11 Jul 2011 Grils in Prague & Kutna Hora

DRIVING TO PRAGUE





PRAGUE FAMILY HISTORY CENTER
















































TOWN OF PRAGUE

































DRIVE TO TOWN OF KUTNA HORA






































































































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MEDINEK HOTEL WHERE WE STAYED & lT'S A REALLY CUTE TOWN























































































BONE CHURCH IN KUTNA HORA









We needed to drive to our next assignment in Prague in the Czech Rep. Since it was on a Sunday we were anxious to go to church and see the chapel and Family History Center there. The church is actually a ward but they do have their own chapel, very small but homey. The FHC was open as this is the only day they are open. Not a lot of visitors here. I think that is because there are not allot of Czech records available. They would probably have better luck walking around the Friedhof. We are told there will be more records forthcoming in the Czech Rep. which can be digitized and that will make it easier for the people here in this city to do their Genealogy.

There is only one computer with no readers, but like I said, a reader is not necessary at this time. Their center is also the office for the Bishop's clerk. We were not able to meet up with the director because he was sick but we were able to talk to his wife. She said they do have the internet so that helps with research. The ward is very small but they do have a set of missionaries working that ward. We met the Missionary couple who are working here and we met a few members who were very lovely and friendly people. I am heart broken that we as a church are not able to get into these countries to take pictures of these most valuable records. I'm sure the Lord will open up a way for this process to go forth.

After visiting the Prague Ward we took a tour of Prague. Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It is called the "Golden City" and the "Paris of the East." I see why, there is beautiful architecture everywhere. It lies along the Vltvara River also known as the Moldau. The first fortresses were built around 800 AD. The castle here is like a city in itself. It is a huge complex. We walked through the main entrance to the Castle called the Giants Gate. Here two guards stand at attention. Every hour there is a changing of the Guard, just like in England. The guards are not allowed to talk or smile, although we hoped they would. There is a very large Cathedral called St Vitus. It is almost as large as the Cathedral in Koln. St Vitus was built first by St. Wenceslas in 925 AD. The architecture is in the Gothic style. We went inside to take pictures. The stained glass is to die for. Hope the photos do it justice. It is just inspiring to realize people have so much talent to produce a picture in Stained glass. St Charles Bridge is another beautiful and awesome structure.

On to the notorious Church of the Bones in Kutna Hora a few km's away from Prague. It is a very quaint little town. The girls walked around the majority of it and they loved it. We found a delightful Italian restaurant but with German food too so we all had a choice and we shared with each other. We were hoping to see the Church but it was too late, it had already closed so we found an old Hotel call the Medinek, and I do mean old. It had the old fashioned key to get into our rooms. The older gentleman was so helpful to us, making sure we had a secure place to park our car. I guess things get misappropriated around there at night. The girls wandered around the town until it started raining in buckets and then it was back to the motel for a good nights rest. Don't really know if they actually got any. It was really fun staying in such an old place. The next morning we were headed for Kutna Hora.

This place is beyond discription. The story goes that in the 14oo's, 40-70,000 people died of the Black Plague and the bodies were buried in mass graves in the cemetery. The cemetery out grew itself and so the bones were removed to the chapel and the bones layed in heaps until 1861 when a woodcarver named Frantese Rint was asked by the Schwarzenberg family to put the bones in some sort of order. He being the artistic sort, decided to decorate the church with the bones which had been cleaned of course. The huge chandelier contains every bone in the human body and hangs from the center of the nave. Garlands of skulls are drapped from the vault. The Schwarzenberg Coat of Arms is displayed in bones and the artists name is spelled with bones at the entrance. This church has been used in several movies. "Blood & Chocolate", "The Black Angel", "Adaptation", Satan's law, from Rob Zombies "House of 1,000 Corpses".

I thought it was a little much but the girls loved it as I am sure my boys would.