Czech-ing into Prague Castle

Call me at this number when you reach Prague," declared Czech Republic Ambassador Stanislav Slavicky prior to my departure for Europe. This came about thanks to a timely conversation with my good neighbor Ben Farrales who, like me, was planning to visit the "Golden City."

"The ebullient Ambassador Slavicky was just at the launching of my book Sto.Niño at the Metropolitan Museum, and you know that there is a Sto. Niño Church in Prague," Ben informed me. And so, two days before I left, I visited the Ambassador and because of him, my trip became a truly unforgettable one.

I still remember when I went to the Czech Embassy to meet the kind ambassador. He immediately asked me, "So, what can I tell you and what do you want to see in my country?" I said I wanted to see what tourists normally do not. He suddenly became pensive and said, "Well, let me think about it. I am going to Prague myself so when we meet there, I will tell you ."

Of course, I was to find when I arrived in Prague that my question was not an easy one – it was not only difficult, but in fact almost impossible to think of any part of Prague not frequented by tourists. Every day, there are hordes of tourists swarming every sightseeing spot in the book – and that just about covers every corner of the city. More than this, all these visitors literally fill the streets everywhere.

For a long time now, I firmly believed that no other place could beat Venice when it comes to the number of visitors. However, Prague without a doubt, surpasses even that romantic Italian city of gondolas. I had never seen so many tourists in one place as in Prague. And because I only had a few days, the Ambassador could not readily give me something unusual to see simply because that meant I would only be staying inside the city and there was no time to go to the other beautiful areas outside of it.

So, as early as 7:30 a.m. on my second day in Prague, I gave Ambassador Slavicky a call and was delighted that he answered the phone himself. We agreed to meet at the Gothic Cathedral entrance by the palace. When I got there, for a moment I was skeptical whether I was at the right entrance. The humongous church, thick with tourists moving in and out, had a number of entrances.

Suddenly, the Ambassador appeared from the crowd, wearing a warm smile. Not only that, he had a surprise for me! "You know, I have arranged for you to enter the Presidential Palace with me," he beamed. I was thrilled. "I will bring you to a part of the palace not seen by the public and I think you will enjoy it, " he said. "Only heads of state, high government officials and royal families have been invited to what you will see." Then he added, "I will also take you to the office of President Vaclav Havel, which is the equivalent of the Oval Office of the White House." Having been a fan of President Havel, I was ecstatic.

As we walked away from the Gothic Cathedral, Ambassador Slavicky even managed to give me a short history of the church. "This is the cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslas and Adalbert. It serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Imagine that coronations of kings, princes and emperors of Bohemia happened here during the 1400s." As he spoke, I was really imagining the grandeur of such lifestyle underneath that 100-foot-high Gothic ceiling!

It was a five-minute walk to the Palace and I went through a strict security check. Actually, I even had to leave my passport, notwithstanding the Ambassador himself was escorting me. Then I found myself going up a grand and imposing staircase, one that can only be found in very classic buildings and palaces. Well, I know that no one makes them that way anymore. The Ambassador, an intellectual who knows the history of his country by heart (like a walking encyclopedia!), explained the history to me.

Please speak slowly, Mr. Ambassador, I told him, as he plied me with details about the palace in his charming accent. "The foremost symbol of the City of Prague and the pantheon of Czech history is its castle and this is the one! Key decisions affecting national affairs including that of Europe have been discussed within these magnificent walls, and because of this, the castle has played a major role in the history of Prague and the whole of the Czech Republic."

Awed by the gilded high walls, and ceilings all painted in white, each time he opened the door to another room, I was simply speechless. "The castle of Prague originates from the 9th century when the Premyslid family, founders of the Czech royal dynasty, built the castle. As their power grew, so did the expansion of the castle. In the 11th century, it became a massive fort with a powerful defense system that suited the times. Within the palace grounds, there were churches and monasteries built, including the bishop’s palace."

Asked about the architectural background of the castle, Ambassador Slavicky replied, "In the 14th century under the demanding rule of Emperor Charles IV, French architect Mathieu d’Arras and the German builder Peter Parler launched a large reconstruction project applying the Gothic style. This very period gave way to a special kind of finishing that provided a golden reflection to large areas of the castle roof. This was specifically done to symbolize the wealth, power and fame of the Czech Kingdom."

