It was a synagogue of amazing architecture. It was built in 1906, and as an informational brochure told us, features an Art Nouveau stylization of Moorish architectural style. Inside, it certainly looks like this building could be in Spain or north Africa or somewhere other than Prague. The arches are explicitly reminiscent of Islamic arches. There were other plans drawn up for the design of this synagogue which incorporated both neo-Romanesque style and neo-Gothic style. Both of those styles would have also been very interseting to see incorporated into a Jewish house of worship, and I wonder why such historicist styles were considered for this particular synagogue. It is very fortunate that this place escaped the damage of World War II entirely.I would have liked to spend more time around the Jewish quarter, but it was time eventually to get back on the train towards Vienna. However, I was not unhappy about this. Prague was a nice enough city but I just couldn't connect to it and enjoy it like I have with Vienna. I think several factors result in this:
-I had less than two total days to explore Prague.
-I had not read up on Prague as much as I had Vienna.
-The city just seemed a little more crowded and claustrophobic to me, and
-I just didn't really like the amount of English there, even though its the only language I speak fluently.
I felt like I was being catered to in Prague. There was no challenge of having to reach out into the local culture to become a competent traveler in the city. This is what Vienna has made me do, and I have appreciated it all the way. I want to get absorbed in another language and culture, and I want to try and get to know how the city works through my own experiences. I guess Prague just really wants visitors to come and spend money on it.
Maybe someday I will go back to Prague when I know a little more about it, but until then...I think I'll keep a lot of my traveling with Austria.
The German word of the day is "zelten," meaning "to camp."
No comments:
Post a Comment