.: graffiti, scraffito and art nouveau :.

Aside from some outstanding views from the Charles Bridge (local lore has it that if one pets the dog and rescues the boy on the pedament of this statue, one is destined to return to Prague) and a tour of the castle and cathedral grounds, we also took a long look at the storied pilgrimage complex at the Loreta.   

And then, along embassy row, saw the venerated statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague (EN/DE), sporting a fancy new crown that the Pope donated on his visit a few years prior. I liked the painted shutters from the outside that look as if some Glockenspiel will pop out from behind them.

In the evening, we returned to the Bridge for some nighttime views by way of Kampa Island in the Vltava (Moldau).

 Tramping through the park, we found some strange architectural pieces in the dark and a monument to the Velvet Revolution, the so-called John Lennon Wall, hopeful and challenging graffiti that authorities painted over daily, only to have more messages there the next day. The wall itself is part of a structure owned by the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta (SMOM, die Malteser), who allowed this business to continue throughout the eighties.

The next morning, we hiked along the river to the far end of the city to explore the Vyšerhad (EN/DE) compound, the original seat of the Czech capitol with ruined ramparts and a relatively young art nouveau basilica minor.

The vistas from the cliff face were amazing. Afterwards, we returned to the old town to marvel at the imposing high gothic Powder Tower (Pulver Turm) and then had a coffee in another classic building, fashioned in 1912 in a much different style, the art nouveau Municipal Hall (Das Gemeindehaus). In the evening, we explored some of the neighbourhood surrounding the Botel. It was a little sad to be leaving the city so soon, but we had seen quite a lot in a short amount of time and had fun.

On our way back home, we took in a bit of the countryside on the way to Burg Karlštejn, the grand fortress built as a keep for the regalia and treasure of the Holy Roman Empire.