“Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world.” – George Bernard Shaw
I admit, I tend to have a small obsession with photographing doors and windows. I don’t know exactly why but perhaps it is because of the mystery they behold of what lies behind. The unknown stories from centuries of the past. I have written several posts on windows and doors from around the world. Up there with Paris, there is no other place in Europe in which I found the doors and window decorations as fascinating and beautiful as in Prague.
Prague is an enchanting, delightful city with some of the most well-preserved architecture in Europe. Yet her beauty has caught on and there are few times throughout the year that Prague is not overwhelmed with tourists. Given the constant crowds, I ended spending a lot of my time looking up and craning my neck to crop out the people from my photos. Thank goodness I did, as otherwise I would have missed so much as the windows, doors and rooftops of the buildings are sensationally decorated.
Prague is known for its interesting decorative door signs that back in medieval times when the signs were used for street addresses. The ornate doors and windows are befitting of Prague’s eclectic mix of architecture ranging from Baroque to Renaissance and Neo-Classical genius. After visiting other places in Europe, I’ve come to realize how incredibly fortunate Prague was to have avoided the bombing from WWII and remain relatively untouched. The entire city feels like an enormous open-air museum that is a true joy to see.
Here are some of my favorite little treasures I saw while wondering the charming cobblestone streets of Prague.