Prague in Pictures!
From Charles Bridge, to crawling baby sculptures, to John Lennon's Wall, I couldn't stop taking photos.
Well, that month went by fast.
After exactly thirty days in Prague, Czechia, Brent and I are on the go again. We’re currently in Split, Croatia, where we plan to settle in for the holidays — and maybe even stay a month or so after that.
But before we leave Prague behind completely, here are some of my favorite pics from that breathtakingly beautiful city.
Choosing just a handful of the several thousand pics I took in Prague was incredibly hard! Which is why I’m starting Michael’s Pic Posts, a very occasional newsletter-within-this-newsletter devoted solely to my pictures.
To sign up, leave a comment below, and I’ll add you to my list.
My very first morning in Prague, I visited Old Town Square, which is home to the famous Astronomical Clock. It was built in 1410, and when it strikes the hour, sculpted figures of the Apostles move inside the tower, passing by several open windows.
Which, um, are pretty small, and the Apostles are barely visible. I suppose I’m spoiled by modern technology, but the effect probably played better in 1410.
But the clock itself is still fantastic.
Naturally, I visited the square several other mornings — okay, fine, almost every morning we were in town! — and was treated to some amazing sunrises.
Another of Prague’s most iconic spots is the Charles Bridge across the Vltava River. One of the advantages of being here in the shoulder season was avoiding the crowds that completely cover this pedestrian bridge in summer.
I’d only been in town a few days when I was told by locals that the Charles Bridge was famous for the mist and fog that form from the river whenever the temperature drops to freezing. Word was, it’s especially beautiful at dawn, when the rising sun illuminates the fog.
Its beauty was not exaggerated!
I confess feeling slightly cheated by Prague Castle, which calls itself the largest castle complex in the world. It’s definitely large, but the castle part wasn’t very castle-y.
I’ve probably watched The Lord of the Rings too many times. But the castle complex’s centerpiece, St. Vitus Cathedral, definitely does not disappoint.
When I stumbled across this small canal near the Vltava River, I briefly wondered if I’d been transported to Amsterdam.
Prague is full of fabulous parks, and in October, the trees blazed with brilliant colors, especially in the morning sunlight. How many different shades of red, yellow, and gold can there possibly be?
In Prague, a “view apartment” means a view of the river — and maybe Prague Castle on the hill beyond.
I love Prague’s quirky touches. The Lennon Wall had been a place for love and protest-related street art since the 1960s. But John Lennon’s assassination in 1980 inspired an unknown artist to draw the musician’s face, and the wall has since become a spot where issues ranging from climate change to capitalism to world peace are raised via art.
This is the park where we worked out every other day. Were we breathless because of our jump-roping and sit-ups — or because of the view?
Speaking of quirky touches, Prague is well-known for its “Babies” — a series of very distinctive sculptures by contemporary Czech artist David Černý. The most famous of these sculptures are the ten that crawl up Žižkov Television Tower. They were originally made of Fiberglass, intended to be temporary, but they were such a hit with the city that they were eventually replaced by more permanent recreations.
Another series of eight babies, made of bronze, can be found on Kampa Island in the Vltava River.
Provocatively, the babies have barcodes in place of faces.
Even the cold didn’t discourage the buskers on the Charles Bridge. But the seagulls proved less interested in his music and more interested in being fed.
Want more Prague photos? Check out my recent post of my pictures from the stunning Olšany Cemetery.
That’s it from Prague.
And if you’re interested in subscribing to Michael’s Pic Posts, the mini-newsletter devoted to my photos, go to “My Account” and tick the box for Michael’s Pic Posts. Or make a comment below, and I’ll add you to the list.
Goodbye until our next hello!
Michael
Michael Jensen is an author and editor, and the “Michael” in Brent and Michael Are Going Places, a couple of traveling gay digital nomads. For more about Michael, visit him at MichaelJensen.com
I loved this post! Prague is just so photogenic! I also recommend fall and winter- went for the Christmas Market one year and in the fall another- the changing sunlight and fog and....just enhances the beauty!
These pics brought back such fond memories of a trip a friend and I took to Prague about 30 years ago. I so want to go again!