From a Terrace in Prague

Lieut.-Col. B. Granville Baker

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of From a Terrace in Prague, by Lieut.-Col. B. Granville BakerThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.orgTitle: From a Terrace in PragueAuthor: Lieut.-Col. B. Granville BakerRelease Date: September 27, 2007 [EBook #22776]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM A TERRACE IN PRAGUE ***Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Janet Blenkinship and theOnline Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.netTHE CITY OF PRAGUEFROM A TERRACEIN PRAGUEBYLIEUT.-COL. B. GRANVILLE BAKER, D.S.O., F.R.G.S.WITH 36 ILLUSTRATIONS AND ONE MAPNEW YORKBRENTANO'SPUBLISHERS(All rights reserved)Printed in Great Britain byUNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, LONDON AND WOKINGTHIS BOOKIS DEDICATED TOA WISE AND GENTLE LADY WHOLOOKS OUT UPON LIFEFROM A TERRACEPREFACEThere are many excuses for the writing of books, and sometimes there may even be sufficient reason. I offer no excuses,but will give what reasons I have for committing to paper these my reflections or meditations inspired by the sight of a fineold capital city as seen from a Terrace in Prague.The first reason I wish to give may be altruistic, namely, that finding so many of my race quite ignorant of Prague and allthat city stands for right down the ...

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• Publié par: zawyor
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 19
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of From a Terrace in
Prague, by
Lieut.-Col. B. Granville Baker
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no
cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg
License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: From a Terrace in Prague
Author: Lieut.-Col. B. Granville Baker
Release Date: September 27, 2007 [EBook #22776]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK
FROM A TERRACE IN PRAGUE ***
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Janet Blenkinship and
the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.nethttp://www.pgdp.net
THE CITY OF PRAGUE
FROM A TERRACE
IN PRAGUE
BY
Lieut.-Col. B. GRANVILLE
BAKER, D.S.O., F.R.G.S.
WITH 36 ILLUSTRATIONS AND ONE MAP
NEW YORK
BRENTANO'S
PUBLISHERS
(All rights reserved)
Printed in Great Britain by
UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM
PRESS, LONDON AND WOKINGTHIS BOOK
IS DEDICATED TO
A WISE AND GENTLE LADY WHO
LOOKS OUT UPON LIFE
FROM A TERRACE
PREFACE
There are many excuses for the writing of books, and
sometimes there may even be sufficient reason. I
offer no excuses, but will give what reasons I have for
committing to paper these my reflections or
meditations inspired by the sight of a fine old capital
city as seen from a Terrace in Prague.
The first reason I wish to give may be altruistic,
namely, that finding so many of my race quite ignorant
of Prague and all that city stands for right down the
ages, I feel compelled to add my mite to what has
already been written about the subject.
My second reason, a strong one with me, arises out of
my inability to enjoy things of beauty and interest
without letting my friends know about them. This may
be a weak and selfish reason, but there it is.
The third reason rests on my intense desire that youshould come out here, to Prague, even to the terrace
of my choice, and look at the scene through my eyes
while I would endeavour to see it through yours. This, I
admit, is undiluted selfishness on my part.
While awaiting you, I am preparing, by means of this
work, to introduce you to a goodly throng of those who
know or knew this city and loved it well. Perhaps they
may admit me to their round table as the last to arrive,
and the least. In any case, I owe them a debt of
gratitude for their help in becoming acquainted with
Prague and the deeper meaning of this glorious city.
There are many such kindly helpers: there was
Cosmas Pragensis the chronicler, Palacky the
historian, there was Count Lützow, whose works on
Prague, as on his native country, are inspired by
intense love of them, and illumined by transparent
honesty. There are others still among us and doing
useful work. A walk with Dr. Jeřabek in the gardens of
Waldstein's palace, a talk with Professor Škola, and
many other good friends of mine in Prague, have
made a pleasure of this work I have undertaken. Out
of sheer joy in the things I have seen and heard, and
the kindly spirit that informed those who helped me,
have I written and illustrated this book From a Terrace
in Prague.
CONTENTS
P
A

