Fall Break Trip to Vienna & Prague

We took advantage of a five day weekend for Fall Break by traveling to Vienna for two days and Prague for another two. In our short visit to each city, we saw a lot of amazing buildings and landscapes by walking a lot: we were on our feet and moving maybe 7 or 8 hours everyday. Vienna awed us with its amazing architecture from the medieval church of St. Stephan's to the many Hapsburg buildings constructed along the "Ring" under the direction of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the mid-late nineteenth century. While its architecture awed us, we were also struck by the modernity of the city. We could not recall an American city that had such modern infrastructure.

Prague, however, made no pretense at modernity. What defined Prague was its history as seen in its medieval and early modern buildings, its narrow, crooked, and cobble-stone roads, and its old bridges. Unlike many other historic European cities, Prague emerged from World War II unscathed (the buildings not the people), therefore more of its historic architecture has survived. At times walking through Prague made us feel like we were traveling through a medieval city. Conversely, at other times we felt like we were in Disneyland. Prague may be a treasure but it is certainly not an undiscovered one.

Vienna - 10/23-10/24

On the first day we traveled from the modest apartment we rented to the center of the city and its biggest tourist attraction, St. Stephan's Cathedral. We then headed out from the city center to the "Ringstrasse" which is a famous boulevard - full of parks, monuments, and beautiful buildings created under Franz Joseph I in the 1800's - which forms a ring around the historic part of Vienna.

If you want to see all of our pictures see: http://picasaweb.google.com/runningmonkey01/ViennaPrague02?authkey=apJqZGSRI1o#slideshow


Susan as we begin our exploration of Vienna by crossing the Danube Channel

St. Rupert's

St. Stephan's - View from outside



Inside St Stephan's

Climbing up the South Tower. They allowed us to climb up the tower about 230' on a narrow spiral staircase (which is only half way up).

Mixture of Old & New: Reflection of the Medieval Cathedral of St. Stephan's on a Modern Building

City Streets

The Ring:
We began our tour of the famous Ringstrasse (the "Ring") from the north and headed counter-clockwise.

Votive Church

Interesting stained glass depiction of a dragon slaying in the Votive Church

Hofburg Theater

Rathaus

Susan at the Parlament Building (she is used here for perspective)

Museums

Susan & the Elephant (Naturhistor Museum)

I call this one "Crazy Horse"

Opera

Butterfly House

Palace

Reflecting Pool

Rathaus at Night



Palace Grounds

Day 2:
On the second day we completed our tour of the ring in the evening, but only after taking a day trip to Klosterneuburg. This town located near the Danube is about a 30 minute bus ride north of Vienna. We visited a hilltop monastery there on top of a hill overlooking the Danube valley. The monastery was quiet and peaceful, out of the reach of the tourist crowds, and included a church that dates to the 12th century.



Klosterneuburg Priory Church


Klosterneuburg Town

After finishing our walk around the Klosterneuburg Monastery and town, we took the bus back to Vienna and continued our tour of the "Ring," this time starting in the south and heading clockwise.


Danube Channel


Hundertwasser

View of Karlskirche from a reflecting pool in Karlsplatz

Top of Karlskirche

Our Last Night in Vienna

Prague

The next two days of our trip we spent in Prague, Czech Republic. After arriving by train, checking in our hotel, and getting lunch we immediately set out on foot to explore the city.

Vtlava River

Dancing House






Church of St. Cyril & St. Methodius - During World War II Nazi Germany occupied and controlled Prague. Like all Nazi occupied areas, most notably France, an underground resistance movement emerged. The Czech resistance was remarkable in that it succeeded in assassinating one of the key Nazi leaders of the region. The assassins/resistors/patriots hid out in the crypt of this church while the Nazis hunted them. A member of their group betrayed them and the Nazi surrounded the church. The resistors held out as long as they could but eventually committed suicide to avoid capture. Not yet satisfied, the Nazis hell-bent on revenge - under Hitler's order - continued their recriminations by completely wiping out the hometown of these resistors. Out of several hundred inhabitants, not a one was spared. What was Prague's (and Budapest's) reward for surviving the horrors of the Nazis? Half a century of communism.


Susan with the Legii Bridge in the background



Charles Bridge



Roads of Old Town

Astronomical Clock

Tyn Church

Susan & the Big Chair

Susan

Powder Tower

Henry's Bell Tower


For the graphic artists out there, here are some interesting posters for the Museum of Communism

Praha nadrazi

Vaclavske nam & St. Wenceslaus Statue



National Museum

Sv. Antonin

Letenske Sady (this is a park on a hill overlooking the Vltava River and the entire city from the northbank of the river) - the views from here were amazing (see below)

View of Tyn Church from Letenske Sady

View of River

View of City

View of Prague Castle

Sun setting over castle

Castle

Susan over tunnel

River Bridges

Day 2:
We visited famous Prague Castle. Every part of it included beautiful views and amazing architecture, but as a result, the common sight-seeing spots were overrun with tourists. Fortunately after seeing these sights, when we took a walk around the back side of the castle, we were almost entirely alone.

Golden Lane

St. Vitus

St. George's Basilica

Dome/Skyline

Loreta Church - now we began our walk around the backside of the castle

Crazy Susan



Novy Svet - it means New World, but I can't remember why

Deer Ditch

Royal Garden



St. Vitus at Sunset





Charles Bridge at Night

Darth Vader guards the historic Charles Bridge. Actually it's a statue of a medieval warrior-king, but it sure looks the dark-helmeted one.