A STEP Back In Time

“ACCIDENTAL”IS almost always the way people describe their first encounter with the wonder that the Czech Republic truly is. Very often（like in my case！）， it is the lure of economical alcohol and its accoutrements that leads them on to some seriously serendipitous finds in a country that was once shrouded by the Iron Curtain. For many it is the great nightlife and very surprisingly palatable food that lures them in， but for me a few summers ago it was the rich history and culture that seeps out of every pore of this fascinating landlocked country.

My first tryst with the Czech Republic began with its wallet-friendly capital city of Prague. This is one city that knocks your socks off no matter where you cast a glance. And there is a lot to look at in this historic city that comprises three separate cities—the Old Town called Stare Mesto， the Lesser Town or Malá Strana and the New Town （Nove Mesto）. In the late 9th century， a fortified settlement was built on a hill on the left bank of the river， the site now occupied by Prague Castle. Among some of Prague’s heritage jewels are the Cathedral of St Vitus， Hradc any Square in front of the Castle， the Valdgtejn Palace on the left bank of the Vltava river， the Gothic Charlesbridge， the Romanesque Rotunda of the Holy Rood， the Gothic arcaded houses round the Old Town Square， the High Gothic Minorite Church of St James in the Stark Mesto， the late 19th century buildings and town plan of the Nave Mesto.

Any true heritage buff would be doing a serious disservice to themselves if they assume that Prague is the be all and end all of Czech Republic’s historical jewels. I was fortunate enough to have a university buddy with a little more ‘culture appreciation’ in him to force me to forgo the urban charms of Prague and take a jaunt to a few more historical towns and cities.

One such hidden gem is the UNESCO designated city of Kromerí？. The rather quaint town is banked across the Morava river and is nestled in the crook of the Chriby mountain range. It is most famous for its magnificent chateau. In the second half of the l7th century， after the Thirty Years’ War， the wealthy bishop Karl Liechtenstein of Castelcorn managed to raise the town from ruins and built an early baroque residence there， where he placed a collection of works by European painters and established a library full of rare books. A mint was built outside the chateau where special coins and medals were minted. The chateau， rebuilt in its current appearance after a fire in 1752， was in late 1848 and early 1849 the venue of a Parliament session which approved the first democratic constitution in central Europe.

Next on the agenda was a trip to see the stately chateau in Telc， a town situated on the ancient provincial route leading from Vienna to Prague. The chateau is one of the best-preserved Renaissance architectural complexes in the Czech Republic. The Renaissance form is still apparent in most of the interior， with furnishing of outstanding artistic value.

Saving the best for last and not yet OD’ing on history we made our way on the E55 highway towards the town of Cesky Krumlov. This UNESCO city had its moment of glory from the AD 14th to the 17th century during the rule of Lords of Rozmberk， who chose Cesky Krumlov to become the seat of their kingdom. At this time， Krumlov lay on the crossroads between the Czech， Austrian， Bavarian and Northern Italian lands. In fact， one can still find hints of these different cultures that have left their mark on the town and Castle with brushstrokes of the Italian Renaissance. But it was under the rule of House of Schwarzenberg that Cesky Krumlov gained its Baroque appearance. Cesky Krumlov’s Old Town hasn’t experienced major changes since the 19th century， other than the demolition of the town’s fortification walls and guard towers， and has maintained its historic character that is both stunning and humbling at the same time.

A tryst with the wonders of the hidden Czech wonders taught me a lesson much more valuable than any tome on Czech history and heritage could ever dare to teach…a lesson that history isn’t something from the past， but a reality we live in even today！

AT A GLANCE

GETTING THERE

Fly to Prague from Delhi/Mumbai on Austrian or Lufthansa， via Vienna & Frankfurt respectively. Fare： 42，000 （approx）

MUST DO

STAY

Hotel Savik Prague： Jikska 235/7， Old Town； tel： +420 224 248 555； A good option close to the heart of the Old Town Square. Cost： Rooms start at 285 （ 18，300 approx） per night.

Affordable： Little Town Budget Hotel： Malostranske Namesti 11/260， Lesser Town Square； tel： +420 725 374 128； www.littletownhotel.cz A good stay option for smaller budgets. Cost： Rooms start at 285 （ 3，000， approx） per night.

GOOD TO KNOW

An offbeat heritage stop in Prague is the Old Jewish Cemetery in the Jewish Quarter. It is 12 graves deep and the tombstones are crowded， toppled and in disrepair， lending a beautifully decrepit look to the place.