|
St. George's Basilica, Prague
St. George's Basilica () is the oldest surviving church building within Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic. The basilica was founded by Vratislaus I of Bohemia in 920. It is dedicated to Saint George. Primarily Romanesque in style, it is part of the collection of buildings that comprise the castle, the political capital of the nation, and the spiritual center of the Czech state. Background Consecrated in 921, the basilica is one of the oldest churches in Prague built in the Romanesque style. The construction of the church was begun by Vratislaus I. At the time of Vratislaus' death in 921, the church had been completed but not consecrated. Wenceslaus I completed the project, and upon her death he buried his grandmother, Ludmila of Bohemia there. The basilica was prominent at the beginning of the spread of Christianity in Bohemia. Its collegiate church was at the center of the territory until the foundation of the Archdiocese of Prague in 973. In 976, the first building of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its Prague metropolitan area, metropolitan area is home to approximately 2.3 million people. Prague is a historical city with Romanesque architecture, Romanesque, Czech Gothic architecture, Gothic, Czech Renaissance architecture, Renaissance and Czech Baroque architecture, Baroque architecture. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV (r. 1346–1378) and Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II (r. 1575–1611). It was an important city to the Habsburg monarchy and Austria-Hungary. The city played major roles in the Bohemian Reformation, Bohemian and the Protestant Reformations, the Thirty Years' War and in 20th-century history a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mlada (abbess)
Mlada was a Benedictine abbess and founder of the first monastery in Bohemia. In 965, she undertook a diplomatic trip to Rome to advocate the formation of the Diocese of Prague. Life Mlada was the youngest daughter of the Bohemian prince Boleslav I. The 12th-century ''Chronica Boemorum'' by Cosmas of Prague describes her as an educated woman; she studied Latin and was destined for a clerical career. In the years 965 to 969, she was sent by her father to Rome to meet with Pope John XIII and request permission for the establishment of a separate diocese for Bohemia and Moravia. The negotiations were difficult. Bohemia was part of the Diocese of Regensburg and Bishop Michael refused to forego the revenue from Czech churches during his lifetime (he died on 23 September 972). The approval for the breakup of the diocese was only granted by his successor, Wolfgang of Regensburg. Mlada left Rome in the winter of 972 and returned to Prague. The ecclesiastical permission was followed by s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saint George And The Dragon
In a legend, Saint Georgea soldier venerated in Christianity—defeats a dragon. The story goes that the dragon originally extorted tribute from villagers. When they ran out of livestock and trinkets for the dragon, they started giving up a human tribute once a day. And, one day, the princess herself was chosen as the next offering. As she was walking towards the dragon's cave, St. George saw her and asked her why she was crying. The princess told the saint about the dragon's atrocities and asked him to flee immediately, in fear that he might be killed too. But the saint refused to flee, slew the dragon, and rescued the princess. The narrative was first set in Cappadocia in the earliest sources of the 11th and 12th centuries, but transferred to Libya in the 13th-century '' Golden Legend''. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane. When a relief is carved into a flat surface of stone (relief sculpture) or wood ( relief carving), the field is actually lowered, leaving the unsculpted areas seeming higher. The approach requires chiselling away of the background, which can be time-intensive. On the other hand, a relief saves forming the rear of a subject, and is less fragile and more securely fixed than a sculpture in the round, especially one of a standing figure where the ankles are a potential weak point, particularly in stone. In other materials such as metal, clay, plaster stucco, ceramics or papier-mâché the form can be simply added to or raised up from the background. Monumental bronze reliefs are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
František Maxmilián Kaňka
František Maxmilián Kaňka (19 August 1674 – 14 July 1766) was a Czech architect. He was among the most important and most prolific Baroque architects in the Czech lands. Life František Maxmilián Kaňka was born in Prague on 19 August 1674. His father Vít Václav Kaňka was a builder who built the fortifications of New Town of Prague. Kaňka became an apprentice of Paul Ignaz Bayer. He then lived abroad for a while (in Vienna and probably also in northern Italy). He was married twice. He married a second time at a relatively old age to a much younger wife. From 1733 or 1734, he no longer devoted himself to architecture and became a successful brewer. He was wealthy and had his offspring study law. He died in Prague on 14 July 1766, at the age of 91. Work After his return from abroad, he collaborated with leading architects of his time such as Giovanni Battista Alliprandi and Jan Santini Aichel. In contrast to other architects, such as Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Of Nepomuk
