SS Patria Disaster A trans-Atlantic liner called the SS Patria sank on 25th November 1940 at the port of Haifa in what was then Palestine. You’re thinking what the hell as this got to do with Prague? Well for me it all started with a photo. In 2015 I was preparing to start my Walking … Read More
The Prague Bomber Bombs going off in Prague would make headlines today but in 2003 a guy called Vladimír Štěpánek was in his own world of anger. It had taken 5 years, a lot of expertise and a brutal showdown to stop him. Breaking Point According to statements by his family, Štěpánek was a fairly … Read More
Book Review – Via the Left Bank of the 90s A fellow Brit called John William Bills recently sent me an eBook entitled “Via the Left Bank of the 90s” I guess to see one, if I liked it and two, would I tell others about it. So it seems as the answer to both … Read More
A Pair of Red Shorts Every now and again there has to be a line drawn and some consequences dished out. This is a true story about an outlandish protest and an equally outlandish but ultimately petty response. This post will help you understand why sometimes you see a pair of red shorts hanging above … Read More
Story of a Photograph I never know where I’ll be drawn next when I’m writing about Prague. This was supposed to be a religious persecution post, but it took a few turns and left me with a big surprise at the end. It started with a picture I took years ago of an empty building … Read More
Prague Old Town Square 1621 Memorial As you wander around the city you’ll pass various memorials to people and events. On the Old Town Square you’ll find the 1621 memorial. Actually you are more likely to walk over it first. It might look old but in reality it only goes back to renovation work done … Read More
Thirty Years War Before you read this post take a few minutes to read about the Prague Defenestrations and specifically the third one. This sets the political tone. You might think that this is just history but in fact it has a direct impact on your tourism today. Look in your guidebook and it will … Read More
Prague Defenestrations Defenestration comes from the German word for window i.e. Fenster. the act of throwing someone or something out of a window. expulsion, riddance, ejection, exclusion – the act of forcing out someone or something; Oxford English Dictionary The First and Second Prague Defenestrations As far as throwing people out of windows goes then … Read More
Prague Coat of Arms There’s always history in a coat of arms and it’s often changed through the years but normally it’s a family coat of arms. In this case I’ll walk you through the origins of the Prague Coat of Arms, how things have changed over the years and why we’ve settled on the … Read More
Langweils Model – A Lesser Known Treasure NOTE: That the City Museum, location of Langweils Model is closed for renovation until the autumn of 2024. Take a close look at this picture below. At first glance it looks like a view of Prague from Petrin Park. And you would be right in thinking that except … Read More