Prague

The final city on my short trip to the European mainland was Prague. Unlike Berlin and Dresden which were devastated or at least stunned by conflict, Prague has retained its historic charm with massive cathedral squares and its hill top castle. The Vltava River runs directly through the center of the town dividing the older section of the city, along the west with the castle and fortification system, from the newer section, which still has numerous old cathedrals and attractive facades.

I had a beautiful day to explore both banks of the river. The Charles Bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans the river and is lined on each side with elements of religious sculpture (seen below). 

There is also a monument of contemporary architecture designed by Frank Gehry. This name may sound familiar to most readers of this blog due to the fame he's amassed from numerous flamboyant projects all over the world including the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis, Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago, Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, and 8 Spruce Street in NY. This most recent piece* is called "Dancing House" due to the contorted cylindrical forms and wavy window patterns. It has become a tourist attraction in the town and is actually located on the standard tourist maps of Prague.

*I call this a "piece" rather than a building because I find the structures he's designed to be largely sculptural in form with little concern for the surrounding context. Rumors have swirled since some of his early projects that he finds inspiration through crumpled paper and there have also been serious issues with the functionality of his buildings. On the other hand, his projects have proven that iconic pieces of contemporary architecture have the power to generate major income for an area, which has become a movement known as the "Gehry Effect"