GE
PREFACE 7
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCES PRAGUE 14
CHAPTER II
ABOUT GUIDES AND GUIDE BOOKS
32
AND THE WEATHER OF PRAGUE
CHAPTER III
VYŠEHRAD, LIBUŠA AND PŘEMYSL,
AND OTHER EARLY NOTABLES OF
PRAGUE, AMONG THEM ST. WENCE
50
SLAUS
CHAPTER IV
MORE ABOUT ST. WENCESLAUS AN
70
D HIS IMMEDIATE SUCCESSORS
CHAPTER V
GOOD AND BAD RULERS OF BOHEM
IA UP TO A CONTEMPORARY OF FR
EDERICK
BARBAROSSA. STRAHOV MONASTE
88
RY
CHAPTER VI
FIVE KINGS OF THE HOUSE OF PŘE
MYSL, INTRODUCES THE FIRST HAB
SBURG
10
TO VISIT BOHEMIA
6
CHAPTER VII
13
BLIND KING JOHN OF BOHEMIA
0
CHAPTER VIIICHARLES IV KING OF BOHEMIA, OF
THE GERMANS, AND ROMAN EMPER
OR.
ŽIŠKA AND HIS HUSSITES. ABOUT S 14
OME CHURCHES IN PRAGUE 8
CHAPTER IX
CHARLES AND HIS BRIDGE. HIS SON
WENCESLAUS. JOHN NEPOMUK
16
AND JOHN HUS
6
CHAPTER X
A HOUSING PROBLEM. ANCIENT AN 19
D MODERN PRAGUE 2
CHAPTER XI
SIGISMUND AND OTHER HABSBURG
S. GEORGE PODIEBRAD, ALSO THE
21
"WINTER KING"
6
CHAPTER XII
JESUITS AND THEIR WORK. SOME H
ISTORIC FIGURES AND SOME BRITO
NS
23
WHO CAME TO PRAGUE. EPILOGUE
4
25
INDEX
7
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FULL-PAGE COLOUREDPAG

E
Fronti
THE CITY OF PRAGUE spiec
e
THE "CHARLES BRIDGE" A
60
ND "HRADŠANY"
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. V
154
ITUS
THE "POWDER TOWER" 220
LINE DRAWINGS
INITIAL LETTER (ARMS OF
15
CZECHO-SLOVAKIA)
MAP 17
INITIAL LETTER (A TOWE
33
R OF KARLOV TYN)
INITIAL LETTER (A SENTR
51
Y)
THE HRADŠANY FROM TH
E FÜRSTENBURG GARDE 61
N
INITIAL LETTER (VYŠEHR
71
AD)
OLD BOLESLAV 81
INITIAL LETTER (QUEEN J
89
UDITH'S BRIDGE-HEAD)
ST. MARTIN'S, VYŠEHRAD 95
STRAHOV MONASTERY 102
INITIAL LETTER 107
A RELIC OF THE GHETTO 115
A TOWER OF THE HRADŠ
123123
ANY
INITIAL LETTER 131
INITIAL LETTER (KARLOV) 149
ST. STEPHEN'S 160
INITIAL LETTER 167
VENICE IN PRAGUE 169
TOWER OF NEW TOWN H
174
ALL
RIVER SCENE 188
"BE THOU LIKE A PROMO
189
NTORY"
RIVER SCENE 190
INITIAL LETTER 193
ON THE WHITE MOUNTAI
200
N
THE CHAPEL OF THE TO
201
WN HALL
THE TOWERS OF OUR LA
205
DY OF TYN
A CORNER OF THE OLD T
207
OWN
INITIAL LETTER 217
THE HRADŠANY FROM TH
225
E NEBOZÍZEK GARDEN
INITIAL LETTER 235
A CORNER OF KŘIVOKLA
250
T CASTLE
TABOR, BY THE WATERS
252
OF JORDANCHAPTER I
Refers in a general way to several great and historic
cities of this earth. Indicates the routes by which
Prague may be reached by the traveller from the
West, tells a wayside story or two and mentions
several very great people, also others of a less
degree. Digresses seriously from the purpose of the
whole book by raking up the author's personal
recollections of people that lived and events that
happened right away back in the last century, and far
away in the East.
The author then formally introduces a friend, the
ancient and venerable City of Prague.
HE Psalmist once declared in a burst of enthusiasm,
no doubt justified, that "Jerusalem is a city that is at
unity in itself." This remark applies with equal right to
other great historic cities, as who can deny it that has
stood in the "Place de l'Opéra" and felt that Paris is
indeed at unity in itself?... Or who that has looked
upon Constantinople rising out of the pearly depths of
the Sea of Marmora will fail to realize that the city of
Constantine, despite its many vicissitudes, was indeed
a united whole fulfilling its sometime tragic destiny in
the history of mankind?
Lisbon, mirrored in the broad waters of the Tagus, is
another such city, and so, in yet more marked degree,
is Prague. The Psalmist, in poetic exuberance, may
appear to have overstated the case, allowance must
be made for him, but in the main he was right. The city
of Zion had grown up at the feet of the temple of