Rakovník- Beauty, Placed on Heap Of Rubbish-VIDEO
Small Wenceslas Square …
Rakovník citizens are pride on the following fact: „Our square is, as far as the length is concerned, the second one in Czech Republic. Only Wenceslas Square in Prague is longer!“ Nevertheless, just regarding the length, how long is exactly this most famous Czech boulevard, the disputes are still lasting. They are wrong even in hundreds of metres, when somebody from Prague informs them that Wenceslas Square is 680 metres long. However, we were not got the information from local people, how long exactly is the Rakovník Square. Anyway, it could be probably shorter!
Making comparison to Wenceslas Square in Prague, Huss Square in Rakovník is rather more quiet. You cannot follow the smell of sausages there, no trams are passing through, and taxi-drivers are not forced to fight for their places. So, there is more space available, for instance for cycling, skating or having a rest inside pub gardens.
Nevertheless, Virgin Mary Column, with escutcheon of red crayfish, situated on Rakovník Square, could replace, with a bit of phantasy, St. Wenceslas statue. As a substitution of National Museum Building, St. Bartholomew Church could serve here. The building is placed, similarly as National Museum, at upper part of the square. The church was visited with local people with their prayers since 13th century, at least till 1349, when the church burnt out.
Town´s character changed in the course of centuries, but local citizens remained unchanged.
„According to my opinion, this town is going ahead in its standard customs at least from Middle Age! Regarding church fire, it is a typical model. Local citizens destroyed it probably themselves, in order to be obliged by sovereign, with a purpose to expel Hussite rebels!“ an old lady says, surrounded with her grandchildren. She was born in Rakovník and knows all details regarding local everyday life as well as about local life. She informs that present paved square is exactly situated on rubbish heap. „The archeological investigations proved that had to be stunk a lot till 16th century. The evidence about the fact proves that refusal stratta were quite thin, and were always slowly fixed and hardened, and these operations repeated again and again. So, great pool was created in the middle of the square, where the horses waded in and the hemp was watered there. So, the pave was installed there after long lasted negotiations!“, the lady illustrates this smiling history of the town. „So, it works, in similar way, even now. All important decisions are lasting for years, and all this reminds more comedy as progress!“ she adds.
This situation gives the information more about Czech character as about relations in the town. To tell the truth, you cannot feel any smell from well arranged streets. If you visit Rakovník for the first time you could be fascinated. You can go through wide streets and mysterious narrow streets, admiring variegated architecture, or mounting upstairs to the top of High Tower. During walking around the town, you cannot overlook many memorial plates or bell-tower. This construction was established from the reason, as the original, church tower, could not be crumbled with the weight of two newly casted bells.
Customs, harm
The surprise is waiting for them who would like to pass the square by car. Our surprise has a form of barriere, and rather tasteless custom house and inscription „STOP, KASSA“. Who does not pay a fee, he could not drive through. Even the parking all around the square undergone the payment. So, it could be worth to make your excursion to Rakovník on Sunday, when even these custom officers have their holiday.
Text: Klára Svobodová
Translation: ing. Jan Jonáš
Photo/video: Klára Svobodová
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