Cesky Krumlov

On our fourth day in Prague, we took a day trip to Cesky Krumlov, a small historic town in the south Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.

The old town was constructed in the 13th century. Its 300 protected buildings, castle and  cobblestone streets on the land surrounded by the two bends of River Vltava is now a World Heritage site.

Andel

We did some shopping  for chocolate at the shopping mall before dinner.

Dinner at the Plzensky Restaurant.

Petrin Hill

We took the funicular up the hill. The name Petrin probably derives from the latin name Mons Petrinus meaning "rocky hill"

The funicular up the hill

The park is an ideal place of relaxation for the locals.

The landmark here is the Observation Tower (an imitation of Eiffel Tower) built for the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891.

It is said that one can get a panoramic view of Prague from the tower. The only way to the viewing platform is to climb up the 299 steps. So, guess why we didn't go up.

Memorial to the Victims of Communism

This thought provoking and moving sculpture is located near the funicular station to Petrin Hill.

This Memorial was created by Czech sculptor Olbram Zoubek in 2002. The Czech people still place flowers on the memorial.

It contains the seven "phases" of a man living in a totalitarian state. The first statue depicts the full man and up to the last where only part of him remains - representing his gradual psychological and physical destruction.

The Dancing House

The Dancing House is the nickname given to this building completed in 1996 and designed by Czech architect Milunic. It represents a man and a woman dancing together.

The building is also known as "Ginger and Fred" referring to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, the legendary dance duo.

Slavonic Monastery

This monastery was founded by Emperor Charles IV in 1347 as a rare Slavonic monastery with a non-Latin liturgy.

The monastery was rebuilt in the 1960s and the unusual winged concrete steeples were added.

Also known as Emaus (Emauzy), it contains one of the most precious  collection of Gothic wall paintings (of scenes from the Old and New Testaments) in Europe.

Vltava Embankment

The embankment is on the southern part of  Vltava River.

River Vltara

From here we took the tram to Slavonic Monastery.

Leaving Vysehrad

We walked downhill to the Vltava Embankment.

Lunch next to the church

We had our lunch at a restaurant next to the church before walking downhill.

 

Vysehrad Cemetery

There are about 600 graves here since the cemetery first stated in 1869. Many of the Czech artists, writers and musicians such as Mucha, Smetana and Dvorak are buried here.

The Slavin which lies in the centre of the cemetery is a tribute to all the heroes here.

The tomb of Dvorak

A Czech composer 1841-1904)

Church of St Peter and St Paul

This church was built here by the first Bohemian King in the 11th century.

St Martin's Rotunda

This is the oldest building in Prague, built in 1100.

We could not enter as it  was locked.

Vysehrad

We took the metro to Vysehrad Station and walked to  Vysehrad or "castle on the height". It is a lovely park on top of a hill.

King Vratislav I moved here from Prague Castle in 1070 and it became the seat of the ruling Monarch for 70 years before his successors returned to Prague Castle.

Statue of Premysl and Princess Libuse

Princess Libuse was the first woman to rule Prague. She married Premysl and they founded the Premyslid Dynasty that lasted 400 years.

Narodni Museum

Located next to the Wencelas Square, this Neo-Renaissance building was completed in 1890.

Fountain in front of the Museum

Limestone staircase