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Graffiti or “street art” is usually considered to be vandalism, act of defacing property. As any large city, Prague too has been confronted with graffiti art, though essentially unknown prior to Velvet Revolution of 1989. While “tagging,” writing of simple signatures, is especially looked down upon as senseless scribble, creative graffiti art is definitely present around Prague. In some areas of gray-prefab tenement neighborhoods, commonly constructed during forty years of communist era, creative graffiti projects have indeed been on occasion encouraged to mitigate the depressing architectural style. Other “legal-walls“ and surfaces maybe at times set aside by city governments and graffiti artists get invited to enhance the otherwise unsightly vertical space, including certain pedestrian underpasses and walkways, though the designated legal areas do not abound. That to allow creative juices free expression may produce fascinating graffiti art is no doubt. It not only provides for self-realization of the artist, but also is a wise move that curbs illegal graffiti. Following are graffiti under Barandow bridge, a well-know multi-lane freeway and pedestrian structure below the famous Barrandov Film Studios, and one of the legal graffiti walls, or zones, of Prague.

Traveling the back roads of Czech Republic along the Austria border an art connoisseur will enjoy coming across a profusion of small roadside shrines and memorials devoted to Jesus and other saints, built as expression of thanks for being blessed, protected, healed, endowed, in memory of someone’s death, or simply as a gesture of good will. In Czech Republic these shrines are commonly referred to as „Bozi Muka, in literal translation meaning “God’s suffering. “ They were being constructed as early as in the 14th century, however, their golden period of construction begins with the baroque period, from 1600 to 1750, though they proliferated right up to the very end of the 19th century and as late as the period of the Czech “first republic,“ namely in the 1920s. The chapels and monuments were typically constructed along small country roads, forest trails, at crossroads and often under large and dominant ancient trees. Often a time these monuments were also being constructed by the wealthy as gifts to a village or to mark a site, and as their counterparts in Buddhist lands, where mani walls and stupas too were being built to gain merit on the judgment day. Some of the best opportunities for seeing these shrines can be had on the bicycle tours along the Czech Greenways Vienna to Prague and Salzburg to Prague.

 



Some ten miles west of Ceske Budejovice in southern Bohemia, Czech Republic, lies a small village of Holasovice. The village is a well-preserved collection of village dwellings built in the middle of 19th century and offers a perfect day trip from Prague.

With characteristic stucco decorations on the gables built in style of folk baroque, inscribed with dates from 1840 to 1880, some with a touch of rococo and classicist features, the dwellings are grouped around a village pond, preserving a ground plan dating from the Middle Ages. This vernacular style of peasant architecture is known as the South Bohemian Folk Baroque. For its unique character and compliance with preservation regulations Holasovice village was added to the list of UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites in 1998.

In all there are 22 buildings that surround the fish pond and the village square, with a small chapel on one end. The main entry doorway of each house leads into a large interior courtyard. The houses are large, typically with a number of rooms in the front part of the house and farm animal and implement barns adjacent.
Although similar architecture is found throughout South Bohemia, where many farm houses have been turned into vacation homes, at times disrupting the original vernacular style by addition of contemporary design features, Holasovice as village and the property owners abide by strict rules and maintenance guidelines to retain the cultural continuity of the vernacular elements of the village folk baroque period.

Holasovice is also a wonderful stop to inlcude in your Czech Republic bicycle trip, namely Vienna to Prague and Salzburg to Prague, or it can be combined with a trip to Cesky Krumlov, another Czech Republic UNESCO World Heritage site, on the tour of best Bohemian and Moravian greenways.

Enjoy three nights in each city taking in the sights and sounds of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Prague is a glimpse into the history of Europe as you stroll along the Vltava River. Vienna offers a beautiful range of palaces, churchs, and royal residences. Budapest is home to the Parlament, the largest Gothic structure in Europe. All three easily connected by first-class rail.

Prague, CS/Czech Republic for 3 nights
Hotel: 3 Nights Prague - Hotel Suitehome-Business Suite
Tours Prague Grand City Tour
Prague restaurant discount coupon
Tours Dinner at U Karlova Mostu Restaurant
Rail: 17 PRG-VIE 10:57 15:02
Vienna, AT/Austria for 3 nights
Hotel: 3 Nights Vienna - K+K Hotel Maria Theresia-Classic
Tours 9:45am Historical City Tour with Schonbrunn
Tours Dinner at Restaurant Piaristenkeller including 1/4 liter wine
Rail: 943 VIE-BUD 09:50 12:49
Budapest, HU/Hungary for 3 nights
Hotel: 3 Nights Budapest - K+K Hotel Opera-Classic
Tours Budapest City Tour
Budapest restaurant discount coupon

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Cesky Krumlov is a UNESCO world heritage town in south Bohemia, Czech Republic. Founded in the late 13th century at a ford in the Vltava River, Czech Krumlov grew in prominence due to its location on an important trade route between Linz and Prague. Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural styles dominate its old town core. When visiting Czech Republic make sure you include Cesky Krumlov in your itinerary. One of the best way to experience it is to arrive by bicycle or on foot along the Czech Greenways that connected all the main market towns of medieval Central Europe, now maintained as scenic bicycle and hiking trails. One of the most scenic greenways is to cycle the Vienna to Prague route, a great idea for a bicycle vacation.

For details of festivals and other evens in Czech Krumlov, see the town information website.