The Longest Day in the History of Days

Didn't I tell you me and Katie went back to Prague Castle?  I bet you didn't believe me.  Not only did we go to Prague Castle this day, we also crossed the Charles Bridge (which I for some reason had not done yet), stopped by Žižkov Tower to see the babies, and went to Indie Night at the Globe to get our ex-pat on.  It was pretty amazing and incredibly tiring.

St. Vitus' Cathedral

Again, from the visitor's entrance side

Cool stained glass reflection

This actually isn't medieval glass.  All the original windows have been destroyed.  All of these windows were remade in the 20th century; Simon North referred to them as "a bit jazzy."

All the way up from the arcade level to the triforium to the clerestory windows.

A wonky picture of the rose window

RIBBED VAULTING!

Actually, it's net vaulting, but that's just a technicality.

Stained glass by Mucha

This cathedral is not short.

One of the 12 radiating chapels around the back of the altar

Tomb of (guess who!) John of Nepomuk.  If you recall, he's the saint who turned out to not be so saintly.  I guess they figured they'd done all of this work about him so they couldn't just take it down.

Nepomuk

During the campaign to get him sainted, some people went and unearthed John's body.  When they did, they discovered that the tissue of his tongue was still living after he'd died hundreds of years earlier!  So, tongue imagery is very important in connection with him.  You can't really tell in this picture, but the cherub is holding up a shield with a pink tongue surrounded by the radiating light of god.  Awesome.

Really big organ

A separate room in the cathedral whose name I can't remember

Did I mention that the cathedral is really tall?

One last look at the inside

That little person is me.

The Golden Gate

Gargoyles!

In Malá Strana heading toward the Charles Bridge

The start of the bridge.  You would be correct in assuming this architecture is gothic.

Tourists on the bridge

Every student at NYU in Prague has taken this picture.

Looking back to the entrance

Katie being very patient while I take pictures

Next to the bridge

Old Town at sunset

St. John of Nepomuk!  I love everything about this guy.  Especially the fact that this statue is placed (presumably) at the precise location where he was thrown off the bridge.  Prague rules.

Looking back toward Prague Castle

Žižkov Tower.  It was built by the Communists as their communications tower, but all of the Czechs thought it was a nuclear weapon or something.

And David Černý added babies to it because he's cool like that.

Me an the tower

Babies!

Indie night at the Globe.  An American girl and a British guy and an acoustic guitar were set up in the corner and I felt like I was home.

The beer was necessary to enjoying the experience.

The Globe has the best art in the history of the world.