Prague - "amazing sculptures". Top quirky and unusual sculptures in Prague Monument to a boy in Prague
Author - valniko77. This is a quote from this post
The main attractions in Prague - what to see?The main attractions in Prague - what to see?
Prague is comfortably located on banks of the Vltava river, which divides the city into two parts. The city's territory is divided into 15 administrative districts, the most interesting of which are the central "Prague 1" and "Prague 2". There are more than 10 bridges across the river, the most famous of which is
The Charles Bridge
The Charles Bridge- one of the main attractions of the city. The Gothic-style pedestrian bridge is decorated with ancient sculptures; its image is one of the symbols of Prague.
The most soulful attraction of Prague, 520 meters long - The Charles Bridge
It connects the two banks of the Vltava River and leads from the Old Town to Mala Strana. For several centuries this bridge served as the only communication. At the beginning of the last century, a tram service was launched across the Charles Bridge for some time, but due to the heavy load on the structure and the significance of this structure, the tram tracks had to be dismantled. ">
Charles Bridge Guard
Knight of Brunswick. This is the only statue that stands not on the bridge, but behind the fence, on the support of the Charles Bridge; in place of the statue.
One of the legends is associated with the knight Brunswick, who also bears the name of Roland.
One day, as a young man, Roland went on a journey, and everywhere along the way he fought injustice, defended the weak and disadvantaged. In one of the kingdoms, an evil dragon kidnapped the king's daughter and ravaged the kingdom. Fearless Roland fought the dragon and freed the king's daughter. As a reward for this, the king invited the knight Brunswick to take the young princess as his wife. The knight refused, since his beloved girl was waiting for him at home. Roland's refusal angered the king, and he ordered Roland to be thrown into prison. But Knight Roland did not have to languish in prison for long; a magic sword helped him free himself. Subsequently, this sword was placed at the base of the Charles Bridge, and will lie there as long as nothing threatens Prague. And only in the face of serious danger will the sword emerge from the base of the bridge and slay the enemies with its tip.
It was about the knight Roland standing on the Charles Bridge that Marina Tsvetaeva wrote: “I have a friend in Prague, a stone knight, very similar in face to me. He stands on the bridge and guards the river: oaths, rings, waves, bodies. He is about five hundred years old and very young: a stone boy.” She dedicated her poem The Knight of Prague to him:
The Charles Bridge- This is a kind of Broadway in Prague and one of the most famous attractions of the Czech Republic. Hundreds of thousands of tourists daily overcome the treasured 520 meters from one bank of the Vltava to the other. And everyone finds something interesting and unforgettable here. Today only pedestrians walk here: tourists and locals.
White swans on the banks of the Vltava
Once a year, in two places of this Prague landmark, you can and should make wishes that will definitely come true.
Come to the Charles Bridge in Prague, put your hand on the statue, kiss your loved one, dream, be charged with the most positive energy of this fantastic city. It is not for nothing that the great Dalai Lama, during his visit to the Czech Republic in 1990, while walking along the Charles Bridge, called this place the center of the universe. As the great Buddhist spiritual leader said, there is no negative energy on the bridge.
From a height of several meters, native Prague residents and tourists, including you, have been tirelessly watched for several centuries 30 beautiful statues of saints.
Each of them has its own story. The most interesting one is at the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, who was the vicar general of the Prague archbishopric and who, by order of King Wenceslas IV, was thrown from the Charles Bridge. Legend has it that in the very place where he drowned, glows from five stars appeared.
Statue of St. John of Nepomuk on Charles Bridge.
Officially, the church recognized this phenomenon as a miracle and that is why in all sculptures and photographs John of Nepomuk is depicted with five stars above his head.
Old Town Square
She's a beauty Old Town Square, where is the city town hall, where world-famous people have been beating time for several centuries Astronomical clock. Every hour from 9 am to 9 pm, hundreds of people gather to see the most interesting show.
Monument to Jan Hus in Prague
Interesting to know! There is an inscription on the monument to Jan Hus, which, by the way, depicts not him alone, but a whole group of people - his supporters.
It says: “Love people.” This was the life philosophy of the great Czech.
Jan Hus - 14th century Czech philosopher, educator, priest-preacher. He became known for daring to go against centuries-old established church rules, trying to “humanize” the church, making it more fair and loyal to parishioners and honest with them. Jan Hus also made a significant contribution to the development of Czech philology, as he preached exclusively in Czech, promoted his native language in every possible way and carried out spelling reforms. After this, literacy became more accessible to ordinary people.
