Concert photographs of the best bands from the last decade. Famous pop acts, secretive indie bands, timeless jazz musicians, flashy punk bands…
We covered more than 1000 concerts back in the day. We enjoyed them all, from performances in small intimate venues to some of the biggest festivals in our area. Here is our selection of “the best of the best”. They are not necessarily only the biggest acts we photographed, but rather a combination of moments that will always remain with us.
For a much wider selection of our concert photographs, please take a look at our The Best of… album.
The Czech Republic is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Its beautiful cities, charming towns and lively culture makes it one of our favourite places in Europe to visit…
The Czech Republic is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Its beautiful cities, charming towns and lively culture makes it one of our favourite places in Europe to visit.
We visited Czechia in December and it is the perfect destination for a Christmas holiday. In Prague, we took in the sweet scent of cinnamon and mulled wine in the city’s old market square and enjoyed classics like Swan Lake in its elegant theatres.
It was a real joy for us to stroll along the Vltava in the crisp, cool winter air and then duck into one of its many grand cafés to warm up.
In Český Krumlov, its charming streets and buildings were so well preserved that we were transported back in time. Walking its narrow, winding roads often reveal historical gems hidden right in plain sight. Here, almost every other building, even some rather ordinary ones, had paintings from the 16th Century right on their facades! Also not to be missed is the Český Krumlov castle, which has been standing since the Middle Ages and is both a historical and architectural gem.
If you love history, beautiful architecture and sardonic humour, you will most certainly love the Czech Republic.
The history and architecture of Prague’s famous icon, the Charles Bridge…
For centuries, Charles Bridge was the only crossing over the Vltava. This landmark is key to understanding the history of Prague’s Old Town. This iconic landmark, and its unmistakable silhouette can be identified by many. As a testament to its structural integrity, it is one of the few remaining medieval bridges still standing today. There are not many bridges in the world that can rival the Charles Bridge in age, beauty and utility.
Commissioned by King Charles IV two years after he was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor, the bridge made Prague the most important city in the region for many centuries to come.
If you’re a numberphile like I am, you’d be amused to know that first stone was laid on the 9th day of the 7th month of 1357 (9 July 1357), at 5:31, forming a numerical palindrome 135797531. King Charles was a superstitious man and felt that this was important.
Although the cost of the bridge left the Kingdom of Bohemia in debt for many years after its construction, it was a truly worthwhile investment. From its completion in the early 1400’s up till 1870, it was the only means of crossing the Vltava. Although Prague was already a key trading hub before the bridge, the bridge significantly increased the flow of traffic through the city. Today, as an easily recognisable icon of Czechia, it generates billions of tourist dollars indirectly.
On top of being useful to traders in the region, it also made life easier for the Medieval residents of Prague. Especially those working in the Prague Castle, who now had an easy and safe way to cross the Vltava.
Of course, to any upsides, there are downsides. The bridge’s incredible importance as the only crossing across the Vltava meant it was a target during the many wars that took place in the following centuries. In 1621, the Habsburgs hung the heads of 27 Bohemian revolutionaries from the Bridge Tower. The location of the heads meant that this “message” was received and spread quickly. During World War Two, the Nazi army noticed the bridge’s importance in the transport of supplies, and the bridge came under threat. Fortunately, it was not significantly damaged.
In the 600 years or so of its existence, it has endured a lot. The floods of the Vltava can be severe, and the bridge has been damaged many times over the centuries. At the turn of the last century, the bridge accommodated trams and buses, which no doubt increased the load and wear on this historical monument. After World War Two, city planners wisely decided that the bridge would be for pedestrians only. Today, it accommodates the footsteps of the millions of tourists that visit Prague yearly.
That it is still standing is testament to the power of an ancient engineering idea – the stone arch, which is a Roman invention. The Charles Bridge has 16 of these arches across its half kilometre length. Legend also has it that this strength was due to eggs being mixed in with the mortar by the constructors who built it. However, analysis of the bridge has so far been inconclusive whether this is true.
During my visit to Prague, I often found myself wondering what exactly made the bridge look so “medieval”. I concluded that it was the tapered pier heads (they cap the columns separating the arches), which resemble the conical roofs of medieval towers.
The Old Town Bridge Tower is one of the oldest and best-maintained structures in Old Town Prague. When you look at the skyline of the Old Town, you’ll feel that everything kind of matches up with each other. That’s because the Gothic architecture of the Bridge Tower inspired the other two prominent landmarks in Old Town Prague – the tower of the Prague Astronomical Clock and the twin towers of the Church of Our Lady Before Týn.
