and his library--access to which is liberally granted to visitors--is
very rich in English books. Mrs. Naprstek still resides here, and is
well-known for her charity, patriotism and kindness to foreign visitors
to Prague. Returning to the quay, on the border of the river, we soon
reach the Ferdinand Street, and see at its left angle the Bohemian
National Theatre, an important memorial of the national revival. The
building was begun in 1868 and completed in 1881. Almost immediately
afterwards it was greatly injured by a fire that broke out, and it was
only in 1883 that it was opened amidst great rejoicings of the Bohemian
people. Travellers in Prague are strongly recommended to pay a visit,
even if but a short one, to this fine building, particularly should a
translation of an English play be given. I have seen the _School for
Scandal_ admirably given in Bohemian at the National Theatre.
Immediately opposite is the new Francis Bridge, opened by the Emperor in
the present year (1901). It connects one of the islands of the Vltava,
and its left bank with the old and new towns. Near here too is the
'Sophia's Island.' It contains a park and restaurant where concerts are
frequently given. It is historically interesting as having been the
meeting-place of the Slavic Congress of 1848 that ended so disastrously.
The Ferdinand Street with its continuations, the Ovocná Ulice (Fruit
Street), and the Prikopy or Graben constitute the main thoroughfare of
the modern town of Prague. At the angle of the Ferdinand Street and the
Ovocná Ulice--in the Jungmann Square--stands the monument of Joseph
Jungmann, one of the great leaders of the national movement, who lived
in the Jungmann Street close by. Continuing on the left side of the
Prikopy, we reach the Havirska Ulice (Miners Street). Turning to the
left here, and passing the German Theatre, we arrive in a few minutes
at the Carolinum, which bears the name of Charles IV., the founder of
the University of Prague. Though the building has been modernised, and
only the Chapel of SS. Cosmas and Damianus and the Gothic projection
retain the ancient character, it is one of the most historically
interesting buildings at Prague, as--next to Bethlehem Chapel--it is the
one most intimately connected with the career of Hus. It was here that
he and his friends defended the teaching of Wycliffe (July 1410), and
here, too, that the great _disputatio_ took place (June 1412), in which
he eloquently denounced the abuse of indulgences. In later days, too,
the Carolinum was a stronghold of Utraquism. Many of the stormy meetings
of the Bohemian nobles that preceded the defenestration of 1618 were
held here. The place, indeed, became so noted as a meeting-place of
heretics, that after the Battle of the White Mountain some Catholic
generals suggested that it should be destroyed. The Carolinum now
contains the lecture rooms of the juridical and medical faculties of
both the Bohemian and the German Universities of Prague. From the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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