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Prague’s Lesser Town – Malá Strana

View of Prague from the top of Petrin TowerView of Prague from the top of Petrin Tower

View of Prague from the top of Petrin Tower01-Aug-2009 21:42, SONY DSC-W55, 9.0, 9.4mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

Maria and the boys decided to have a quiet day in the apartment, so I ventured into town on my own for an afternoon (they’ve been here for a month, so they’ve seen all the sights already). The central, historical part of Prague is separated into 4 neighborhoods – the Castle Quarter, Old Town, New Town, and Lesser Town. I picked Lesser Town as my destination. Compared to the other parts of town, it doesn’t have the grandest attractions, but it offers the most dazzling view of the city (from atop the Petřín Tower). What really drew me to it though is that it also offers the city’s most unusual attractions:

  • The Wallenstein Palace Gardens, with its “grotesquery” (an enormous fake cave wall), owls, carp, free-roaming peacocks, and Wallenstein’s fresco of himself as Mars, the god of war. The garden’s Renaissance statues are replicas of the originals, which were stolen by an invading Swiss army in the 17th century (the originals are still in Sweden).
  • The small museum of Jára Cimrman – a fictional Czech character – “the genius who is not yet famous” – who is depicted as “…one of the greatest Czech playwrights, poets, composers, teachers, travelers, philosophers, inventors, detectives and sportsmen of the 19th and early 20th century.” A few years ago he was voted the greatest Czech of all time in a Czech Television contest, much to the surprise of Czech TV, which subsequently disqualified him due to his non-existence.
  • The moving (and disturbing) Monument to Victims of Communism Who Survived.
  • The Lennon Wall – when Lennon was killed, this wall became covered with graffiti celebrating his life and music. It also became a focal point of quiet protest against the communist regime – every day the police would paint it over, and every night it would be covered with graffiti again.
  • The Infant Jesus of Prague in the Church of St. Mary the Victorious – it’s a small statue of Jesus as an infant, which one of the Church’s priests said spoke to him once. Since then “claims of blessings, favors and miraculous healings have been made by many who petitioned before the Infant Jesus… Today, thousands of pilgrims pay homage to the Infant of Prague each year.”

A few days later, I visited the Palace gardens again with Maria and the boys, and the boys got in some playtime at the small Kampa playground on the Charles river (so the pictures below are from both outings).

Monument to the victims of communism who survived

Monument to the victims of communism who survived28-Jun-2009 19:48, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200

This line runs in front of the Monument, quantifying some of the suffering under the Communist government - 205,486 were imprisoned, 248 were executed, etc.

This line runs in front of the Monument, quantifying some of the suffering under the Communist government – 205,486 were imprisoned, 248 were executed, etc.01-Aug-2009 20:59, SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

View of Prague from the top of Petrin Tower

View of Prague from the top of Petrin Tower01-Aug-2009 21:42, SONY DSC-W55, 9.0, 9.4mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

View of Prague from the top of Petrin Tower

View of Prague from the top of Petrin Tower01-Aug-2009 21:42, SONY DSC-W55, 9.0, 9.4mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

"Cimrman's famous famine spoon" - Cimrman is a fictional Czech historical character, credited with a number of silly inventions

“Cimrman’s famous famine spoon” – Cimrman is a fictional Czech historical character, credited with a number of silly inventions01-Aug-2009 21:56, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 1000

After beer, absinth is probably the most popular drink in Prague. This shop on Nerudova St offers absinth ice cream

After beer, absinth is probably the most popular drink in Prague. This shop on Nerudova St offers absinth ice cream03-Aug-2009 23:06, SONY DSC-W55, 3.5, 9.4mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

View down Nerudova St

View down Nerudova St03-Aug-2009 23:33, SONY DSC-W55, 4.0, 12.4mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

The Lennon Wall - when John Lennon died, this wall became covered with graffiti celebrating his life. Day after day the communist police would paint it over, but each night it would be covered with graffiti again.

The Lennon Wall – when John Lennon died, this wall became covered with graffiti celebrating his life. Day after day the communist police would paint it over, but each night it would be covered with graffiti again.01-Aug-2009 22:41, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 100

Prague's last water wheel - all the others were destroyed in the 2002 flood

Prague’s last water wheel – all the others were destroyed in the 2002 flood01-Aug-2009 22:54, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

The canal that runs to the water wheel

The canal that runs to the water wheel01-Aug-2009 22:57, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

The Infant of Prague - worshipers come from around the world to pray at this small statue

The Infant of Prague – worshipers come from around the world to pray at this small statue01-Aug-2009 23:08, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 1000

The stage at Wallenstein Palace

The stage at Wallenstein Palace01-Aug-2009 23:51, SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

The fake cave wall at Wallenstein Palace

The fake cave wall at Wallenstein Palace01-Aug-2009 23:57, SONY DSC-W55, 2.8, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

Maria and the boys at Wallenstein Palace

Maria and the boys at Wallenstein Palace04-Aug-2009 00:03, SONY DSC-W55, 7.1, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100

The Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge04-Aug-2009 18:56, SONY DSC-W55, 11.0, 14.3mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100

The Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge02-Aug-2009 00:08, SONY DSC-W55, 5.0, 16.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

At the base of the Manesuv bridge, looking down Kaprova street to the Church of St Nicholas

At the base of the Manesuv bridge, looking down Kaprova street to the Church of St Nicholas02-Aug-2009 00:14, SONY DSC-W55, 10.0, 12.4mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

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