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| To call a settlement a village, all you need is a brewery | ||||
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story Alex Eberspaecher photographs Judy Eberspaecher Krkonoe, the two hundred kilometre winding mountain range that stretches from border to border, creates a unique green island in the heart of Europe. Ancient forests are untouched by the turbulent history of this small country and interrupted occasionally by small villages that date back to medieval times, and castles that are even older. The country's natural serenity and architectural splendour is unequalled, with a population that perhaps has not fully found its place in modern times. Welcome to the modern-day Czech Republic. The Czech Republic’s modern history is one of uncertainty and strife. The Czech Republic evolved from the time of the Celtic tribes, through to the more organized settlements of the Roman Empire with its fortifications. The nation was often part of a neighbouring domain until less than a generation ago, when it gained its freedom from the oppressive communist era. Religious wars and conflicts with neighbouring countries have also taken their toll on humanity. Well preserved though, is the natural splendour and the incredible architectural magnificence of its cities, towns and castles that dot its landscape. It is also a country trying desperately to shake the indifference underpinned by the socialist regimes of recent times and to become a free and proud country on its own. Here is a country that has all the waiting amenities of one that can, and slowly is, becoming a haven for tourists and those who cherish nature beyond the ordinary. Through all those conflicts and uncertainties grew a city that is undoubtedly one of the greatest monuments of human achievement. Often called a city of a hundred spires and romance, Prague is a town of incredibly well kept churches, palaces and architectural gems that have been for hundreds of years untouched by wars and modernity. Prague is also one of the great cultural centres of Europe and a historical centre that has taken its rightful place on the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage. Nowhere is the romance of Prague more apparent than during a stroll over the almost 600-year-old Karlüv or Charles Bridge that separates the old part of Prague from the Prague Castle that dates from the 9th century. Renovated a few times since, the castle still houses the present Czech parliament on the other bank of the Vlatva River. The Vlatva divides much of the old from the newer part of town. The view from the bridge is magnificent during the day, yet with its discreet lighting and strolling musicians, it becomes very romantic at night. From here on, as we enter the old part, the architecture is truly spectacular. Spared during the many wars, Prague is unique in that it was not only safe from the destruction of war but more so from the hideous reconstruction styles that are so apparent in many other European cities. Not even the gruesome communist-era style concrete buildings that are found elsewhere have made an impact in Prague. While early buildings have been erected well over six hundred years ago, the majority are relatively new, especially the many churches that date back to the late 16th and the beginning of the 17th century. While one can stroll through Old Prague for days without discovering the most hidden corners, all visitors end up eventually at Prague’s largest square – the Old Town Square. With its Town Hall, first erected in 1338, to the astronomical clock that is adorning the Gothic church, since the early 15th century, it has been visited by at least a thousand visitors each day. Here the procession of Twelve Apostles appears at a window in the upper part of that mechanical wonder that surprisingly, can also tell that it is time to have some refreshments in one of the many restaurants or café houses that are numerous on every block of the old city. The Czech Republic is a small country, even within the perimeter of Europe, yet it is an extraordinary country blessed with twelve different UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites. Prague, the historical city with all its architectural styles, of course needs no further mention. Then there is the historical town centre of Telc to the southeast of Prague; not far from there, Cesky Krumlov, the vast Chateau complex from the Renaissance overlooks the medieval streets and houses. Lednice-Valtice offers natural objects and romantic buildings in a 180 square kilometre park setting. To complete an impressive list we certainly shall not forget the UNESCO sites of Holasovice, Litomysl, the flower gardens of Kromeriz, the historical centre of Kutná Hora and the pilgrimage church at Zelená Hora. The largely industrial town of Brno has not been completely successful at preserving the past and only the Tuenhat Villa is designated here. Two other great sites that I can recall are, the town of Olomouc, with its 16th century column of the Holy Trinity – the most easterly located UNESCO site of the Czech Republic – and Trebíc, the crossroads of religious cultures. Beauty goes beyond architecture even in the Czech Republic. Vast stretches of uninterrupted nature offer a multitude of recreation for the soul and body. Much of this pristine wilderness, forests, small lakes, agricultural fields, literally hundreds of chateaus, castles and villas once belonged to the rich and famous, mostly royalty and churches. A gradual transition to public ownership has created a unique opportunity to retain much of the landscape in an unspoilt condition made truly accessible to all. The Czech Republic is a beer country and much of the local food is best complemented with a glass or two. Beer has been with humanity, while not as long as wine, for a few thousand years and probably has been introduced to the present country as far back as in the times of the Celts and the Gauls. Today the Pils, the beer that has its origin in the city of Pilzen a few kilometres southwest of Prague, is known, and imitated, worldwide for its purity and taste. There is probably no ready account of the number of cities and towns that make up the republic, but there are statistics on how many cities have their own breweries and the number of breweries located outside towns. This surely demonstrates the importance beer holds in the daily lives of the Czechs. Much less known, especially outside the borders, is the local wine. As local cuisine changes, mainly in cities and tourist areas, wine is also becoming a staple food. Although there are a few smaller regions to the north of Prague that produce wines, the main wine-growing region is in Moravia, adjacent to Austria. That proximity to its southern neighbour has influenced the wines since the times of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Today, some very good Muscat Ottonel compliments such white wines as Veltliner, Welsch and Rhein Riesling, while the reds are created mostly from such varieties as the Zweigelt and Merlot. Back in Wenceslas Square, in old Prague, the night has settled in and so have I in my realization of a dream, a dream of drinking the great beer at its source, a dream of visiting the buildings from days gone by and submerging myself in the culture of central Europe, if only for a short time. Hours ago I had to choose my food but it was not as diffi cult as choosing the drink. So, I did both. First the beer and now the wine, and now as it is dark and late in the evening, and I have trouble distinguishing between the clatter of stilettos and the clattering of horses’ hooves on the old cobblestone streets. I’d better be off to see what other square lies behind the old Cathedral. GL |
ABOVE Karlüv or Charles Bridge. Famous clock on old city hall in Prague.  Counting apostles in Pragues, Staromestska Square.  Valtice Chateau.  Wine cellars in Moravia.
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