We are here at the extreme limit of the new town. Eastward lie the
modern suburbs Karlin (or Karolmenthal) and Zizkov. The former contains
a fine Romanesque cathedral, built between 1854 and 1863, which is
dedicated to St. Cyrillus and St. Methodius, the apostles of the Slavs.
Zizkov, which stands on the spot where Zizka won his famous victory, was
entirely built in the nineteenth century. It has increased very rapidly,
and with its population of 50,000 inhabitants is now, next to Prague,
the most populous town in Bohemia.
Returning to the Poric, and then turning to the left, the traveller
passes the State Railway Station, and after crossing the Hybernská Ulice
and pursuing his way through the Senovazná Ulice (Hay-Balance Street),
finds himself at the Church of St. Henry, at the corner of the street of
that name, and of the Jerusalemská Ulice.
A parish church has existed here since very early times, but a new
building in the Gothic style was erected here in 1348 by Charles IV.
Since that day the church has again been rebuilt several times, so that
it does not retain much of its ancient character. It contains pictures
by Skreta, the Bohemian painter, and others. Close to the church is the
Gothic campanile, which dates from the beginning of the reign of
Vladislav II.
Following the Jerusalemská Ulice, we reach the extensive town park,
which is built on the site of the old fortifications of the Nové Mesto,
and divides it from the suburb of Vinohrady (vineyards). At its eastern
extremity is the Bohemian Museum that has already been mentioned. From
here the wide Václavské Námesti leads to the Graben. Turning from the
Václavské Námesti to the left by the Stephens Street we reach the church
of that name, which was built by Charles IV., but has, like so many
others at Prague, been greatly altered by restoration. It contains,
however, some works of very ancient Bohemian painters that are very
worthy of notice. Close to St. Stephen's Church is the very ancient
Romanesque Chapel of St. Longinus. Similar to the Chapel of the Holy
Cross and that of St. Martin on the Vysehrad--which will be mentioned
presently--it is, as Monsignor Lehner writes, 'smaller and plainer and,
therefore, probably even more ancient than the sister chapels.'
Retracing our steps as far as the angle of the Zitná Ulice, and
proceeding down that street, we soon reach the extensive Karlovo
Námesti, which has been laid out as a park, in which a monument to the
Bohemian poet Halek has been erected. Opposite this monument, at the
north-eastern extremity of this square, is a building, now the site of
the law courts, which was once the town hall of the Nové Mesto. From the
windows of this building the town councillors were thrown in 1419, an
event to which reference has been already made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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