Sunday, March 27, 2005

Vysehrad - the first seat of Czech Royalty

On Easter Saturday we visited the Vysehrad surrounds, exiting from Vysehrad metro walking west until we hit the entrance to the fortress, the Tabor Gates(C17th).Past this gate are the ruins of the Gothic Gate 'Spicka'(C14th), then the very regal Leopold Gate(C17th).
Leopold Gate

Through the gates you come to the Romanesque chapel, Rotunda of St Martin, which is said to be the oldest building in Prague(C11th). N discovered that the door handle into the rotunda is shaped like a chook with outstretched neck.
St Martin's Rotunda

From there we turned left down the very pretty K Rotunde street.
K Rotunde to Sobeslavova Street, with the churches twin spires in the distance.

The fortified walls run along what is a steep drop down to the Vltava river. From this vantage point we could see all the way to St Vitus Cathedral in the North and the mountains in the South.
Vltava River with 'Libuse's Bath'Gothic ruins(defense bastion of the medieval castle)

South down the Vltava

The Church of St Peter and St Paul was founded late C11th, but burnt down and then replaced C13th, then rebuilt into Neo-Gothic style in 1885, with its twin spires being added in 1902. Frescoes adorn every wall and the ceiling of the church, with larger than life sized angels in relaxed pose holding the archway pinnacles effortlessly with the tips of their fingers, while their pure white, feathered wings float behind them.
St Peter and Paul Church


Doorway into Church

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