Church of the Virgin Mary before Tyn (Tyn Cathedral)
New Town Hall
Astronomical clock in Prague or Prague Orloj
Modern experts still cannot understand how in the Middle Ages it was possible to create such a mechanism, which is now called a model of the universe. Recently, the clock celebrated its 600th anniversary; for the holiday, a laser show was created in 3D format, which reflects the most significant historical events of Prague.
Using the astrological dial, you can determine the current time, Central European, Old Bohemian, the position of the stars, sunset and rise of the sun and moon, and even the Sediric zodiac. On the sides are located 4 figures: Vanity looking in the mirror; Greed is a Jew holding a bag of gold; Death with a scythe in the form of a skeleton ringing a bell and a Turk shaking his head. Later, in 1490, a lower calendar dial was added.
St. Vitus Cathedral
Cathedral of St. Vitus located in the center Prague Castle. It is the largest and most significant cathedral in the Czech Republic; its spiritual and national-historical shrine.
St. Vitus Cathedral is the second largest after the Roman Cathedral of Peter and Paul.
Strahov Monastery
Strahov Monastery (Czech: Strahovský klášter) is a monastery in Prague, an architectural monument of the Czech Republic. Located in Hradcany, Prague 1. The monastery is one of the oldest monasteries of the Order of Premonstratensian monks.
It was founded in 1140-1143 by Vladislav II on the initiative of the Olomouc bishop Jindrich Zdik. The name of the monastery has roots from the word “guard”, since it was in this place that the outpost was located, guarding the approaches to Prague Castle.
Philosopher's Hall
Theological Hall
Zlata Street
Miniature houses, where, according to legend, alchemists lived, whom Charles IV gathered from all over the world to search for the philosopher's stone, decorate a tiny street in the labyrinths of Prague Castle and its name is Zlata Ulochka.
Prague Castle
Prague Castle- the residence of the Czech kings, now the president, which is located near the palace. Prague Castle- the largest fortress in the Czech Republic, stretching along the top of the hill on the left bank of the Vltava. This is a major historical, political and cultural center of the country, founded in the 9th century.
The front gate leads inside the Castle from Hradcany Square, where a guard of honor is posted, with which tourists love to take pictures. Every day at noon there is an honorary changing of the guard.
The Teresian Palace is located in the first courtyard of the City from the gate (the “Honorable”). Further, to the second courtyard, they lead
Baroque Matthias Gate.
Here you will find the Chapel of the Holy Cross, two fountains and a well with a Renaissance wrought-iron dome.
In the third courtyard - the oldest part of the Castle - is the famous Cathedral of St. Vitus (Witt). This stunning Gothic structure is considered the “hallmark” of the city, and its oldest part, the Chapel of St. Wenceslas, in which the “Czech national saint” was buried in 932, is a major center of pilgrimage.
Queen Anne's Summer Palace and Royal Gardens
Basilica of St. George
Wenceslas Square
The Czech people love Wenceslas Square like no other street, monument or church in Prague.
If Prague is the capital, then it is, first of all, on Wenceslas Square.
The heart of the New Town is Wenceslas Square, which was the Horse Market until 1848. Vaclavak, as the Czechs call the square, is today the center of city life. Shops, company offices, casinos, hotels, and restaurants are concentrated on it.
On Wenceslas Square there is the National Museum of Prague and the monument to Wenceslas.
National Museum of Prague
Monument to Saint Wenceslas.
The inscription on the pedestal of the monument reads:
“Saint Wenceslas, Duke of the Czech Land, our prince, do not let us or our children perish.”
Image of St. Wenceslas on the wall of the Building
dancing House
dancing House or, as the Czechs themselves call it, the drunken house, is the only building in the historical part of Prague built in the twentieth century.
The Dancing House is a symbolic building depicting a man and woman dancing.
The house is also called "Ginger and Fred" in honor of the duo of the great Hollywood dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
"Ginger and Fred", "drunken house", "glass", "dancing house"- such different and sometimes funny names are given by the residents of Prague to the non-standard building. Today, the Dancing House in Prague is an unusual office building in Prague, where several international companies are located, and on the top floor there is a fashionable French restaurant “Pearl of Prague”. Its windows offer a wonderful view of the city.