The Bridge Tower was, however, more than an impressive entrance into the heart of Prague. In the past, the size of its arches restricted the vehicles that could cross the bridge. In this way, the Bridge Tower performs a protective function for this historical monument.
Along the bridge are thirty statues. Various Czech organisations, nobility and business people commissioned most of these between 1683 and 1714. When the construction of the bridge was completed, there was only a simple cross installed on the North side. When the Protestant Hussites destroyed the cross in 1419, the city council only got around to replacing it n 1629. In the centuries that followed, each replacement was destroyed in turn either in war or by floods. Today, a sculpture from the 19th Century stands in its place. It is the Statuary of the Holy Crucifix and Calvary by Emmanuel Max, a Czech-German sculptor.
Among the more interesting sculptures on the Charles Bridge is the one of Sant John Of Nepomuk. This statue stands out because of the five golden stars that ring the statue’s head. In the relief at its base is a knight with a golden dog by his feet. The dog is golden because tourists rub it “for luck”. Thus keeping it clean of the green copper oxide which covers all the statues on the bridge.
Most of the statues are replicas. The Prague council has redistributed the originals throughout various Prague museums.
The Charles Bridge is, unfortunately, in bad condition today. The council has started a new series of renovations in 2019. When we visited in 2019, the bridge was, to my surprise, not lit. Workers had to turn off the lamps that lit the bridge to repair the ice guards. The bridge will be incrementally repaired over the coming decade in a way that won’t interfere with this function and view. It will continue to be accessible.
If you look carefully, you’ll notice that some of the stones on the bridge are mismatched. That the new stones do not match the old ones was one of the criticisms of the last restoration done in 2008. The quest to find matching stones continues for Prague’s city council.
For me, Charles Bridge is one of the world’s most enchanting bridges. There are not many other bridges in the world that can match up in age, quality and beauty. Today, the bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage site and an essential bridge for historians and engineers alike. That it is still standing after six centuries is testament to its cultural and locational importance, and of course, structural integrity.
Charles Bridge is an icon of Prague and the Czech Republic. For many centuries until 1870, it was the only way for people to cross the Vltava. It is also one of the few Medieval bridges still standing and in use today.
The first stone was laid on 9th July 1357. The bridge was completed about a century later, in the early 1400s. [Read More]
Charles Bridge was built with local limestone, with Medieval construction techniques. It uses the Roman arch, which gives it great stability. Legend has it that eggs were mixed in with the mortar to ensure the strength of the bridge. [Read More]
Charles Bridge is a mere 9 minute walk from the Old Town Square
Prague’s Old Town is filled with incredible charm and unforgettable elegance…
Walking through the old town of Prague, I instantly knew why the capital of the Czech Republic is often referred to as the “Paris of the East”. In fact, I think Prague is more beautiful and romantic than Paris in some ways. Old Town Prague, the Prague Castle, and their surrounding areas are all infused with incredible charm and unforgettable elegance.
Personally, I feel Prague, and especially Old Town Prague, is a concentrated form of the idealised European city. There are three reasons for this. First, the historical core of Prague was left mostly unscathed in World War Two. Second, that Prague was and is an important cultural and intellectual centre in Europe since the 14th Century. Finally, Prague has been magnificently restored, its buildings repaired and its city centre incredibly well cared for. Also, unlike cities along the Mediterranean, it is not plagued by touts selling cheap trinkets in the heart of the city.
As you stroll through Old Town Prague, you’ll see many landmarks that illustrate Prague’s importance in European cultural life. Some of these are world-renowned like the Charles Bridge and the Astronomical Clock.
Some of them are less well-known but no less important. For example, the Estates Theatre, where Mozart’s Don Giovanni had its premiere, or the modern statue of Sigmund Freud dangling over a narrow cobblestoned street.
However, even without these icons, Prague’s Old Town is an attraction in itself. Its ancient streets are lined with buildings so old, many of them are no longer straight. Here, you can find shops selling Czech handicraft, locally made cosmetics, and traditional restaurants. And then, there’s the ancient Market Square, bustling with life all year round.
In the 10th Century, a Jewish merchant, Ibrahim ibn Jakub, described Prague as a significant centre of world trade. During his time, you would find furs from Russia, spices from the Middle East, wheat from Poland, gold from the Byzantine Empire and much, much more. Intriguingly, there was also mention of slaves being bought and sold in Prague’s marketplaces. There were two of these, one within the Prague Castle complex, and the other in the Old Town.
