Showcase April: collection of night photos from Prague

Hey guys,

this is my contribution to the Showcase April Initiative the purpose of which is to share the best posts you have ever created on Steem.

This one is dedicated to the beauty of Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, in the night.

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Lesser Town Bridge Towers

I will start out this collection by one of my favorite shots from Prague. To me, there is something magical and even fairytale-like about the Lesser Town Bridge Towers.

Located on the Mostecka Street, these magnificent medieval towers serve as the gateway to the famous Charles Bridge from the Lesser Town, one of the central parts of the city. Also known as the Judita Tower, the shorter of the two towers was built as early as in the second half of 12th century. The taller tower is a bit younger, its origins date back to the beginning of the 15th century.

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National Museum

Founded in 1818, the National Museum in Prague is one of the oldest and most important museums in the country as well as in all Central Europe.

The main building is located in the upper part of the famous Wenceslas Square in the very center of the city, just above the iconic giant statue of St. Wenceslas on a horse (you can see the statue in the upper right corner of the photo). The museum currently houses almost 14 million items from a variety of different areas including art, history, nature, literature, folklore etc.

One of the most popular and photographed tourist attractions of Prague, the museum had long been under an extensive reconstruction with its main building having been covered with large scaffolding for years but the renovation works finally finished last year so everyone can now enjoy this architectural gem of Prague in its full beauty and glamour again.

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Petrin Hill

Situated in the center of the city, the Petrin Hill is a 327 m (1,073 ft) tall hill that is dominated by the renowned Petrin Lookout Tower. In the lower part of the hill, there is a large statue of Karel Hynek Macha, one of the most important and popular Czech romantic authors, which is also why the Petrin Hill is often considered the most romantic place in Prague where in-love couples tend to come and hang around.

The Petrin Lookout Tower (you can see a silhouette of it on the right) is a massive steel tower that was built on the top of the hill in 1891. Strikingly resembling the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Petrin Lookout Tower originally served as a transmission and observatory tower but these days, it mostly is a popular tourist attraction.

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National Theater

With its cornerstone laid as early as in 1868, the National Theater in Prague is one of the oldest theaters in Europe. It was opened on June 11, 1881 with Bedrich Smetana´s famous opera Libuse but just two months (and 11 performances) later, the theater caught on fire and was badly damaged.

The incident was perceived as a national catastrophe by the Czech people who organized a collection to rebuild the theater. There was a massive response and wave of national enthusiasm from the Czech nation and the theater was reconstructed in just two years. It was reopened in November 1883 and it has been considered one of the most important symbols of Czech history and art ever since.

The building of the theater is also one the most iconic architectural landmarks of Prague. The second photo of the theater was taken from the Legion Bridge.

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Vysehrad Railway Bridge

Prague can boast numerous beautiful bridges spanning the Vltava River including the Vysehrad Railway Bridge. Although this bridge is much younger than some of the most famous Prague bridges and it actually doesn´t even have an official name (the name Vysehrad Railway Bridge is just colloquial), this monumental steel bridge connecting the city neighborhoods of Vyton and Smichov is actually very popular too, especially with the locals who love to enjoy the scenic views of the river from the central part of the bridge.

The Vysehrad Railway Bridge was built between 1871 and 1872 but it underwent a major reconstruction in 1901. Unfortunately, the remaining life span of the bridge is estimated to be just some 25 years so Prague might lose this interesting piece of architecture within a few decades.

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Prague Castle

Built more than a millennium ago, as early as in the 9th century, the Prague Castle is the most famous, visited and photographed tourist attraction of the city as well as the entire country.

With a total area of almost 70,000 sq m (750,000 sq ft), the Prague Castle proudly holds the title of the largest ancient castle in the world. A former seat of ancient kings of Bohemia and even Roman emperors, the castle is now the official seat of the Czech President. Because of its unique location within the city and its enormous size, the Prague Castle can be seen (and photographed) from a number of different spots.

I have quite a lot of photos of this iconic site, including some close ups but as for night shots, I only have distant views. The first one was taken from the Smetana Embankment on the right bank of the Vltava River, the second picture was taken from a garden just below the Petrin Hill.

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Wenceslas Square

Another iconic place of the Czech capital, the Wenceslas Square is a spacious rectangular square found in the New Town part of the city. Occupying a total area of 45,000 sq m (almost 500,000 sq ft), the Wenceslas Square is the second largest square in Prague and in the Czech Republic (after the Charles Square).

Founded by the king Charles IV in the 14th century, the Wenceslas Square has been the venue of numerous public gatherings, demonstrations, celebrations and other important historical events. Dominated by the statue of the St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of the Czech Republic (you can see the statue in the second picture of this photo collection), this square is one of the symbols of the Czech history and it has a special place in many Czechs´ hearts.