Inspired by the lapidaries of the ancient world, this book is a beautifully designed collection of true stories about sixty different stones that have influenced our shared history The earliest scientists ground and processed minerals in a centuries-long quest for a mythic stone that would prolong human life. Michelangelo climbed mountains in Tuscany searching for the sugar-white marble that would yield his sculptures. Catherine the Great wore the wealth of Russia stitched in gemstones onto the front of her bodices. Through the realms of art, myth, geology, philosophy and power, the story of humanity can be told through the minerals and materials that have allowed us to evolve and create. From the Taiwanese national treasure known as the Meat-Shaped Stone to Malta’s prehistoric “fat lady” temples carved in globigerina limestone to the amethyst crystals still believed to have healing powers, Lapidarium is a jewel box of sixty far-flung stones and the stories that accompany them. Together, they explore how human culture has formed stone, and the roles stone has played in forming human culture.
Revisiting Museums of Influence presents 50 portraits of a range of European museums that have made striking innovations in public quality over the past 40 years. In so doing, the book demonstrates that excellence can be found in museums no matter their subject matter, scale, or source of funding. Written by leading professionals in the field of museology, who have acted as judges for the European Museum of the Year Award, the portraits describe museums that had, or should have had, an influence on other museums around the world. The portraits aim to capture the moment when this potential was identified, and the introduction will locate the institutions in the wider history of museums in Europe over the period, as well as drawing out common themes of change and innovation that unite the portraits. Providing many very diverse portraits, Revisiting Museums of Influence captures the immense capacity of the museum to respond to changing societal needs. As a result, the book will be essential reading for students of museology and museum professionals around the world in shaping the museums they wish to create. Scholars and students of art history, archaeology, ethnography, anthropology, cultural and visual studies, architecture, memory studies and history will also find much to interest them.
Our guide is a must-have for history and art enthusiasts. It goes beyond mere facts and figures, immersing you in the rich context that brings history to life. Experience the wonder and beauty of Prague's Charles Bridge like never before with our immersive smartphone-friendly guide. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey through time and art. Optimized for mobile viewing, our guide feels more like a sleek app than a traditional e-book. ❓ Did you know that Saint John of Nepomuk, the statue of whom is the most famous statue on Charles Bridge and has been replicated over 60,000 times around the world, did not actually live the life of a saint. ❓Or that Saint Wenceslaus, known from the carol "Good King Wenceslas," has three depictions on the bridge ❓But it's not just the saints that have fascinating stories about them. The Turk sculpture on the Prague Bridge, which guards Christian captives, is ironically the most popular statue for domestic visitors. ❓Find out why and understand the meaning behind the proverb "He stood there like a Turk on the (Prague) Bridge". Discover these fascinating facts and more in our smartphone-friendly guide. ⭕️ Charles Bridge, the iconic structure of Prague, which has been on the UNESCO list for more than thirty years, is not only the most famous building in Central Europe, but also the largest outdoor gallery with more than 30 sculptures and 70 figures. Our guide is designed to help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and instead make an informed decision about which sculptures to see and why they're important. ⭕️ As you stroll along the bridge, you'll find that most of the statues are those of saints who can serve as intercessors in specific situations in life. Our guide provides information on which saints to turn to for help in finding lost items, happy marriages, safe travels, hopeless situations and many more. ❗️Our guide is designed for reading on a smartphone screen and includes 55 audio commentaries for added convenience. Interactive links make navigation a breeze, and underlined text links lead to different sections of the guide, including lists of sculptures, statues, sculptors, and donors. Key Features: ✔️ Comprehensive guide to the sculptures of Charles Bridge. ✔️Fascinating stories behind the Baroque sculptures and their creators. ✔️Lives of the saints and what they are patron saints of. ✔️User-friendly design for easy navigation on smartphones. ✔️Audio commentary for each sculpture. ✔️More than 130 stunning pictures Experience the Charles Bridge like never before and create unforgettable memories with our guide. Unlock the full experience and download our sample today❗️
Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest are cities with a long common history. Prague offers a great insight into the history of the Czech Republic from the Přemyslids, the Habsburgs, the Nazi dictatorship and the communist dictatorship to the present day.
