After getting up and having had breakfast –
once again cutting it close to closing time – I checked up on the opening hours
for the cathedral at the castle. According to what I read it would close at
1500 so I decided to start the day there to be sure I’d make it before it would
be too late.
Once again I entered the queue to get into the
castle around 1100 and half an hour later I was let through. I walked over to
the cathedral and stepped into another queue, this one very short. And waited.
And nothing happened. Looking around I saw a sign and realized that I had been
planning based on info for the wrong day. It wouldn’t open until 1300 so I left
and instead decided to spend my time to go into the tower.
The 286 steps up the narrow spiral staircase
took one right past the space where the bells were mounted and being there at
1200 we got to see – and hear! – them in full action. The view from the top was
great, especially because there wasn’t much of a haze today.
As mentioned; really close to the bells.
View from the tower.
Beautiful window spotted on the way down.
I returned down and exited at around 1310 and
saw a line of people pass by the door. I quickly realized it was the queue of
people waiting to get into the cathedral and having nothing else planned here I
added myself to the rear of the queue. The entry was in the front to the left
and I queued up near the front to the right – but the queue went all the way
around the rear of the cathedral. There was no standstill, though, we were
always moving, and half an hour later I was the next to walk through the
entrance. It was also half an hour of keeping an eye on people who “totally
know those people in front of you!” or “oh, I thought this was the end of the
line and I totally didn’t see the hundreds behind you!”. People’s complete lack
of respect for others still surprise me. Fuckers.
After all that waiting one could worry that it
would be a huge anti-climax seeing the cathedral from the inside, but I’ll
admit I thought it was very impressive. Beautifully stained glass and generally
very impressive word done with the construction made the wait and return to the
castle worth it. More than an hour later I exited and went for a short stroll
in the castle’s gardens before leaving the castle grounds for good.
Entering the cathedral.
Stained glass!
More stained glass!
MORE!
I love the fact that there was enough sun that the stained glass colored the walls.
I started walking south following the river
until I reached castle Vyšehrad where I had a short walk around. Nothing remotely
as magnificent or impressive as the other place but still quite nice. When
leaving I realized that a recommended restaurant was just around the corner so
I decided to chance it despite not having a booking. I went down there and only
had to wait a few minutes before being seated. Goat’s cheese in filo salad,
port ribs and coconut cake with chocolate was a nice end to the day.
A small canal.
Inside the basilica at Vyšehrad Castle.
Leaving I walked back north towards the Old
Town again. I had found out that the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe is buried in
Church for our Lady Tyn located just next to the town square. The church is
open 3+2 hours every day – and I obviously arrived too late to get in today.
The door was open, though, so I snuck in to have a look; it was only moments
before a mass started and all photography was banned. Every day except Mondays
(tomorrow) – in that case it would be closed. My disappointment was real.
Sunset at the river.
The astronomical clock was being renovated so a meager digital replacement was all I got to see.
I went back down to the river trying to get
some more night shot of the castle cathedral and Charles bridge before
returning to my hotel around 2300.
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