The places that we will be visiting today are in what was once the nation of Czechoslovakia.
Prague, located on the Vltava River, could be referred to as the historical capital of central Europe. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia, of Czechoslovakia and now, of the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is sometimes referred to as Czechia. Libuse was the legendary queen that predicted the greatness of a future city there. Prague was also an important city of the Holy Roman Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which existed from 1867 to 1918.Although the area remained majority Catholic, Prague was a very important city in the development of the Reformation.
When the Industrial Revolution came along, Prague was in one of the few areas that had both coal and iron ore which was necessary to get started.
When the Austro-Hungarian Empire was split up, after the end of the First World War, Austria and Hungary became separate countries. The remaining lands in the south, including Serbia, were grouped together into the new country of Yugoslavia. The remaining lands in the north were grouped together into the new country of Czechoslovakia, of which Prague was to be the capital.
Neither new country would last forever. Both came apart in the 1990s. But where Yugoslavia, the lands in the south, came apart very violently, Czechoslovakia, the lands in the north, separated into the Czechs and the Slovaks amicably and peacefully. The end of Czechoslovakia was so peaceful that it was referred to as "The Velvet Divorce".
Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic and Bratislava the capital of Slovakia.
When dealing with Eastern Europe, be sure not to confuse Slovakia, Slovenia and, Slavonia. Slovakia is an independent country, the eastern part of the former Czechoslovakia. Slovenia is also an independent country, the northernmost former republic of Yugoslavia. Slavonia is the eastern part of Croatia, which was also a former republic of Yugoslavia.
Did you know that the nation of Czechoslovakia was formed in Pittsburgh? That is where the final agreement was signed, after the end of the First World War, in, of all places, a Moose Lodge. I don't think the Freemasons have ever had a country formed in one of their lodges.
The logical place to begin a visit to Prague is in Prague Castle. The following scenes begin in St. Vitus Cathedral, which is the cathedral within the castle. This cathedral was begun in the Eleventh Century, on the site of earlier churches. Tombs of many Holy Roman Emperors as well as the Bohemian Crown Jewels, which are displayed periodically, are in this cathedral. Since Prague Castle is on high ground, this cathedral is prominent in the city's skyline.
The orange roofs in the old part of Prague really stand out. The contrast of the orange against the green of the trees around the city is striking. This is what an old European city should look like.
The following five images of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral are from Google Earth and Street View.
There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow, ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >, After clicking the up arrow, you can then hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.
Prague Castle is in the northern part of the city. There is another fort, with it's own basilica, in the southern part of the old city, and Prague grew up between the two. This fort is Vysehrad and within it is the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul. The complex is from about the same time frame as Prague Castle.
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.0645705,14.4188687,3a,75y,273.09h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sT7vMMsuL6guhr_JfIuce7Q!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DT7vMMsuL6guhr_JfIuce7Q%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D274.80045%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
In the Old Town of Prague, the following scenes begin in Old Town Square. There is a medieval astronomical clock in the square. The statue in the square is a memorial to Jan Hus (pronounced Yan-Hoos). Remember how important Prague was to the Reformation. Jan Hus is considered as a proto-Protestant who was martyred for criticizing corruption in the church. Far from silencing the criticism, his martyrdom only inspired others who would become the first Protestants. That is why Prague was so important to the Reformation.
This scene of Old Town Square in Prague is from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.0877958,14.4215339,3a,75y,28.12h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNREvk-FeH6a4Ygbf_Mg18zM91fp3Y6vglStKkD!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNREvk-FeH6a4Ygbf_Mg18zM91fp3Y6vglStKkD%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya228.92575-ro0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120
Just as Prague has an Old Town, it also has a New Town. The New Town isn't really new, it's just new compared with the Old Town. The so-called "New Town" of Prague was actually begun in 1348. One of the world's fewest old and venerable universities is Charles University, in the New Town. The best-known place in the New Town is Wenceslas Square, named for a duke of Bohemia. My understanding is that the western part of what is now the Czech Republic is Bohemia, and the eastern part is Moravia.
Wenceslas Square is actually a wide boulevard. We all became familiar with Wenceslas Square who watched the end of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989. The following scenes of the New Town begin in Wenceslas Square. The first scene is from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.0810421,14.4281008,3a,75y,288.4h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOKccv8p2vATEOVWeyDssd75s1dlRme2sIOgD6Q!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOKccv8p2vATEOVWeyDssd75s1dlRme2sIOgD6Q%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya353.40588-ro-0-fo100!7i8192!8i4096
Another historic place of Prague, actually outside the city to the southwest, is Karlstejn Castle. This was built in the Fourteenth Century, around the same time as Prague Castle and Vysehrad. The first scene is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.9395907,14.1877945,3a,75y,111.2h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNoU55VxYfs_-4LZseYxeO4qaOPtxHsd-SNc30!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNoU55VxYfs_-4LZseYxeO4qaOPtxHsd-SNc30%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi0-ya327.60553-ro-0-fo100!7i5660!8i2830?entry=ttu
Bohemia, the western part of what is now the Czech Republic, was centered on Prague. Moravia, the eastern part, was centered on the city of Brno. Outside of Brno is Veveri Castle, which was begun in the Eleventh Century.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2566184,16.4612734,3a,75y,116.11h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNKjj3ArmAs4qUzynDSvPxFEVlicFJiECPS0MUh!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNKjj3ArmAs4qUzynDSvPxFEVlicFJiECPS0MUh%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya83.90533-ro-0-fo100!7i8000!8i4000
The following scenes begin in the central square of Brno. The Cathedral is of Saints Peter and Paul. Brno is just as much a colorful old European city as Prague. The first scene is from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.1919537,16.6085951,3a,75y,32.44h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1srLdq4KMB-PWGWQTyInJrTw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DrLdq4KMB-PWGWQTyInJrTw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D22.55661%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Also in Brno is the Thirteenth-Century Spilberk Castle. First scene from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.1946817,16.5991447,2a,75y,105.5h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s7ns2WCEOHpVX2FhzvAQxow!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D7ns2WCEOHpVX2FhzvAQxow%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D112.99135%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Bratislava is now the capital city of Slovakia, the eastern part of the former Czechoslovakia. The city is on the Danube River and the borders with Austria and Hungary, and is not far from Vienna. The following views of Bratislava begin in the main square of the Old Town. St. Martin's Cathedral used to be the coronation church, where monarchs were crowned, of the Kingdom of Hungary. At the top of the steeple is a gold-plated replica of Hungary's famous crown. The first scene of the square is from Google Earth.
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.1436155,17.1083129,3a,75y,262.19h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOVb3uyHOrfmf6rtIeKVwUZRosA8dkFrdnWaets!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOVb3uyHOrfmf6rtIeKVwUZRosA8dkFrdnWaets%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi0-ya51.382233-ro-0-fo100!7i7680!8i3840
This is more of the Old Town of Bratislava, starting in Bratislava Castle which was begun in the Thirteenth Century. This castle was also essential to medieval Hungary. While the Ottomans were invading eastern Europe, the Holy Crown of Hungary was kept in the castle for over 200 years. In no monarchy was the crown itself as important as it was in Hungary. It was actually the crown that ruled, not the king. The first scene of Bratislava Castle is from Google Earth.
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