Discover the Beauty of Prague Like Never Before! Our guide is a must-have for history and art enthusiasts. It goes beyond mere facts and figures, immersing you in the rich context that brings history to life. Meet rulers, architects, saints, and artists through captivating stories. But here's the best part – you don't have to read it all. Choose to listen and let your imagination roam as you admire the stunning visuals. With breathtaking photographs and insider tips, we'll take you to hidden gems and off-limits spots. Optimized for mobile viewing, our guide feels more like a sleek app than a traditional e-book. Embark on a sensory journey through Prague's treasures with us. Whether you're drawn to beauty, architecture, history, or art, this guide is your perfect companion. Dive in and experience Prague like never before! Step into the future with our cutting-edge audio-visual guides! Key Features: 🎵 Over 100 audio commentaries and 15 music tracks 🎥 More than 300 amazing photos that also show hidden or inaccessible treasures 🎗️ Medallions of over 100 personalities including rulers, saints, artists or builders. 🔷 Sleek and modern design, optimised for easy access on your smartphone screen. So why settle for a basic travel guide when you can have an immersive experience that will truly bring your travels to life? Don't miss out on the chance to make your travels unforgettable with our unique guidebook. ⭕️ About Jewels of Prague Welcome to the enchanting city of Prague, where history, beauty, and charm intertwine to create a truly remarkable experience. In this e-book guide, we invite you to embark on a captivating journey through some of Prague's most iconic landmarks, including Prague Castle , Charles Bridge, and Old Town Square. We will also guide you to places associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, such as where he wrote and then performed his most famous opera. In this guide you can learn there, for example: ❗️What treasures are hidden in Prague Castle, the largest inhabited castle complex in the world? ❗️What is the most famous statue of the Charles Bridge, the largest and most beautiful open-air sculpture gallery in the world? And that a replica of this statue can be found in more than 60,000 copies all over the world and that Saint John of Nepomuk, whom it represents, did not live a typical life of a saint. ❗️That the most popular attraction of the Old Town Square the Prague Astronomical Clock is the world's oldest still operational clock. ❗️Where did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart compose and then perform his most famous opera? Or where was the famous Oscar-winning movie Amadeus filmed in Prague? Find out all this and much more in our guide. This guide will introduce you to the most important sights of Prague Castle with St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica and a picturesque Golden Lane, as well as the best sculptures of Charles Bridge and the amazing sights of Old Town Square. It will also introduce you to the magical places associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. ❗️So why wait? Download our guidebook today and experience Prague like never before. With our help, you'll be able to fully appreciate the Prague's rich history and stunning artistry. It's a journey you won't soon forget.
Take a fresh approach to Prague with this brand new Explore guide. Lavishly illustrated in full colour, this book features 16 fantastic self-guided routes, written by a local expert and packed with great insider tips. Whether you are new to the city or a repeat visitor, whatever your interests, and however long your stay, this book is the perfect companion, showing you the smartest way to link the sights and taking you beyond the beaten tourist track. All the routes come with clear, easy-to-follow full-colour maps. A 'Key Facts' box at the start of each tour highlights the recommended time needed to enjoy it to the full, plus the distance covered and a start and end point; all this makes it simple to find the perfect tour for the time you have to spare. Try some of the hand-picked places to eat and drink and sleep, or refer to the clearly organised A-Z of practical information to get to grips with the city. About Insight Guides: Insight Guides has over 40 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as picture-packed eBooks to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture together create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure. 'Insight Guides has spawned many imitators but is still the best of its type.' - Wanderlust Magazine
The Hussites’ contribution to the transformation of the Czech state and its influence upon constitutional development were substantial. Various Hussite factions united over a program known as the Four Articles of Prague. InThe Four Articles of Prague within the Public Sphere of Hussite Bohemia, Kamila Veverková situates the Four Articles—presented here in a new translation by Angelo Franklin—in their political and economic context, emphasizing the societal reforms stimulated by the Hussite theological program. The Hussites demanded free proclamation of God's word, advocated public punishment of sins for all estates, rejected the secular rule of the church, and proclaimed the need to receive communion under both kinds. With no royal government in the country, the Czech Land Diet and its appointed administrators exercised practical power. The Czechs’ arduous negotiations at the Council of Basel ultimately succeeded; the Council adopted the Four Articles of Prague in the form of the Compactata, which later became part of Czech law (1436). The Religious Peace of Kutná Hora (1485) expressed the new constitutional situation, allowing religious freedom. This unheard-of principle preceded other related legal developments by several centuries. Hussites permanently changed the form of the state and law, becoming a model for Europe in the transition from feudalism to a bourgeois society.
In The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare gave the landlocked country of Bohemia a coastline—a famous and, to Czechs, typical example of foreigners' ignorance of the Czech homeland. Although the lands that were once the Kingdom of Bohemia lie at the heart of Europe, Czechs are usually encountered only in the margins of other people's stories. In The Coasts of Bohemia, Derek Sayer reverses this perspective. He presents a comprehensive and long-needed history of the Czech people that is also a remarkably original history of modern Europe, told from its uneasy center. Sayer shows that Bohemia has long been a theater of European conflict. It has been a cradle of Protestantism and a bulwark of the Counter-Reformation; an Austrian imperial province and a proudly Slavic national state; the most easterly democracy in Europe; and a westerly outlier of the Soviet bloc. The complexities of its location have given rise to profound (and often profoundly comic) reflections on the modern condition. Franz Kafka, Jaroslav Hasek, Karel Capek and Milan Kundera are all products of its spirit of place. Sayer describes how Bohemia's ambiguities and contradictions are those of Europe itself, and he considers the ironies of viewing Europe, the West, and modernity from the vantage point of a country that has been too often ignored. The Coasts of Bohemia draws on an enormous array of literary, musical, visual, and documentary sources ranging from banknotes to statues, museum displays to school textbooks, funeral orations to operatic stage-sets, murals in subway stations to censors' indexes of banned books. It brings us into intimate contact with the ever changing details of daily life—the street names and facades of buildings, the heroes figured on postage stamps—that have created and recreated a sense of what it is to be Czech. Sayer's sustained concern with questions of identity, memory, and power place the book at the heart of contemporary intellectual debate. It is an extraordinary story, beautifully told.
