Our Bohemian adventure : Prague : Part 1 - Old Town

In early December we ventured to Prague, capital of Czech Republic - and former capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia. We spent five days exploring this wonderful city.

The Old Town Square dates from the 12th century and started life as the central marketplace for Prague. Over the centuries buildings of Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic styles were erected around the market

The Old Town Hall Tower was built in 1338. In 1364 the Old Town Hall Tower was joined to a private house adjoining it, which in turn was knocked into other houses beside that. This amalgamation of buildings became known as the 'Old Town Hall'. Extensive renovation in 1470 further integrated the various houses of the Old Town Hall. And all the buildings were remodelled in the Gothic style

The Astronomical Clock, built in to one side of the Old Town Hall Tower, dates from the 15th century

On the hour, every hour, a small trap door opens and Christ marches out ahead of his disciples in the procession of the Twelve Apostles

We then headed towards the famous Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge (Karlův most) is a 14th century stone bridge linking the two sides of Prague. This is the main pedestrian route connecting the Old Town with the Lesser Town and Prague Castle

King Charles IV commissioned the bridge. The foundation stone was laid in 1357. Charles IV's favourite architect and builder, Peter Parler, oversaw the majority of the work. The initial idea was to build a functional construction for knight tournaments, and for many years the only decoration on the bridge was a simple crucifix. Later, the Catholic desire for ornamentation resulted in 30 statues being erected between 1600 and 1800

There are now 75 statues on Charles Bridge, but most are copies, as floods and catastrophes over the centuries damaged the originals. Perhaps the most interesting, as well as the oldest, is that of John of Nepomuk (8th from the right as you cross towards Prague Castle).

The first statue to be erected on the Charles Bridge is made of bronze. This is the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of Bohemia. According to legend John of Nepomuk refused to reveal the confessions of the wife of King Wenceslas IV, and was thrown off the side of the bridge to his death. On that same night, five stars appeared in the sky above the place of his death, which is why there is always a five-starred halo above any statue of St. John of Nepomuk.

There are a number of superstitions about some of the statues on the bridge. Our tour guide told us about the rubbing of the brass as a way to a make wish come true or to ensure a return to Prague. Even though the statues were replaced with replicas in the 1960s, the traditions continue

Some super views of the River Vltava from Charles Bridge

A week in Istanbul - Part 4: Ortaköy, Beşiktaş, and the Bosphorus

One day we caught a bus to Bebek - on the Bosphorus just along the coast from Ortaköy. This was where the rich and famous lived or visited - we had never seen so many Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, and Mercedes cars in one place at the same time. We walked along the Bosphorus promenade back to Ortaköy. Here are some of the views of the Bosphorus 

The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus was completed in 1988. It is named after the 15th century Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, who conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453 from the Byzantine Empire

Views across the Bosphorus from Ulus Park in Ortaköy

For more views of the Bosphorus see Bosphorus

The Ortaköy Mosque - very impressive by night

It was originally built in the 18th century. Later, in the 19th century, the current mosque, ordered by Sultan Abdülmecid I and designed by architects (father and son) Garabet Amira Balyan and Nigoğayos Balyan in Neo-Baroque style, was built between 1854 and 1856

For more photos of Ortaköy see Ortaköy

Close to our apartment in Beşiktaş, we came across these gardens in the Ihlamur Valley

The Ihlamur Pavilion is a spectacular structure in Beşiktas. It was a popular picnic place in the early 18th century, when the vineyards here belonged to Haci Hüseyin Aga, superintendent of the Naval Arsenal 

Although this attractive spot became an imperial estate during the reign of Ahmed III (1703-1730), it continued to be known by this name until the mid-19th century. Abdülhamid I (1774-1789) and his son Selim III (1789-1807) frequently visited this park

For more photos of Ihlamur and some details of Beşiktaş see Beşiktaş

We had a super week - we will return - there is still so much more to see

A week in Istanbul - Part 3: The Princes' Islands

We took a ferry from Kabataş to The Princes' Islands - or the Adalar - they are an archipelago off the coast of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara

During the summer months the Princes’ Islands are popular destinations for day trips from Istanbul. 

They consist of four larger islands, Büyükada ("Big Island"), Heybeliada ("Saddlebag Island"), Burgazada ("Fortress Island"), Kınalıada ("Henna Island"), and five much smaller ones, Sedef Adası ("Mother-of-Pearl Island"), Yassıada ("Flat Island"), Sivriada ("Sharp Island"), Kaşık Adası ("Spoon Island"), and Tavşan Adası ("Rabbit Island").

Our ferry called at the four larger islands

We saw some jelly fish

During the Byzantine period, princes and other royalty were exiled on the islands, and later members of the Ottoman sultans family were exiled there too, giving the islands their present name. They were taken by the Ottoman fleet during the siege of Constantinople in 1453

During the nineteenth century, the islands became a popular resort for Istanbul's wealthy, and Victorian-era cottages and houses are still preserved on the largest of the Princes' Islands

Our destination was Büyükada. As on the other islands, motorised vehicles – except service vehicles – are forbidden, so visitors explore the island by foot;  

by riding a bicycle (which we chose);

or in horse-drawn phaeton carriages which function like taxi cabs, also offering "round-the-island" sightseeing tours

The views were enchanting

There are several historical buildings on Büyükada, such as the Ayia Yorgi Church and Monastery dating back to the sixth century, the Ayios Dimitrios Church, and the Hamidiye Mosque built by Abdul Hamid II

For more details of The Princes' Islands see Princes' Islands