by Kate
(Karl's posting so much these days, I think we'll start adding by-lines routinely)
Prague's architecture offers an embarrassment of riches. Renaissance, neo-Classical, Baroque, Cubist, and more. I'm partial to the grand doorways that grace so many of the city's buildings. Here are some entryways that have caught my eye, with addresses and perhaps occupants, if I know them. They're grouped by neighborhood/district.
Staré Město (Old Town)
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| At the corner of Melantrichova Street and Kozna Street |
This house, called
Dům u Dvou Zlatých Medvědů (House at the Two Golden Bears) is one of the oldest houses in Prague.
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| Detail at the House of the Two Golden Bears |
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| Detail on the Old Town town hall |
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| Celetná 8, U černého slunce (House at the Black Sun) |
House of the Black Sun was the home of Mozart’s Prague hostess, Josepha Duskova. It's not far from the
Estates Theater where Mozart conducted the premier of Don Giovanni.
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| Before buildings were given sequential numbers, house signs were used to identify homes and businesses. |
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| Karlova 2 |
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| Nová radnice (New City Hall) at Mariánské náměstí |
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| Sculptural detail at Nová radnice. |
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The ornamentation continues around the corner.
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| Peeking statue above one of the windows at Nová radnice. |
Nové Město (New Town)
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| Goethe Institute at Masarykovo nábřeží 32 |
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| Na struze 1 |
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| Na struze 1, detail |
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| Na struze 1, detail |
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| Spálená 4, Diamant -- a Cubist building designed by Emil Králíček |
Mala Strana (Little Quarter)
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| Sněmovní 1 is building for the Czech Parliament. I think. |
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| The Italian Embassy at Nerudova 20. |
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| U Sovových mlýnů on Kampa Island. |
Looks grand and official, but I can't figure out what this place is. We'd often pass it on the way to ClassActs programs, such as Ben's drama club.
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| The Ministry of Culture at Maltézské náměstí 16 |
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| Mostecká 3, just west of Charles Bridge |
Karlův most is Czech for Charles Bridge. So
Mostecká is Bridge Street.
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| Mostecká 17 |
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| Mostecká 17, close up |
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| U lužického semináře 1, Embassy of Estonia |
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| House sign at U lužického semináře 1 |
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| Míšeňská 10 |
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| House sign at Míšeňská 10 |
Holešovice
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| Korunovační 21 betrays hints of a grander past. |
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| Korunovační 22 |
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| Korunovační 18 wouldn't look out of place at Hogwarts. |
Bubeneč
Our apartment is in Bubeneč, so all of these are very close to our home here.
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Krupkovo náměstí
Obchodní Akademie A Ekonomické Lyceum
Main door
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| Another door at Obchodní Akademie A Ekonomické Lyceum |
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| Marákova 12 |
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| Bubenečská 47 |
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| Bubenečská 49 |
Vinohrady/Žižkov neighborhood
I shots these pictures back in October when Karl's parents were visiting. Grandma Seeley joined us to go up the Žižkov TV tower and then Karl and the boys wanted to show us the cool playground at
Riegrovy sady. Loved the doorways on
Krkonošská, one of the streets we took en route to the park.
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| Krkonošská 1 |
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| Detail on Krkonošská 1 |
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| Krkonošská 3 |
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| Krkonošská 5 |
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| Krkonošská 6 |
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| Krkonošská 7 |
I've been taking pictures of doorways all year, and I can still think of several that I wish I had photographed to post here. At some point, though, you just have to say it's a wrap. That point is now.
What a collection! And what a beautiful city.
ReplyDeleteLove you,
Mom
What interesting house signs and architecture! I assume the blue enamel signs are the address numbers of the building on the street but what are the enamel signs with the red background?
ReplyDelete@ HouseSignStudios ~ Blue signs do indeed show a building's street number. Prague, it seems, keeps track of buildings within various districts ("Mala Strana/Praha 1" or "Dejvice/Praha 6," for example), and a red sign seems to indicate a building's number within a given district. We're not exactly sure about this. Perhaps someone else with better information might chime in ... anyone know?
ReplyDelete