Sculpture-fountain “Pissing Men” in Prague
In Prague, near the Herget brick factory, there is an electromechanical statue of two men peeing in a pond whose outline resembles a map of the Czech Republic. Bronze figures do not just pour water, but under computer control “write out” famous quotes from famous residents of Prague. Visitors can also ask the statue to write their own text via SMS.
A statue of two men peeing in a pond whose outline resembles a map of the Czech Republic. Bronze figures do not just pour water, but under computer control “write out” famous quotes from famous residents of Prague. Visitors can also ask the statue to write their text via SMS to the number (+420 724 370 770) indicated next to the unusual fountain. The author of the composition is David Cherny, 2004
Monument to Franz Kafka
John Lennon Wall
in Mala Strana there is a wall dedicated to John Lennon. The wall has an interesting location, because right opposite the wall is the French embassy. Rumor has it that inscriptions on the memorial wall began to appear immediately after the death of the famous John Lennon. They also believe that a true Lennon fan will find the autograph of Lennon himself among the thousands of inscriptions.
The city authorities tried their best to stop the high art of fans, but nothing was done. After each painting, new notes appeared on the wall. After reading the forum of Beatles fans, I found a very interesting quote explaining why the John Lennon Wall in Prague still “lives” - “They say that the French ambassador solved the problem by urgently asking to stop such outrages in order to avoid demonstrations of indignant Prague Beatlemaniacs: )" This wall, like Viktor Tsoi’s wall, is constantly changing, so it’s always interesting to look at the wall.
Petrin Hill
Petřín Hill- a hill worthy of the attention of every tourist. It is located on the left bank of the Vltava River, the highest point reaches 327 meters. The hill has been known since ancient times, because it was here that the pagans worshiped the thunder god Perun. With the construction of the Hunger Wall under Charles IV, the hill acquired strategic importance for the city.
At the top of the hill there is an observation tower that is visually reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Here you can also visit the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, the mirror labyrinth and the Petrin Gardens.
Visegrad
The southern hill of the central part of modern Prague is crowned An ancient fortress, once the residence of Czech kings - Vysehrad.
Within the walls of Vysehrad there are such attractions as the Neo-Gothic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the remains of the oldest Romanesque basilica, and the Romanesque rotunda of St. Martin. Visegrad Cemetery is the burial place of famous Czech figures.
Křižikov Fountains (Singing Fountains)
The most important attraction of the Vystaviste Park complex, the highlight that attracts hundreds and thousands of tourists and residents of Prague, is, of course, Singing fountains (Křižíkova fontána).
Singing Fountains today it is a huge pool with several fountains and a stage for a colorful show in the middle. Water jets, illuminated and shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow to the beat of classical or modern music, change height, pressure, stun and amaze.
Immortal “Swan Lake” by P.I. Tchaikovsky performed by the Czech ballet, famous arias, three thousand fountains that merge with light and music, create an unforgettable mystery, enchant and delight both adults and the youngest spectators. Since 2000, the Singing Fountains have become even more spectacular and impressive thanks to the fact that colorful images are projected onto the water screen.
Prague Zoo
Prague Zoo (Czech: Zoologická zahrada hl. m. Prahy)- the largest zoo in the Czech Republic and one of the largest in Europe, located in the Troy Basin (Troy district) of Prague.
The Czech Republic is home to some of the strangest statues in the world. Not surprising, since Prague is the birthplace of the infamous sculptor David Cerný. His provocative works have gained recognition throughout the world. Besides Czerny's breathtaking masterpieces, the Czech Republic is full of quirky statues that are sure to make you stop and think.
1. Hanging Man, Prague
A man hanging over one of the cobbled streets in Prague's Old Town is a sight to behold for passers-by. They are concerned that the person is going to fall. Don't be afraid, it's just a statue of Sigmund Freud. Like much of David Czerny's work, the sculpture is deliberately provocative and strikingly realistic, especially from a distance. The work was exhibited in different cities, from London to Chicago, but has now returned to Prague, on an old narrow street. As a result, passersby take their eyes off the ancient surroundings and look up to contemplate the future.
2. Babies on the Žižkov TV Tower, Prague
Giant metal babies are crawling around the country's tallest TV tower, the Žižkov TV Tower. Cerny temporarily installed 10 crawling babies in 2000. But they remained here due to their high popularity among tourists. From the ground, the children appear tiny, but in fact they are almost two meters tall. They have very gloomy faces - these are not the faces of people, but of faceless robots. The Tower Children became one of Czerny’s most striking and memorable works of art.