Although Prague was already a bustling hub in 965 A.D., when the Jewish merchant visited, it was in the 14th Century that it achieved great importance. This status was thanks to the King of Bohemia, King Wenceslaus, being elected as the Holy Roman Emperor. When he was Pope, Prague became the imperial seat of the Catholic Church.
In World War Two, Prague did not suffer significant damage from air-strikes, as the city only became the target of aerial bombing in the last months of the war.
The irony is that the city was bombed by Allied forces by accident when bad weather conditions threw the pilots off course. Mistaking Prague for Dresden, they dropped 152 tonnes of bombs on the city centre in February 1945, killing nearly a thousand people.
Most of the damage to the Old Town during World War Two, however, was attributed to a standoff between the Czech resistance and the Nazi army. The confrontation took place in the Town Hall, which the German military attacked with tanks, causing a great fire.
The distinction between the Old Town and the New Town is not apparent. The New Town wraps around the Old Town, and there’s nothing to demarcate their borders today. In fact, the “New” town isn’t new at all and dates back to 1348.
At that time, there was a moat running around the Old Town. As the New Town grew up around the old core, the canal soon turned into a sewer. Here, folks dumped their rubbish, fought duels (where, I suppose, the body of the loser was left to rot), and used it as a public toilet. In the end, the moat became a public health hazard, and the King had it paved over.
If you’re interested in seeing some historical photos of this boundary, check out these series of postcards of places between the old town and the new.
While seeing Prague, I mainly used three landmarks to gauge if I was in the Old Town or the New Town. These landmarks were the National Theatre, the bottom of Wenceslas Square and the Powder Tower. Everything towards the bend in the Vlatava, from these landmarks, is the Old Town, and everything on the other side is the New Town.
I would like to start the post with the “secrets” of Old Town Prague, as a lot is known about the main sights. Besides, there’s no way you could miss the main sights.
I visited Prague for the first time in 2008 and the second time in 2019. These “secrets” are the things I missed on my first visit. I’m telling you about them now, so you don’t miss these lesser-known, but no less fascinating attractions in the heart of Prague!
Possibly my favourite “secret” is the Mechanism of the Astronomical clock. If you happen to be at the clock on the hour, do stay for the “Walk of the Apostles”. The clock will chime, and the windows above the stone statue will open. There are 12 apostles, divided into two groups, 6 at each window. When the windows open, they take turns looking out, two at a time.
They are appealing from the outside, but are way more fascinating from the inside. Especially if you get a chance to see them doing their walk.
To see the interior of the Astronomical Clock, you have to buy a ticket to enter the Clock Tower. This will also allow you to see the interior of the Old Town Hall and climb to the top of the tower.
This gem is hidden right in front of the Charles Bridge. We did a lot of research before coming to Prague but somehow missed this one. Luckily, we stumbled upon its entrance by chance while returning into the Old Town from Charles Bridge. The tickets for the last tour before closing for Christmas were almost sold out, but we were fortunate to get our spots.
The Klementinum Library was awarded the UNESCO “Memory of the World” prize, which is sponsored by South Korea. As you can infer from the name, the reward is given for organisations that safeguard the world’s knowledge from the ravages of time.
The library, which opened in 1722, is a fantastic example of Baroque architecture. It has a beautiful, luminous painted ceiling and elegant dark wooden shelves, filled with ancient books. As we stepped through the entrance of the library, the smell of leather, bookbinding and old paper was all-encompassing. For a book lover like me, it was an almost religious experience.
Just off the banks of the Vlatava, near Charles Bridge, is an alley with Prague’s history written all over it.
This alley, Stříbrná, leads off from the Na Zábradlí Theatre. Along this alley is a series of cards with Prague’s contemporary history, covering the significant events of the 20th Century. The cards are written in Czech, but there’s a poster at one end in both Czech and English.
Sadly, for an astronomy fan like myself, the Kepler museum is no longer operational. This museum was located in the house Kepler had lived in during his 12 years in Prague. During this time, he finished his work on his first and second laws. It’s unfortunate visitors are not allowed into the house for now, since the museum closed. However, you can still pop into its courtyard, to see the bronze sculpture in its centre.
This sculpture, although small, is striking and assertive in its own way. At its centre is a globe representing the sun, with five circles around it. An elliptic with Kepler’s name in Art Deco font crosses the circles that ring the globe.
The even spacing of the circles and how they grow and shrink have a harmonious quality to them, and the diagonal elliptic gives it a sense of movement. During Kepler’s lifetime, he was intrigued by the “music of the spheres”. A concept that each celestial body has an ever-changing song related to its speed in orbit. This sculpture, with its harmonious composition, might have taken inspiration from Kepler’s work on this topic.