"In 1541, it underwent a Renaissance renovation after a fire and towards the latter part of the 16th century, another emperor, Rudolf II, was instrumental in converting a major part of the castle into a center for science and art. He also converted some rooms into galleries which housed his famous art collections. A renaissance man, he turned the castle gardens into an important laboratory for nursery, gardening and botany of plants. Thus, the royal garden of Prague is known to be a pioneer in acclimatizing various tropical plants to European weather conditions."

I was with the Ambassador for only an hour and had discussed with him only a tiny part of the history of the Czech Republic, yet it was such a profound and overwhelming experience for a Southeast Asian like me whose country counts the Spanish and American rule as the most major events of its past. It is like going into a different dimension altogether, I always go through this feeling of marvel, at imagining the evolution of such a marvelous place – the architecture, music, theater and visual art during and through such awe-inspiring times. And then comes a feeling of elation in experiencing what they have become today and how they have been preserved through all the centuries when I was probably not even a floating molecule anywhere on earth.

Ambassador Slavicky showed me around the many significant rooms in the Palace, one of which was the Hapsburg Room. "Around 1620 and the Thirty Years War, the Hapsburgs who were the rulers of Bohemia made the castle their family residence. For many years, it was downgraded to a private home while they were setting up their capital in Vienna. Therefore, not much attention was given to it. Now, it is used as a function room and our President meets with high-ranking officials of other nations in this room.

"The most recent renovation of the palace was done in 1918 when the whole complex once again became the symbol of an independent state and the official seat of the President of the Republic. A large part of the structure of the palace is designated as the presidential office. Currently, the President of the Czech Republic is the multi-awarded poet and writer, Vaclav Havel."

At that point, we entered a large ante-room and were greeted by a very serene and dignified-looking woman. "May I introduce you to Ms. Slayka, the secretary of the President." She had a very composed smile as she showed us the way but left us on our own to view the room. As I looked up the main door upon entering the President’s private office, a large painting simply took my breath away. It was the most stupendous painting I had ever seen! Seeing my reaction, Ambassador Slavicky explained, "President Havel was smitten by the structure of the Shinto Temple when he visited Japan, and this is an inspired interpretation of that structure." The painting surrounds the perimeter of the doors and it is just beautiful. Remember that the palace dates back to the 9th century and the doors measure some 12 feet in height. Imagine this very colorful painting reminiscent (at least to me) of the happy and bright hues of the Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band. "He actually painted the pink cloud on the upper left side himself," the Ambassador added as he pointed to the form. Well, I said, only a true artist and one with an elevated spirit could do something like this, that is for sure.

Without even meeting President Havel, I felt the goodness of his person. Could it be because he is also an artist? Partly perhaps, I told myself. President Havel’s literary achievements and awards as well as his national decorations are very telling of the exceptional mind he possesses. Like any intellectual with good breeding, everything shows through and, therefore, when Ambassador Slavicky finally brought me inside the President’s office, I was thrilled to see a lot of remarkable things such as the extraordinary artworks in a room that is both beautiful and inspiring. It was mesmerizing.

There were many other things of note inside his well-organized office. His table was very neat and right behind it were shelves full of books and pictures of the President together with international figures such as Princess Diana, US President Bill Clinton, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, and some more including our own President Fidel Ramos.

A big red scroll, a gift from the Dalai Lama, is prominently mounted on the wall across towards his right. Directly facing his table is a sculpture of a standing woman, which I thought was out of this world (and the coolest thing to hit me in many years) because no one would expect that inside a presidential office!

Then I was led to the other areas where more artworks are displayed. Certainly well thought out and planned, the artworks big and small project the importance they deserve and, therefore, are deeply appreciated by the viewers. The flow of this very distinct art collection expresses an impeccable taste that is beyond compare.

What else can be said about a prize-winning playwright who fiercely waged a personal war for justice and human rights? To be born with innate social responsibility for his countrymen, have a refined eye and heart for art – these make President Vaclav Havel an exceptional human being.

The beauty of the palace, the city of Prague and the whole of the Czech Republic is further enhanced by his presence. The president and the republic – they are gifts to the world: one for its beauty and history, the other for inspiration and for changing the course of his people’s history.