3. “Pissing Men”, Prague
Czerny's sense of humor was most evident in his sculpture of men peeing at the Franz Kafka Museum in Prague. The sculpture consists of two bronze men. Their hips are robotic and move so that words or entire phrases are spelled out with a stream of water. Anyone can send an SMS, which will be written in sculptures.
4. Statue of St. Wenceslas on a dead horse, Prague
Hanging from the ceiling of the Lucerne Palace in Prague, an ancient king sits solemnly on an upside-down, dead horse. The work “Horse” by Czerny is a parody of the famous sculpture of St. Wenceslas - a majestic rider on a proud horse. It can be seen in the neighboring square.
5. Statue of St. Vilgefortis, Prague
According to the legend of Vilgefortis, her father promised to marry her to a pagan king. The pious girl, not wanting to have anything to do with a pagan, took a vow of celibacy and prayed for a miracle that occurred in the form of a beard. The king saw the beard and immediately refused the marriage. In a fit of anger, Father Vilgefortis crucified her. This strange and fascinating story is completely untrue. It is actually a statue of Jesus in a dress, the work of a medieval monk. At that time, the image of Jesus was often depicted in this way. This practice was abandoned in favor of the loincloth we are accustomed to seeing today. However, the story of Vilgefortis lives on in 11th-century wood carvings, inspiring many oppressed and unhappily married women around the world.
6. Devil's heads, Zhelizy
An alarming sight awaits tourists exploring the forests near the village of Zhelizy. Two huge demonic faces, carved from local stone, greet them with empty eyes. Created by Vaclav Levi in the mid-19th century, the nine-metre tall stone heads are known as Čertovy Hlavy or "Devil's Heads" and have become a local landmark for generations. Scattered throughout the surrounding forests are other sculptural works by Levi, carved into sandstone. They suffered a little from the ravages of time and weather conditions. The faces of the Devil's Heads became a little less distinct, but no less alarming.
7. Column of the Holy Trinity, Olomouc
Built from 1716 to 1754 by local architects, the Holy Trinity Column was recognized by UNESCO in 2000 and listed as a World Heritage Site as “one of the most expressive works of Central European Baroque.” The 35-meter-tall column was erected as a gesture of gratitude from survivors of the plague. The monument is so large that a chapel was placed at its base. He is a source of pride for the Czech people.
Prague is filled with various monuments, including unusual and strange ones. I’ll start with something pleasing to our eyes - mushrooms
This is an unusual “exhibition” by the young Czech artist Michal Trpak in the small Trade Union Square (odboru) in Prague. A composition with 6-meter-tall Psilocybin mushrooms is located in front of the hotel building (“House of Mosaic”).
The man sitting above the entrance to the building is called “The Thinker” (Czech: Myslitel, Thinker). And happy people - women and men - fly around on umbrellas.
This is a view from Trade Union Square to the short Trade Union Street leading to the New Town Hall.
The man is one of the flying people.
The entire installation is called “Waiting for Happiness” (2013). Apparently by eating "magic moshrum". They say that people floating in the air are intended to symbolize the financial crisis...
Internet review. M. Trpak has many exhibitions with “Thinkers” or floating people called “Slight Uncertainty”, as an allusion to the financial crisis. In addition, he has several sculptural compositions and monuments: “Tornado” (“Tornado”, 2005 - No. 5), a sculpture of unusual pink animals - “Tenderness” (Czech “Mazlici”, 2014 - No. 1) or a monument with holes head, installed in the artist’s homeland in Budejovice - “Mental Insight” (“Mental Insight”, 2012 - No. 2), the monument “Humanoids” (“Humanoids”, 2009, one of the options was installed somewhere in our Siberia - No. 4) or the monument “Reminder” (“Memento”, 2014 - No. 3). One of the latest works is a philosophical sculpture with the painting “Escape into reality” - No. 6.
There are also flying people on Long Street (dlouha) in the northern part of the Old Town.
As you continue along Long (dlouha) Street you will inevitably run into a large woman. But the sight of her usually evokes mixed feelings among viewers. This is the work of a more famous avant-garde artist David Cerny than Trpak.
