The Prague's Royal Route: Coronation Procession

By Alena Goldberg and Eric Wilson

Prague’s Royal Route is a romantic walk that takes about one hour of easy paced walking. There are many photographic opportunities, varieties of shops, restaurants, cafés and many historical monuments for making enjoyable stops. The end of the Royal Route is the Prague Castle on the hill above the left bank of the river Vltava. This multi-historical monumental site nests the most important buildings and treasures from the Czech history and culture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alena Goldberg
• Release date: Jul 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735362403

Book preview

The Prague's Royal Route

Coronation Procession

Alena Goldberg

© 2020 Alena Goldberg,

All rights reserved 

Photos Eric Wilson, Alena Goldberg

© 2020 Alena Goldberg

ISBN 978-1-7353624-0-3

INTRODUCTION

Prague’s Royal Route is a romantic walk that takes about one hour of easy paced walking. There are many photographic opportunities, varieties of shops, restaurants, cafés and many historical monuments for making enjoyable stops. The end of the Royal Route is the Prague Castle on the hill above the left bank of the river Vltava. This multi-historical monumental site nests the most important buildings and treasures from the Czech history and culture. Walking the Prague’s Royal Route one feels like stepping into the time of the past. Still existing historical monuments and city dwellings reaching back as far as to 10th century let the imagination go. It is not impossible to project one’s self into the memorable history of the city.

The river Vltava has formed natural axis for the main communication route to the city of Prague. This route branched almost organically through the developing city creating new merchant roads, markets, squares and connections to other functional or sacred spaces. Already before it held its historical function as the coronation route, it was already major travelers’ road, connecting the outside of the city walls with the Castle. It was one of the liveliest parts of the city, just as it is today. Walking the route, one naturally adjusts one’s pace to the continuous rhythm of the changing public spaces flanked by sacred spaces of many surrounding churches and chapels. All is connected together by narrow streets and wide town squares. It may be a bit challenging to climb some of the steepest streets in Europe and to squeeze through narrow passages of the Old Town and the Lesser Quarter, but the reward is great.

In the past, the royal processions made major stops in the city borrows where they were greeted by citizens, clergies and city officials. Today, as well, these stops are of a major interest. The Old Town Square in the center of Old Town had in the past served as a market place. Time to time and especially during holidays, it still functions as a market but it also offers many other interesting experiences and educational entertainments. The best of gastronomical creations can be tasted in many of the restaurants on the square and nearby. The galleries, museums, book and traditional craft shops, cathedrals, Old Town Hall tower and astronomical clock with mechanical figures are available for exploration throughout the day and even at night. A stop on Charles Bridge offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city including the Prague Castle. The entertainments and merchants there echo the historical market place and performances by bards and are welcomed addition to the area. Rising to the top of the hill through the steep Nerudova Street towards the castle grounds creates an experience that has been common to travelers and pilgrims on foot for centuries. Often with a push of an athlete, it is like reaching a peak of the highest mountain. It is worth of the effort. The accomplishment of finally stepping on the castle grounds is very rewarding. A magical place opens to the eye. There are soldiers in historical costumes guarding every gate of the castle walls. Changing of the guards every hour is a performance not to miss. The breath taking Gothic Cathedral, in its splendor a sister to the famous Notre Dame has been the destination of pilgrims, visitors or travelers to Prague throughout the centuries. The beauty of the courtyards enclosed by the sophisticated architectural monuments, free standing sculptures, fountains, historical statues, gardens, cafés, restaurants and shops offer something for everyone. The last, but not the least, is the incredible panoramic view of the city.

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HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE

PRAGUE is the capitol of Czech Republic, located in the center of Europe. After its developmental, political and cultural changes throughout the centuries towards modernity, Czech Republic, formerly Czechoslovakia, established its independence in 1918 after almost 300 years under the rule of Habsburg Monarchy. From the Second World War until the civil uprising for democracy in 1989 known as the Velvet Revolution, Czechs lived under the totalitarian regime linked to the dictatorship of the former Soviet Union. Today’s Czech Republic and especially Prague is the major center of arts, music and education. Often envisioned as a free spirit city, it is today one of the most visited cities in Europe. Its picturesque cityscape with over hundred towers in the sea of rooftops is considered to be one of the most beautiful and romantic one in Europe. On and along the Prague’s Royal Route, one can see the changes the city underwent through the centuries past. They are marked by many historical monuments which range from Pre-Romanesque to Baroque and even contemporary architectural styles. Many buildings show fusion of these periods which resulted through the significant expansions of the city starting already in the Medieval Age.

Prague Pre-Romanesque

The territory of today’s Prague was occupied since early Stone Age but the settlements on the left bank of the river Vltava had been favored. In the 7th century AD, the first Slavonic tribes arrived to the hill above the river and built a large stronghold. It is archaeologically evident that the 8th century was the starting point for building defensive walls around the newly built fortress. At the end of the 9th century, the Premyslid