King of The Hill

When was the last time you visited a castle? Well, we did that yesterday and, WOW, is it impressive!  I don't want to get into too much boring history but it should be mentioned that this castle has been the Czech government seat since the 9th century.  This place has been the home of kings, queens, popes, presidents, prime ministers, and even the communists who ruled not so long ago.

The castle grounds are enormous and, located on top of a hill, loom over the city (the entire place is lit up at night so it is very hard to miss).  There are a series of homes and gardens around the castle square; and the main entrance features a gorgeous gilded iron gate.  Inside the Prague Castle we found more buildings (the newer ones around the perimeter house several ministries and governmental offices) as we made our way to St. Vitus' Cathedral.  It contains the tombs and relics of most importance to Czech people: local saints and kings.  It is,  to say the least, awe inspiring.  We meandered through gold-leafed statues, ancient paintings, a shiny solid silver tomb and more private chapels than I could count.  Every corner I turned yielded more rich frescoes and altars.It was quite the scene and a little Da Vinci Code-ish.

Other great places at the castle were: the royal palace (we stood in the actual coronation room of kings from the 11th century!); St. George's Basilica (a former nunnery) with it's recently unearthed tombstones dating back to the 9th century; Golden Lane (a narrow road containing original buildings depicting life as it was in medieval days); and, last but certainly not least, breathtaking views of the Vltava River, the St. Charles Bridge, and the entire city of Prague.  It was pretty amazing!

One of our favorite parts was a quick tour through the medieval prison.  This tower featured several torture machines and cages.  There were head vises, leg-breaking contraptions, body stretching beds, and lots of iron arm and leg shackles.  You can just imagine the pain that must have occurred in that place; it hurts just writing about it!

A short taxi ride back to the hotel (one aching knee was pretty pissed off) and we were back at our local hangout place drinking Budvar.  Yep, all was right with the world.

One more day until Paris.  But first, we honor Jewish heritage.
Until tomorrow... bon soir!
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