on the ceiling (not in picture)

Very scenic - lower terrace and aviary (on the right)

Fountain: A putto wrestling with some reptilian creature

Second terrace

View from second terrace.

Stairs to the third terrace

View of the first two terraces

On the third & final terrace: Statues of Roman gods, Diana (left) and Apollo (right)

Third terrace: Statues and decorated vases

From the third terrace you can make a 30 degree climb via any of the 3 pebbled paths to the "Vyhlídka or viewpoint?" which I believe has a passage that leads to Petrin hill. Mermaids and Triton are on the facade of the viewpoint.

Those who make the final climb up to the Vyhlídka or viewpoint(?) would surely be rewarded with great views of Malá Strana. As I had seen most of the garden and it had started to rain, I decided to skip this final climb and made haste back down to the first terrace to get some shelter. On the whole, it was worth spending an hour or so at the Vrtba Garden.

Tour of another museum
My friend the rain had become rather hyperactive as soon as I exited the Vrtba Garden, so why not wait for it to calm down while I viewed exhibits at a nearby museum also on Karmelitská street - the České muzeum hudby (Czech Museum of Music).

The building housing the museum dates to the mid 17th century and for a short period, was a church. It was subsequently used as a warehouse and later police barracks. The music museum was ready for public viewing about 10 years ago. Exhibits - from around Central Europe included stringed, wind, brass and percussion instruments from the 16th to 20th centuries and, a token few modern electrical instruments. There was also a temporary exhibition on music in connection with death.

I have to say this - and might show off my ignorance - but going through these musical instruments, it sometimes felt like I was looking at alien devices, especially the brass instruments. Their designs, craftsmanship and complexity were/are mind boggling and at the same time a joy to behold. A selection of relevant recordings were made available so that visitors could hear what the instruments featured sounded like when played.

Museum entrance

Hall - looks like concerts are held here

The coat of arms is of the Michna z Vacínova family which financed construction of the building housing the instruments. There is the Renaissance Michna Palace nearby this museum

Below were some stringed keyboard instruments (clavichords, harpsichords, pianos) on exhibit.

Unfretted Clavichord, 1821

Harpsichord with oriental type (Chinoiserie) finish, 18th century

Single-manual harpsichord

The piano was created only in the early 18th century and became popular later the same century. Before that, there were only clavichords and harpsichords, which are said to be more limited in sound range and playability.

Mozart played this 1780s piano while in Praha

Giraffe piano, 19th century

Next, a selection of keyboard instruments fitted with reeds (harmoniums and physharmonicas, which are a smaller versions of the pipe organ).

Two-manual harmonium, 1890

Physharmonica, 1860s

Not exactly a musical instrument in the usual sense of the term ...

Fairground organ (music is played by a device that reads a perforated cardboard roll), early 20th century

More stringed instruments.

Chitarrone/Archlute, 19th century

Collection of violins

19th and 20th century Pedal harps - Beauties

Next up, woodwind instruments starting with Renaissance era instruments.

Renaissance era: From the Court of the Rožmberk (Rosenbergs)

Crumhorn (bent horn)

Oboes

Clarinets

Next, to my favourite section, the brass instruments ... some of these were massive!

Tubas, cornets - all manufactured by Czech manufacturer Josef Šedivá

Trumpets, French horns, bugle, tubas - all made at Václav František Červený's factory in Hradec Králové. He also came up with new/experimental instruments. There is a case to be made that he was right up there (in terms of creating brass instruments) with the inventor of the saxophone, Adolphe Sax. The Červený company still manufactures brass and woodwind instruments today

Trombones, trumpets, tubas, a 'serpent', hunting horns

Other types of musical instruments on display.

Glass harmonica - I'd never believe such a musical instrument existed if I didn't see it myself

Accordions - lovely designs, very nice sound

Various 'folk' instruments - pipes, horns, fiddle, bagpipes

And a final one ...

Hurdy Gurdy from Bohemia, with a carving of the Annunciation, 18th century
- press the keys, sounds like a bagpipe or, violin?

The permanent exhibition area was not very large and on only one level but I spent about 3 hours viewing the exhibits and listening to sound samples. The only other people around were the museum attendants, who were not intrusive and helpful if asked about the exhibits.

Next on the agenda was to grab some lunch and the choice this time was Restaurace U Maltézských rytířů (At the Knights of Malta) a restaurant on Prokopská street (off Karmelitská near the Vrtba Garden). Had a garlic soup starter, beef goulash main and some Kozel beer to go with the main - down at the Gothic basement. Poor waitress had to climb and descend the stairs numerous times and still managed to look cheerful. Look out for the double house sign above the entrance to the restaurant.

Gothic basement of Restaurace U Maltézských rytířů

After a couple hours of rest back at the hotel, I decided to make a return trip to Wallenstein Garden. Reason for this second visit was that it was pouring like crazy on my first visit here (day 2 of the tour) and I only managed to have a glimpse of the Garden. The route to the Garden from Mostecká via the streets Josefská, Letenská, Tomášská and into Valdštejnské náměstí (Wallenstein square) provided some good views and interesting sites. There's a postbox along Josefská, handy if one is in the area and needs to mail out postcards or letters.

Kostel svatého Josefa (Church of Saint Joseph), late 17th century

Buildings at Malostranské náměstí, near intersection of Letenská and Tomášská streets

Tomášská street

Alas, there was some kind of function at the Wallenstein Palace grounds and the garden was closed to visitors. I stayed a while to watch a live band performing rock songs at one of the palace courtyards. Did not return for a third time.

Valdštejnský palác (Wallenstein Palace)

Houses/buildings nearby Wallenstein Palace

Retraced my steps back to near the hotel and from here went beneath Charles Bridge (taking the lane beside the Three Ostriches hotel/restaurant) and headed to the Muzeum Karla Zemana.

View from Charles Bridge

Karla Zemana (Karel Zeman) was a Czech artist, animator and film director. His claim to fame (well to an extent) would be the 6 films made in the 1950s and 1960s which are mostly based on Jules Verne's adventure novels. These films are unique in that they combine live action with real actors with animation of animals, air balloons, flying contraptions, ships, submarines, land vehicles, buildings and landscapes. The way the live action and animation was combined to form a seamless film was advanced for its time and entertaining even today.

Perhaps I should have, but did not enter the museum to discover the techniques used in making the films and instead headed to the store at the end of the little square selling merchandise related to Karel Zeman's films.

Museum entrance

Took the opportunity to buy DVDs of 3 of Karel Zeman's films. There is a very good review of the films here. Anyone interested in film animation or likes quirky animated films would surely enjoy at least one film of his - Baron Munchausen. Fans of Monty Python's Flying Circus may notice some similarities in the animations between Karel Zeman and Terry Gilliam in their respective films. The latter has been said to have expressed admiration for Karel's works.

Titles bought at the shop near the Karel Zeman Museum

From the Karel Zeman museum it was a stroll along the banks of the Vltava and on Kampa to admire the view.

Charles Bridge stairs at Kampa

On Na Kampě, Kampa

Pillar with Bruncvik the mythical knight

Popped into a store on U lužického semináře street selling marrionettes. Bought a few medium-sized ones that did not look creepy to give as gifts.

Hhmm .. is that Chaplin marionette looking into the camera

Final stop, bakery by the Charles Bridge selling pastries and savouries, to pick up some Trdelník which I had yet to taste since arriving in Praha 16 days before.