This famous sculpture of Sigmund Freud isn’t so easily seen. If you are not looking for it, you’ll miss it. Located on a side street coming off Národni (the main road which delineates the Old Town from the New Town), this statue can be seen hanging from above the cobblestones of Na Perštýně.
“Man Hanging Out” is the work of Czech sculptor David Černý, Prague’s most prominent, living, sculptor. There are many more of his works dotted around the city. Completed in 1990, it has been all over Europe and even crossed the Atlantic Ocean to tour the USA.
The sculpture is thought-provoking, as Sigmund Freud ended his life by committing suicide. There are many interpretations of it, but the one I like the most is that the sculpture reflects the artist’s thoughts on 20th Century intellectualism. Here, one of the Century’s most significant influences is depicted hanging over an urban chasm of restored buildings and a polished cobblestoned street…
Technically Café Louvre is in the New Town, although it’s right at the border. I’ve included it in this list, so you don’t miss out on it. Located on Národni, it was a favourite haunt of Albert Einstien and several other prominent scientists and thinkers.
Prague has many Grand Cafés, but if you only have time to go to one, Café Louvre remains the most authentic. At the café’s entrance is an exhibition of how Prague’s Grand Cafés were used as communication hubs by intellectuals during the turn of the Century.
The Mozart House is a nice to know spot for lovers of classical music and opera. There’s not much marking this house as unique, so you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled.
The only sign that indicates this simple off white building as special is a relief depicting the bust of Mozart. This estate, the House of the Three Golden Lions, was where Mozart spent his time in Prague. Here, he put the finishing touches on Don Giovanni, before it was premiered in the Estates Theatre across the street.
Tucked away among the pretty buildings of Prague’s Old Town is the Estates Theatre. This Neo-Renaissance beauty is one of the last few operational theatres in the world from the 18th Century. (The Opera houses in Paris, Vienna and Budapest are all built in the 19th Century.)
We must have walked past it several times during the day, but it was late one evening that I really noticed it. The theatre is absolutely stunning after nightfall when it is lit dramatically. From the front, tall Corinthian columns hold the white and gold gable aloft. On its left side is an interior balcony with elegant cast-iron pillars, tastefully decorated with gold ornamentation.
If The Estates Theatre feels like something out of a movie – it’s because it is. It’s been featured in the Mozart biopic Amadeus and the Beethoven biopic Immortal Beloved.
In the heart of the old town are many attractions, spanning over one thousand years. Starting from the old Market Square, first written about in the 11th Century to later additions, like the Jan Hus monument.
Perhaps the first place to get to once you’ve checked into your hotel in Prague is the Old Town Square in the heart of the city. Surrounding the square are several centuries of history, all compressed into a small space.
Here you have the Old Town Hall and the Astronomical Clock, the Lady of Týn Church and the Jan Hus monuments. A few minutes walk away, there is the Charles Bridge. The Market Square remains a bustling marketplace today, as was in past centuries.
At the very heart of the Old Town Square is a market. Records of the market go back to the 10th Century where it has been recorded that a fair took place here every Saturday. Back then, the market sold everything imaginable, vegetables, leather goods, live chickens, eggs and much more. Today, the market caters to seasonal trends. Most notably Easter and Christmas. CNN has rated the Prague Christmas Market as one of the best Christmas Markets in the world.
Tourists and locals alike congregate in the square during Christmas to enjoy the decorations and the late-night nosh. Here, we spent many an evening under fairy lights eating piping hot sausages and the ubiquitous “Trdelník“, or “Chimney Cake” in English.
Possibly the second most recognisable or Prague’s landmarks, after Charles Bridge, is its Astronomical Clock. Currently the oldest working astronomical clock, it is a unique example of medieval science.
The Astronomical Clock and its tower are attached to the Old Town Hall and located in the south-western corner of the Old Town Square. There’s no missing it on your visit – there’s always a large crowd gathered in front of it. Especially on the hour, as everyone wants to see the “Walk of the Apostles”!
In the centre of the Old Town Market Square is a monument dedicated to Jan Hus. This massive Art Noveau monument is a tribute to the second most famous figure (after Charles IV) in Czech history.
Hus was a protestant reformer who preached against the indulgences of the Catholic Church one hundred years before Martin Luther. He was burnt at the stake as a heretic, which started the Hussite Wars, a Protestant rebellion against the Catholic Church. The movement had broad support across all classes in Czech society, including both nobility and peasants.
