Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine February 2018 | Page 117

Travel | Prague
1 Charles Bridge and Lesser Town Tower
on the Vltava river in downtown Prague.
5 Senses – Sight
STERNBERG PALACE
For a truly romantic
moment, return at dawn,
when the silhouettes
of saints are outlined
against the emerging light,
old-town rooftops appear
from the mist...
huge art nouveau statue of 15 th -century Czech
martyr Jan Hus stands at its centre.
Linger, though, at the giant astronomical clock
affixed to the town hall, which has been marking
the hours since the 15 th century. Every hour, on
the hour, a skeleton rings a bell, apostles emerge
from the clock’s window and the sun moves
through the signs of the zodiac. Take time out
for a typical local honey cake or strudel in
a pretty café below.
Move on to the Vltava river, where Charles
Bridge is one of the city’s most romantic
highlights and is lined by the statues of medieval
saints. They provide a series of shepherd’s
crooks, swords and pointed mitres against
the backdrop of city towers and spires.
Jazz ensembles, violin players, Frank Sinatra
imitators and other buskers entertain passers-by
as the river glimmers below.
The city’s best art collection is
housed in Sternberg (Šternberský)
Palace, part of the National Gallery’s
collections, near Prague Castle.
It features Italian, Dutch, Spanish and
other masterpieces from the classical
to the baroque eras, supplemented by
drawings, sculptures and other items.
The cream-coloured palace, romantic
in the high baroque style with
beautifully decorated façades and
frescoed ceilings, also has a Chinese
Hall and is set in lovely gardens.
www.ngprague.cz
Koleksi seni terbaik di Praha
disimpan di istana Sternberg
(Šternberský) Palace, yang masih
bagian dari koleksi Galeri Nasional,
tak jauh dari Prague Castle. Tempat
ini menyuguhkan beragam mahakarya
dari Italia, Belanda, Spanyol dan
lainnya, mulai dari abad klasik hingga
zaman Barok, yang didukung
gambar-gambar, patung dan
sebagainya. Istana bercat krem ini,
tampak romantis dalam gaya Barok,
fasad berornamen dan langit-langit
bergambar. Tempat ini juga memiliki
Chinese Hall yang ditempatkan di
taman-taman indah.
For a truly romantic moment, return at dawn,
when the silhouettes of saints are outlined against
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the emerging light, old-town rooftops appear
from the mist and you might have the bridge to
yourselves. Alternatively, veer off to Kampa, an
almost-island of gardens and miniature vineyards.
It’s a great spot for a tender stroll or a picnic on
the grass, with stunning views of Prague’s many
monuments to get you in the mood for love.
On the far side of Charles Bridge lies Malá
Strana, the aptly-named ‘Little Quarter’
squeezed between the river and hills. Its
relatively quiet back streets provide an
atmosphere of the 18 th -century Prague Mozart
would have known. Clustered around the great
green dome of the Church of St Nicholas are
baroque palaces and garden courtyards of
Bohemia’s former nobility, now mostly taken
over by government offices and embassies. Buy
some Czech-style open sandwiches in a bakery,
flop down on a park bench and gaze at the
buttercup baroque of the surrounding buildings:
proof that there are still some beautiful corners
of the city barely disturbed by tourists.
As you walk further uphill, both the views and
the rococo palaces become more spectacular.
Černín Palace (now home to the foreign
ministry) is a colossal wedding cake, the Strahov
Monastery a mad dream in pink and gilt. You’re
now in Hradčany, the castle district on the
summit of Prague’s hill. It’s an aristocratic
showpiece surrounded by vineyards and forests,
just the place to capture that perfect photo of
Prague’s spires down below.
Looming over Hradčany, the vast bulk of Prague
Castle offers a façade of glittering windows and
impressive walls, topped by the fanciful Gothic
spires of its bold cathedral. At night the castle