Czechoslovak communists tortured Czech priest Josef Toufar in 1949 for a miracle which may or may not have happened. This article describes the story and the tragic ending of Father Toufar’s life.
Tag: Prague
Prague – the capital for many civilisations, empires and kingdoms. The city has grown and expanded over the years. This explains why you can find architecture spanning centuries standing cheek by jowl.
It’s location was fortuitous for many from the Slavic tribes to the Bohemians; from the Holy Roman Empire to the Germanic-speaking city states.
More than that, in World War II the Allied forces didn’t have aircraft which could reach the city. Their bombing missions concentrated on Nazi-occupied Belgium, France, Netherlands and, of course, Germany. It’s because of this that Prague’s architecture is still in place, unlike other cities where buildings had to be re-built or lost entirely.
Use the map of Prague below to read my articles about a specific district of this bohemian city.
All Prague articles
If you ask many people in Prague about ‘Invalidovna’ they’d be more likely to direct you to the metro stop of that name. Few know of the magnificent Baroque building which is the real Invalidovna.
Prague’s early chapels and churches seem to all have been rotundas. At least, that’s all we seem to have left. Close to the Vltava river,Read More
During World War II, Prague wasn’t as affected by bombing as many other European cities were. This was because planes didn’t have the range to reach Prague, and also because the Allies had more important targets in mind. This article describes the few Allied bombings of Prague, which happened towards the end of the war.
I’m fascinated by the rotundas in Prague. This city has more of them than I’d ever seen in my life. St Martin’s rotunda sits inside the Vyšehrad castle complex and its history is as varied and complex as any other.
Prague has continued to expand in the same way many other cities have grown over the centuries. We may never know what they used the land for before becoming part of the city. Sometimes, there are a few tantalising remnants which tell a fragment of a story. This article is about the lone mysterious Prague menhir – the Petrified Servant.
One of the more curious sights on Prague’s Charles Bridge is that of Hebrew script on a Roman Catholic crucifix. The crucifix is a religious symbol that points to the break between the Jewish faith and Christianity so the story behind this is intriguing indeed.
Rotundas used to be common in Central Europe. Prague was no exception and it is a shame so many have disappeared. This article explains how archaeologists re-discovered St Wenceslas’ rotunda which stood in the Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí).
If there is one constant in life, it’s that things never remain the same. Like all neighbourhoods, the one I live in, Holešovice, changes too. This article is a photographic ode to place I currently call home.
Before living in Prague I thought I knew about the Sudetenland and how Hitler annexed it before World War II. There’s a lot I’ve learnt about the nuances of history in the region/s that carry this name. This article is my attempt at straightening out the facts from the commonly-held myths.