A Disney-goes-goth city that is romantic, eerie and enchanting. Prague, the city of Kafka, Mucha, Einstein and Mozart is as visceral as it is cerebral.
Walking around the opulent streets of Prague, every corner and alleyway dripping with neo-classical imperialism, you can't help but feel you're in another land. A fairy tale full of princes and dragon fire. The grand statues, regal colours and extravagant architecture came together to create a chocolate box city.
Every inch of the city centre felt like you were on the set of a film noir movie, an expressionist horror movie or gothic period drama. It was enchanting and atmospheric in equal measure.
Until you get to Wensasassles Square. It's a stomping ground for stag parties and had Prague's only Irish pub, naturally. Is there a town or city anywhere in the world without one? The gauntlet has been thrown. Despite the hoards of drunk, rowdy tourists (mainly British), there are pockets of cuteness with disused trams converted into cafes and grand buildings bookending the Square.
We went in November and the cold was bitter, which made going around all the Christmas markets that existed in every possible square all that more... Christmassy. Everything tree was light up with thousands of fairy lights, the sound of jingling bells rang out of every stall and the smell of roasting chestnuts filled the air.
The biting cold distracting from the majesty of the castle. It overlooked the city, the ornate bridge and the Vltava river. Its golden street of doctors' houses lined a steep hill up to the garden and I was half expecting Maleficent to pop up or any other Disney baddie.
The Jewish quarter was particularly spooky yet beautiful, like that mystery man that always seems to appear. The Jewish cemetery looked like punched out teeth that had been quickly and roughly put back into the mouth. The stories of the Golem seemed to add to the spooky atmosphere, all it needed was mist creeping through the streets and you could've been in a horror film.
The transmission tower with giant babies crawling up the side humanised the brutalist, communist architecture. It stuck out like a sore thumb against all the traditional, imperial character of the city, but at the same time, it was a breath of fresh air.
Prague is a Lord of the manor's vision of a city. It looks like an 18th Century ego trip. And it was easy to see where Kafka got his inspiration from.
First published November 2006
