Staré Bohnice Other

Welcome to the Old Gods. Stop for a moment, take a breath and look around you. You are standing right where time has stopped and where you can feel the real atmosphere of the old Prague countryside. In front of you is a village monument zone, which is now a rare jewel within a large metropolis. Feel the peace and quiet that still persists here in the valley of the Bothnic creek. What you see before you is not just a group of old houses, but a living proof of what the agricultural background of Prague looked like centuries ago. The core of this area is a historical development that resembles the old days when the rhythm of the day determined work on the fields and the bell of the church bell.

Now let's go back deep into the past together to understand why this place is so special. The roots of Bohunice go back to the twelfth century. Imagine that one of the most important trade routes that connected North Bohemia to Prague was once through here. This journey was not only a road for goods and buyers, but it was an artery that was flowing through news, news and cultural influences. Thanks to this strategic position, a settlement developed here, which gradually gained meaning. The key moment in the history of this place is the year one hundred and fifty-eight. It is this year that a rare document comes from which it confirms the sanctification of St. Peter and Paul's Church. This text mentions the names of the prominent personalities of the time, namely King Vladislav and Queen Judith. It is fascinating to think that, almost nine centuries ago, the highest rulers of that country were there.

Now pay attention to the architecture surrounding you. See the facade of the surrounding buildings and see the overall character of the building. Staré Bohnice is an example of the traditional agricultural arrangement. Notice how houses form a harmonious whole around the historical embankment. The dominance of space is the church of St. Peter and Paul, who stands here as a silent witness to all the events that took place in the valley. There's a very interesting detail within the church that you may not know about. In the year one hundred and fifty-eight relics were inserted into the altar stone, which made this place the spiritual center of the entire area in the Middle Ages.

Let us now move on to another important point, which is the residence of the Vrana family. Look at her shapes and details. This estate is a wonderful example of the so-called 18th-century folk baroque. People's baroque is not only an architectural style, it is an expression of ambition and taste of the then cottages and peasants who inspired themselves by the magnificent buildings of cities and castles but transformed them into their own, simpler and more attractive style. Notice the pride of this estate. If you suffer from details, you will find on it a year of seven hundred seventy-seven. This year, it tells us exactly when the hoarder was finished and how important an element of the farm was the grain warehouse for the Vrana family. With this place are the names Antonín Vraný and Karl Vraný, who helped to keep this farm in such good condition that we can admire it today.

In addition to the Vrány family, memories of this place are linked to other names such as Daniel, Gervasi or the aforementioned King Vladislav. Each of these names represents a different layer of history. From the early Middle Ages, when the first stone buildings were founded here, through the Baroque blossom of rural settlements, to modern times. It's interesting to see how the Gods changed. For a long time they worked as a separate village, only after they were officially assigned to Prague in the year one thousand nine hundred twenty-two. But even then they managed to maintain their unique face and were not absorbed by urban development. In order for this unique atmosphere not to disappear, in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-three strict conservation of the entire zone was established. That way, we can stand here today and feel like we're back in time.

You may now be interested in one more mysterious aspect of this place. Imagine all the people who have walked the same paths you've walked for thousands of years. Traders from northern Bohemia who headed here to Prague, royal escorts, local peasants and craftsmen. It all happened right here in this quiet valley. The mystery remains many small stories of the people who lived in these houses, but their clues are precisely the details in the stone and in the form of the structures you see around you. Every threshold, every wall and every inch of the way in this zone tells its own story about hard work, faith and bond to the ground.

Now that you know the basic history and meaning of this place, I suggest you continue to explore at a slow pace. Let the sounds of the stream guide you and look at the old buildings. Take a look around, stop by the church and look at the details of the Vrany estate again. Try to imagine what life was like in the eighteenth century, when the hubris was a novelty and the surrounding fields fed the city. Staré Bohnice is not just an open-air museum, it is a vivid memory of the Prague countryside, which has almost disappeared elsewhere.

Thank you for accompanying me on this short journey through history. I hope you've found time to think and that the atmosphere of this valley has caught your eye. Now the word is yours. Walk through the monument zone, feel its peace and enjoy the beauty of the folk baroque and the silence of the old church. I wish you a pleasant ongoing tour and a beautiful day spent in the heart of the Old Bohemian. Goodbye.