It was Christmas when we visited Prague. During this time, there is usually a podium directly behind the Jan Hus monument in the Old Town Market square. By climbing up the podium, you rise up to the level of the inscription. These were the words of the Martyr, and they read, “Love each other and wish the truth to everyone”.
The monument itself stretches out like a mountain over you. And indeed, the sculptor, Ladislav Šaloun built it as such, for mountains are a vital iconography of Czech nationalism. The monument is so large that the artist had to build an exclusive studio from which he could work.
Dominating the cityscape of Prague are the twin roofs of the Church of Our Lady Before Týn. The church that is standing today was mostly completed in the 15th Century, during the Gothic period. It has towers that leap into the heavens, the unique silhouette of their spires sporting all sorts of Gothic and Baroque accoutrements like pinnacle and baubles. Using the towers, it possible to orient yourself from anywhere within Prague’s Old and New Town.
This church has an illustrious history, having started out as a Catholic church before being converted into a Protestant one, and then back to Catholicism, after the Thirty Years War. Its also a must-visit for astronomy buffs as it houses the tomb of Tycho Brahe.
Without a doubt, the most famous landmark in Prague is the Charles Bridge. When we visited Prague for Christmas, this was our first stop. The bridge is one of the oldest working bridges in the world and an excellent example of a medieval bridge. There are not many medieval bridges still standing today. This is because bridges tend to get destroyed over the centuries and replaced by newer versions.
The Charles Bridge is an exception, and it has stood the test of time. This medieval bridge has endured many floods and even the installation of tram tracks in the 20th Century!
The Charles Bridge has played an important role in Bohemian history. For many centuries, it was the only means through which people could cross the Vltava, making Prague an essential city of trade in the region.
Today, it still functions as a critical means of crossing the river (especially for the millions of tourists that visit Prague). More importantly, it is a Czech icon that combines elegance and engineering. It reflects the vital role The Czech nation has played in European art and science over the last one thousand years.
The Powder Tower, built-in 1475, is one of the landmarks that delineates Old Town Prague from the New Town. Once, it was one of 13 city gates which ringed the walls of the Old Town. There are no walls now, but walking under the tower still gives one the sense of entering a different section of town.
The Powder towers looks like the tower which fronts the Charles Bridge on the side of the Prague Old Town. That’s because its architect took inspiration from the Old Bridge tower. Its elaborate facade and large entryway lead historians to conclude that this tower was always meant to be more of an entrance than as a defensive fortification.
The Powder Tower turned out to be a convenient way for us to locate ourselves within the city. Inevitably, we found ourselves walking down Celetná street (which leads from the entrance of the tower) and the branching Ovocný street. Where Celetná street turns into Ovociny street, there’s the famous Cubist era house of the Black Madonna and its legendary Grand Café Orient. Further down, you’ll see the Estates Theatre, tucked amongst the surrounding buildings
With so many things to see and do, it visiting Prague Old Town might feel a little overwhelming. However, there’s really no need to worry as all the attractions are easily within reach of each other. Except for the Astronomical Clock’s Mechanism and the Klementinum Library, you can check out the rest at your own leisure, any time of day – no bookings required.
We walked through the Old Town every day during our five-night stay in Prague, and I can say I still could not get enough of it!
Spain is a country where tradition inspires rather than binds – experience her exciting cuisine, revolutionary architecture and beautiful landscapes…
Spain is at the very heart of European art and culture. It’s a country where East truly meets West. Its multicultural history, a result of its proximity to Northern Africa, has resulted in a dynamic country with some truly unique architecture.
In Spain, we found ourselves most drawn to its architecture. Whether it was in the city of the countryside, the buildings seen here are always unique. There’s the avant-garde creations of Antoni Gaudí, the charming stone towns in the Catalonian country, the famed white villages of Andalusia and of course, the magnificent cathedrals, from the Sagrada Familia to the Cathedral of Seville. Not forgetting, of course, the Mosque-Cathedral of the Mezquita, a unique artefact of religious change through the centuries.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in Andalucia. Here, we explored the elegant palaces of the Real Alcázar and the Alhambra and its gardens. It was also in Andalucia we saw incredible examples of religious architecture, like the Mezquita in Córdoba. Our favourite location was, however, Ronda, a unique mountain town built into the side of a gorge – a city unlike any other.
The Spanish Empire was one of the most prominent. world powers for many centuries. This economic and military dominance is reflected in much of its architecture. For example, there’s the Plaza de España in Seville, the location of the World’s Fair in 1929. The Alhambra itself is a living version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The garden’s impressive stature is a testament to the region’s historical importance in both Europe and North Africa.