The 6.5-meter-tall composition is called “In the Womb” and is part of the gallery’s collection of contemporary art. The only beautiful thing is that stainless steel reflects light in different colors when the lighting changes.
One of the most famous compositions of the scandalous D. Cerny - “Piss-Gerget Brickworks” (2004) is installed in the courtyard of the Kafka Museum. Two bronze men write out (both meanings of this word finally come together) patterns and texts on the water surface of the fountain. The reservoir exactly follows the contours of the borders of the Czech Republic (see outline at the top left). Those. they simply flooded the country with their urine - amazing patriotism!
Tourists, of course, cannot resist touching the moving organ of the dudes, because the common people simply call the composition “Two Peeing Guys”.
This young man also did not escape the hands of tourists and shines in the most interesting place. It is installed in the courtyard of the information center in Visegrad (against the background of the remains of an ancient Gothic gate). Well, in the same courtyard there is a “house of Czech children”.
This is the monument to St. Wenceslas (author Josef Myslbek) on Wenceslas Square - long, similar to a wide boulevard. So, in the distance, at the other end of the square, D. Cerny installed the sculpture “Horse” (1999): Vaclav sits on the belly of his inverted dead horse. According to the author (?), this reflected either the political state of the Czech Republic, or a mockery of Vaclav himself.
Internet review. Currently, “Horse” (No. 2) is located in the “Lucerna” passage in Prague. One of the first actions of the young Cerny was to repaint pink the monument to the liberators of Prague - the Soviet tank (No. 1), now it is in the military museum of Lesany. The sculpture “Hanging Out” (No. 3) depicts the life-size figure of Sigmund Freud. Crawling Babies (2000 - No. 4) on the Zizkov TV tower in the east of the city. Performance purple “Fuck” (“Fuck the KSCM”, 2002 - No. 5) - an indecent gesture, as an attitude towards the Communist Party of the Czech Republic. In the courtyard of the FUTURA Contemporary Art Gallery there is an installation of two butts (2003 - No. 6). If you go up the stairs and look inside, you can see a vile video about politicians. Well, there are also indecent sculptures and designs by David, which I would not like to present here... This is such high art... By the way, in 2000 he received the Prize. Jindřich Chalupecký for young artists. And our Russian history has examples of similar awards.
Another group of naked men - Memorial to the Victims of Communism at the base of Petrín Hill (Czech: Pomnik obetem komunismu, 2002). I can’t say anything bad about this successful monument. It’s just a pity that there were no women among the victims... This is all the avant-garde in art, the aesthetics of which I apparently don’t understand.
The fountain (Čůrající postavy) is located near the building of the Franz Kafka Museum, which is not exactly a museum in the traditional sense. Rather, it is a traveling exhibition that remains in the city for a fairly long period (about 10 years). Its exposition is located on the territory of the former Gergeta brick factory. Here next to him stands an interesting, simply amazing, sculptural composition.
What is a sculpture
The installation is made in a completely absurd style, in principle, like the works of a brilliant writer. She represents a fountain formed by two men peeing standing opposite each other. Interestingly, the middle part of the sculptures can rotate from side to side. Thanks to this movement, fountains draw various shapes on the water.
The principle of operation of a hi-tech creation
The author of this monument is the sculptor and artist David Cherny. He really created a rather unusual “monument” to men who relieve themselves on the map of the Czech Republic and at the same time “draw” sayings of famous Prague residents around them.
The operating principle of this hi-tech creation is very simple. The body parts of the bronze men, whose height is 2 meters 10 centimeters, are moved by electric motors installed inside the men, and they are controlled by a computer. As a result of the operation of the motors, the stream of water also moves, thus creating the outlines of various symbols at the foot of the statues.
The usual “work” of these men, who quote celebrities in such an unusual way, can be suspended. To do this, you need to send a short SMS message from your mobile phone to the number (+420 724 370 770) indicated next to the unusual fountain. A few minutes after receiving the message, men will try to reproduce its contents. It is interesting that the movements of the statues look very natural. This feature of the sculpture attracts everyone's attention. There are always a lot of tourists here.
David Cherny is quite a scandalous person. However, thanks to this unusual and provocative combination of the shameful and the funny, people pay attention to the nearby Kafka Museum. The sculptural composition “Pissing Men,” like many of his works, also caused sharp criticism from the public, but, nevertheless, received the same wide recognition and became another striking landmark of Prague.
