By Aleksandra Brzezicka

The Elixir of Immortality. The Philosopher’s Stone. Symbols of the elements. If you’ve ever heard of any of those, you’ve got a basic idea of what Alchemy is. The philosophical tradition of purifying, maturing and perfecting such objects has deep roots in the Prague culture.

The second oldest building in Prague, dating back to 900 AD, has been a beating heart of alchemy since Emperor Rudolf II created an alchemist laboratory there. Connected by underground tunnels with the most important places in the city, it is currently the Museum of Alchemy for those who want to rediscover this spiritual, forgotten art.

Filled with old pots, paintings, skulls and dried herbs hanging from the ceilings, the exact replica of the alchemist laboratory can give you the creeps. Those in emotional need or having extra cash can buy elixirs made from original recipes found in the house or go on the Magical Triangle tour – to the museum itself, Prague Castle and Vysehrad, all apparently full of the special energy.

If you don’t fancy an elixir, coffee at the Cukrárna Alchymista may tempt you. Away from the rowdy centre, neat the Sparta tram stop, you’ll find the hidden spot with a magnificent alchemist-themed fresco on the ceiling and full of flowers in a lovely garden. You don’t have to be an alchemy fanatic to enjoy your eco-coffee, homemade cakes and fancy cocktails – a new one is inspired by The Big Lebowski film.

Apparently Provaznická street was a home for one of the great alchemists of Prague who left a tarot deck with a handwritten riddle to solve. Awake after coffee, head to the Alchemist Bar to play Choose Your Fate and unravel the mystery. While doing that, try their brand, a bit pricey but beautifully prepared by the true mixology masters, signature cocktails. Prepare to feel underdressed as everything seems to be overwhelmed by the magnificent interior, full of antique furniture and crystal chandeliers.

It is a magical side of Prague, protected from the eyes of the unworthy, which is waiting to be uncovered. There is much more to it for those who are willing to see. The decision is yours if myths are to be trusted though only truly unspiritual individuals won’t feel the charm of the ghosts of the past.

 

 

 

By Pamela Lyon

During a festival to commemorate 50 years since the beginning of the Prague Spring and the uprising against Communism, people were seen crying with joy and happiness and freedom.

The political developments up to 1968 showed a new attitude of the people in Prague, finally having hope towards a new-found freedom and the urge to take down the Communist government controlled by the Soviet Union who many had come to loathe.

This year, fifty years on, however, sees a bustling city full of tourists and luxuries and a new film dedicated to Jan Palach, who was declared a hero.

Palach was studying history and political economy at Charles University, Prague, before he became a symbol of heroism and freedom, by protesting and becoming the first self-declared human torch following the crushing of the Prague Spring.

On January 16th, 1969, Palach set himself on fire after sending a letter demanding the abolition of censorship and a range of other laws. He died three days later, suffering from fatal burns and is one of the tragic heroes of the Czech battle for freedom.

Fifty years on and the country is bright and beautiful but there are still those among the older generations who were not especially hostile towards communism, arguing that people still had jobs, even if that job was just waitressing when the employee had a medical degree.

With a Red Army-dedicated portion of the Olsany cemetery in Prague, and a communist museum, it is clear that era of the country’s history is being preserved. Now that it has put that in the past and becoming the democracy that is Czechia, Prague is a city in a country that is full of a new history that should be seen by everyone.

 

By Jacob Moseley

After recent debates between Prague Council and competing cycling companies about whether bikes should be legal on the city centre streets, I decided to get a better idea on why this is such a hot topic at the moment.

The city council recently overturned a controversial ban previously issued preventing bicycles from being used in certain parts of the heart of Prague due to the dangers for tourists and other pedestrians in the myriad of narrow streets.

Statements by AutoMat (leading cyclist rental company) had called the complete ban on bikes in the city “exaggerated and illegal.”

It was overturned recently after other multiple complaints and the fact that the court didn’t take into consideration contrasting proposals made by the cyclist companies.

I started by downloading the app, Rekola which showed the locations of all the bike hire centres, as well as the riding boundaries. The options were quite spread out and I managed to find one in less than 10 minutes from the city centre.

As I set off I found that this “hop on, hop off” bike rental scheme wasn’t too popular and noticed that most people were simply walking around the city. This congestion caused by mostly pedestrians made it very difficult to manoeuvre along the paths and I experienced multiple times when I thought a collision could have easily occurred.

With a massive amount of tourists flooding the city every day it also becomes hard for them, including me, to know the correct rules and regulations of cycling laws in the city, such as where the non-cycling zones start and end.

Another problem difficult for the council to tackle is the fact that Prague is such a historical city, and many of its pavements and roads are left untouched and unmaintained for years.

This obviously causes points where for people not used to cycling often, it is quite a struggle to stay balanced due to the divots, bumps and uneven ground which also becomes very slippery when rained on.

There were, however, many parks in the outer city which were perfect for cycling through and extremely enjoyable. The roads in these areas were also quite well maintained with rows of large trees and wide paths alongside the fact it’s much less congested, I’d suggest to visit parks such as Kampa Park.