Prague

I have never been to the Czech Republic before. Prague, it’s capital,  is one of Europe’s more stunningly beautiful cities rich in history and dramatic architecture. An easy drive from Vienna, I am fortunate to be able to visit Prague for two days with my friend Dan.

Wenceslas Square in Prague

Prague is best experienced on foot, and this is exactly the we are doing it. In fact I cna not remember when I last pounded so much pavement.  On foot we are able to wander the large modern city streets as well as the narrow streets of the medieval old city.

Decorative man hole cover in Old Town Prague

Prague (Praha in Czech) was the ancient capital of Charles IV’s Bohemian Kingdom, and has played a pivotal role in the development of Central Europe since the Middle Ages.

Its epic history has produced a vibrant city of stunning buildings and lovely old squares, with the result that today, Prague is one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

 

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is the largest medieval castle complex in Europe and the ancient seat of Czech kings throughout the ages.

As a dominant feature of Prague’s skyline, it is also a subject a photographer can’t resist.

There is no shortage of people to photograph in Prague. In fact the place is packed with tourists from all over the world that make up a vital part of Pragues new economy.

The famous Franz Kafka Cafe

Much of the post-communism reconstruction and regeneration of Prague has been driven by tourism, as ancient buildings have been transformed into fine restaurants and stylish hotels. They also make great subjects to photograph and are part of it’s visual history.

Tourists admiring the beauty of the city lights across the Vltava River and the famous Charles Bridge at night, Praque, Czech Republic.

Terezin Concentration Camp

The Little Fortress Cemetery

” Hitler, the world was to be told, had built a city for the Jews, to protect them from the vagaries and stresses of the war. A film was made to show this mythic, idyllic city to which his henchmen were taking the Jews from the Czech Lands and eight other countries. Notable musicians, writers, artists, and leaders were sent there for “safer” keeping than was to be afforded elsewhere in Hitler’s quest to stave off any uprisings or objections around the so-called civilized world. This ruse worked for a very long time, to the great detriment of the nearly two hundred thousand men, women and children who passed through its gates as a way station to the east and probable death.”

The Jewish Vertual Library

 A side trip I felt I had to make was to a small town Northwest of Prague, Terezin. As I found out it was a place that left me on an emotional low towards the end of what has been a wonderful experience in the Czech Republic.

There is hardly any one here and it acts as a powerful reminder of the many who once were here but did not survive. Czech and other Jews were taken here and 97,297 died, 15,000 of whom were  children. The few staff I see are grumpy looking and less than willing to show any interest in talking to me to help explain what this place was all about. 

Ghetto Barracks

Solitary Cell Door

I am finding it hard to take many photographs. Their is a dreadfully eerie vibe that I am not sure I want to even try to capture. There are sections and sections of barrack blocks all nearly the same, all dreadful, all empty, all quiet.

Shower Room

Medical Lab

Terezin, BohemiaStatue in the Little fortress at Terezin commemorating those who died

Terezin is a visually powerful and emotional place. I am glad I came, but I am even more glad I am leaving.

The Third Man, Over and Under Vienna

If you are a film noir fan, then you will know of Orson Welles’ 1949 classic The Third Man. Honestly, I had not heard of it until I was in Vienna where the film was made. I watched it on You Tube and it really is a fantastic film. Being in Vienna and recognizing many of the sites used in the film of course makes it all the more exciting. Below is a trailer for the film which is still showed daily in one of Vienna’s Theaters.

The film showcases a post WWII B&W Vienna in a beautiful gritty style. Many of the locations used in the film are easily visited including Viennas Prater, the massive 64.7 meter Ferris wheel built in 1897 that has become an iconic part of Vienna’s landscape.

Even if you are not interested in the Third Man, a visit to the Prater is well worth it.The Prater is an amazing structure and it offers some of the best views of Vienna from above. If you are interested in following the Third Man around Vienna, there is an organized Third Man Tour. My friend Dan and I did the underground portion of this tour.

Some of the more suspenseful and exciting parts of the movie take place in the underground or sewers of Vienna. On the tour you get to actually travel into the sewers and see the locations used for filming. The tour begins by descending through the man hole cover actually used in the film.

A tour guide then relates to you facts of the sewer system and trivia from the movie. If I spoke Geerman it would have meant a lot more to me however.

I particularly liked the multi-media aspect of the tour. In some locations, they project the scenes from the movie that were filmed in the location you are standing onto the sewer walls.

While you are down there, donm;t forget to say hello to the resident rat.

Vienna: Architecture and Coffe Shops

For me, two visuals overwhelmingly stand out from Vienna; architecture and coffee shops.

It seems that almost every building in Vienna is ornately decorated with architectural detail and sculpture. From little carved stone scrolls to massive hulking god like beings holding up the facades. Every where you look there is some decorative element to the buildings.

On every street there seems to be a coffee shop. Prior to my arrival in Vienna I had not really thought about coffee shops much. I am not a coffee drinker, and with my little Colorado town only having one coffee shop, the coffee shop is just not part of my daily routine. But in Vienna it is hard to ignore them. They are everywhere and they are part of everyday Viennese life.

Vienna lays claim to inventing the coffee shop. In Vienna, as is becoming the norm elsewhere, the coffee shop is more than a stop for a cup of joe. It is a social gathering place. You go there to sit with friends, to meet new friends, to have a meeting, or just to get get out and watch the city move by you.

Coffee is not the only thing on the menu either; coffee, tea, beer, snacks, sandwiches, it’s all available. You may sit inside at a small table where there is always a selection of newspapers and magazines for you to read. Or my favorite, sit outside on the sidewalk under an umbrella where you get the best view of the lively street.

In the more traditional coffee shops you are almost always served by a tuxedo-clad waiter who is efficient, but rarely smiles.

Vienna Under the Sun

Vienna is a city of just over 1.5 million people and covers 160 square miles through which the River Danube or Donau, and the Danube Canal flow. By accounts of it’s residents it is a small city. It was first founded as a Bronze Age settlement around 800 BC, Settled later by Celts and Romans, overrun by Barbarian Tribes, and today is the capital of the Republic of Austria. It is an old city, and it serves as political, economic, and cultural center to Austrians.

After a rainy arrival day in Vienna,  I have been blessed with a series of sunny warm summer days. I thought you might like to see how this city and in particular the Stephansdom Catherdral looks under the sun. The Stephasdom sits at the center of Vienna and is a landmark by which I try to orient my self. Not always an easy task in this city of small winding medieval streets.

Many of the buildings and monuments of Vienna are under near constant restoration. The effects of time and pollution necessitate this. This is the reason for the tarps covering portions of the Stephansdom. I love how they print the tarp with an image of what is hidden behind it.

This cathedral took centuries to build and is rich with medieval and Renaissance monuments. The colorful roof is covered with almost a quarter of a million glazed tiles that had to be meticulously restored after damage caused by bombing in the last days of World War II.

I have visited many cathedrals in my time, but never before have I seen lighting from stained glass windows as spectacular as this. The lofty vaulted interior of the cathedral is entirely painted with color. For me this was more spectacular than any of the many masterpieces of Gothic sculpture or elaborate paintings.

On the darker side, I also truly enjoyed touring the catacombs that lie beneath the cathedral and extend out under the surrounding square. Photography is restricted, so unfortunately I can not show you any of the dark damp passageways leading to the vaults filled with centuries of stacked decaying bones from past residents.

Rich Durnan at the Stephannsdom Catherdral well light at night in the heart of Vienna Austria