Czech Please.: September 25th, 2013

Today I finally decided to explore the area around my school because it is said to be one of the most beautiful places in Prague. I left school and walked about 10 feet to my right and there is one of the most famous cemeteries in Prague. In this cemetery there are dozens of famous czech leaders, musicians and other influential people buried. It is easily the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen and you can tell that the people of the area care greatly for it.

"Established in 1869 on the grounds of Vyšehrad Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, the Vyšehrad cemetery (Czech: Vyšehradský hřbitov) is the final resting place of many composers, artists, sculptors, writers, and those from the world of science and politics. The centerpiece of the cemetery is the Slavín tomb designed by Antonín Wiehl, a large and notable tomb located within Vyšehrad cemetery."

Notable People Buried in Vyšehrad

Mikoláš Aleš (1852–1913), painter

Karel Ančerl (1908–1973), conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Josef Bican (1913–2001), footballer

Karel Čapek (1890–1938), writer

Antonin Chittussi (1847–1891), painter

Emmy Destinn (Ema Destinnová, 1878–1930), opera singer

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904), composer

Eduard Haken (1910–1996), operatic bass

František Hrubín (1910–1971), writer and poet, friend of Jaroslav Seifert

Jaroslav Heyrovský (1890–1967), Nobel prize winning founder of polarography

Milada Horáková (1901–1950), doctor, victim of 1950s Czechoslovak communist party show trials

Rafael Kubelík (1914–1996), conductor and composer

Vilém Kurz (1872–1945), pianist and piano teacher

Karel Hynek Mácha (1810–1836), romantic poet

Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939), artist and designer

Josef Václav Myslbek (1848–1922), sculptor

Jan Neruda (1834–1891), poet and writer

Božena Němcová (1820–1862), writer, author of the novel Babička ("The Grandmother")

Zdeněk Nejedlý (1878–1962), musicologist, critic, and Communist politician

Otakar Ostrčil (1879–1935), composer and conductor of the National Theater

Jan Evangelista Purkyně (1787-1869), anatomist and physiologist, known for the Purkinje effect and Purkinje cells

Olga Scheinpflugová (1902–1968), actress and wife of Karel Čapek

Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884), composer

Ladislav Šaloun (1870–1946), Art Nouveau sculptor

Pavel Štěpán (1925–1998), pianist and piano teacher

Ilona Štěpánová-Kurzová (1899–1975), pianist and piano teacher

Max Švabinský (1873–1962), painter

(Vyšehrad Cemetery)

After walking around the cemetery I got a good look at our next door neighbors, the huge cathedral and the surrounding statues in the area.

"Originally founded in 1070-1080 by the Czech King Vratislav II, the Romanesque basilica of St. Peter and Paul suffered a fire in the year 1249 and has been rebuilt in gothic and later in neo-Gothic style. The basilica features an impressive stone mosaic above its entry, and its twin 58 m towers can be seen atop a hill to the south from along the Vltava River in central Prague. Behind the church is located large park and Vyšehrad cemetery, the final resting place of many famous Czechs, including author Karel Čapek. In 2003 the church was elevated to basilica by Pope John Paul II."

(St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral)

(Vyšehrad)

(St. Peter and Paul's Cathedral)

(Vyšehrad)

"The so-called Devil's column is located in the Karlahovs park on Vysehrad, on this site is from 1888. Individual pieces have a length of 160-240 cm. The origin of boulders known as Devil's column (Devil's columns) is not precisely determined. Legend says that these columns had brought devil himself, when he disputes with a local priest that deliver to Vysehrad column from the Temple of St Peter's in Rome before the priest finishes the sermon. The priest won the dispute with help of Saint Peter and angered devil dropped the column to the Vysehrad temple."