A Brief Look at Prague: A City Lost in Time

The first thing that a traveler encounters, when visiting Prague, is the magnificent Baroque and Renaissance architecture. It overwhelms the visitor. The old Baroque houses and majestic Renaissance buildings and multi-storied dwellings are everywhere; they're on every street, in every part of town and on both sides of the river. No matter where you go, whether the neighborhood be prosperous or just working class, the majestic architecture still stands, like a silent memory to the past. It takes a while to absorb everything you encounter, or perhaps that is an impossible task that would take a lifetime of exploring the winding, maze of streets of this old world city that attracts multitudes of tourists from all over the world.

The architectural delights of the Czech capitol span a thousand years. One will find graceful samples of Medieval, Gothic, Romanesque, Art Nouveau mixed in with the Baroque and Renaissance. Several castles grace the city, the most notable being the Prague Castle, whose majestic spires accent the western sky. Even if you decide against visiting the interior of one of Europe's great landmarks, the walk across the Charles Bridge and up the castle hill is an easy stroll that can easily consume a whole afternoon.

Take careful note of the Saint Vitus's Cathedral which is a classic Gothic structure complete with flying buttresses. The castle itself is huge, one of the largest in the world, and it comes complete with its own changing of the guard. The castle is built in the Gothic style, but other buildings in the complex are of the Romanesque era. The most notable example of this would be St George's Basilica and convent. The red clay roof being a clue that the beautiful church is not part of the Gothic world.