Aug 29 – Another beautiful morning. The weather so far has been lovely, with highs in the 70s – perfect for walking.
Today we will journey to Prague Castle to see the actual window where the Defenestration of Prague took place in 1618, leading to the 30 Years War.
In case you don’t recall the details, the Catholics and the Protestants were sparring over which religion should rule the people. When the argument got heated, the Protestants threw two Catholic regents and a secretary out the window, presuming they would fall to their deaths. (Defenestration means getting thrown out the window.)
All three survived the fall, with the Catholics saying the regents had been caught up by angels, and the Protestants maintaining that their fall had been softened by their landing in the dung heap. Divine intervention? You decide!
The rooftops of the old town with the spires of St. Nicholas Church in the distance Our first stop this morning is St. Vitus Cathedral, started in 1344, which is part of the many buildings that comprise Prague CastleHere’s our old friend St. John Nepomuk, post-drowning, being attended by an angelBronze figures on the gatesHere’s the entrance – very GothicIt’s early morning, but we didn’t beat the crowds todayI thought this was a painting, but it’s 3D! Mary and Elizabeth in the Mary ChapelThe tomb of St. John Nepomuk The St. Wenceslaus Chapel, which contains relics of the saint Stained glass in the Chapel of Saint Ludmila – aren’t the colors gorgeous?Back outside – breathtaking!Detail of the archesNow, on to the castle!The ceiling of the main hallThe crown of King Wenceslaus IVLots of armor…and weaponsI wonder if those ear curlicues spin on a windy day?Shields!A token from Mi’ladyWhat castle is complete without a torture chamber?Now the moment we’ve been waiting for – the Window of Defenestration!Jim tried to see how far down the drop was, but he couldn’t get a clear shot of the groundYou’ll just have to imagine it!Outside the castle is Golden Lane, a row of little dwellings where the folks who worked at the castle lived…in really snug quartersOur walk home included a stop at the Czech Senate – a lovely place to stroll …and a walk over the bridge. Do you think those guys are dressed as bananas or pencils?We sampled Czech food today – I had the beef goulash with bread dumplings (which turned out to just be bread) and Jim had a pork cutlet covered in cheese.A lovely day!
Taking Our Time 