John of Nepomuk (or John Nepomucene) (; ; ) ( 1345 – 20 March 1393) was a saint of Bohemia (a western part of what is now the Czech Republic) who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. On the basis of this account, John of Nepomuk is considered the first martyr of the Seal of the Confessional and the Catholic Church, Seal of the Confessional, a patron against defamation, calumnies and, because of the manner of his death, a protector from floods and drowning. Basic biographical information Jan z Pomuku came from the small market town of ''Pomuk'' (later renamed Nepomuk) in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, which belonged to the nearby Cistercian abbey. Born in the 1340s, his father was called ''Velflín,'' while his mother is unknown. His father's name was probably derived from the German name ''Wolfgang''. Ja ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elector of Margraviate of Brandenburg, Brandenburg (1378–1388 and 1411–1415). As the husband of Mary, Queen of Hungary, he was also King of Hungary and Croatia in union with Hungary, Croatia (''jure uxoris'') from 1387. He was the last male member of the House of Luxembourg. Sigismund was the son of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and his fourth wife Elizabeth of Pomerania. He married Mary, Queen of Hungary in 1385 and was crowned King of Hungary soon after. He fought to restore and maintain authority to the throne. Mary died in 1395, leaving Sigismund the sole ruler of Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary. In 1396, Sigismund led the Battle of Nicopolis, Crusade of Nicopolis but was decisively defeated by the Ottoman Empire. Afterwards, he founded t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, and European monarchs loyal to the Catholic Church, as well as various Hussite factions. At a late stage of the conflict, the Utraquists changed sides in 1432 to fight alongside Roman Catholics and opposed the Taborites and other Hussite factions. These wars lasted from 1419 to approximately 1434. The unrest began after pre-Protestant Christian reformer Jan Hus was executed by the Catholic Church in 1415 for heresy. Because Sigismund had plans to be crowned the Holy Roman Emperor (requiring papal coronation), he suppressed the religion of the Hussites, yet it continued to spread. When King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia, brother of Sigismund, died of natural causes a few years later, the tension stemming from the Hussites grew stronger. In Prague ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
15th Century
The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian calendar dates from 1 January 1401 (represented by the Roman numerals MCDI) to 31 December 1500 (MD). In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Renaissance, and the early modern period. Many technological, social and cultural developments of the 15th century can in retrospect be seen as heralding the " European miracle" of the following centuries. The architectural perspective, and the modern fields which are known today as banking and accounting were founded in Italy. The Hundred Years' War ended with a decisive French victory over the English in the Battle of Castillon. Financial troubles in England following the conflict resulted in the Wars of the Roses, a series of dynastic wars for the throne of England. The conflicts ended with the defeat of Richard III by Henry VII at the Battle of Bosworth Field, establishing the Tudor dynasty in the later part of the century. Const ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jan Očko Of Vlašim
Jan Očko of Vlašim (; Jan VIII as the Bishop of Olomouc) (? – died 1380), from the family of the House of Vlašim, was the second Archbishop of Prague (1364–1378). He was the uncle to his successor Jan of Jenštejn. Biography Early life It is not known when he was born. His father was Jan of Kamenice, the secretary of the King John of Bohemia. His brothers were Michael of Vlašim, Burgrave of Svojanov, and Pavel of Vlašim and Jenštejn, Grand Chamberlain. Bishop As of 1351, Jan Očko was the Bishop of Olomouc. His coat of arms was that of bishop and silver two Vulture heads gules (common with of Vlašim and Jenštejn). At that time, he became an advisor to Charles IV. He later accompanied Charles IV on his way to Italy in 1355. On 12 July 1364, he became the Archbishop of Prague, succeeding the dead Arnošt of Pardubice. In 1368, he was regent of the Kingdom of Bohemia. He consecrated the Church of Saint Thomas in Brno (13 March 1356) and the Emmaus monastery in P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baroque Architecture
Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to combat the Reformation and the Protestantism, Protestant church with a new architecture that inspired surprise and awe. It reached its peak in the High Baroque (1625–1675), when it was used in churches and palaces in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Bavaria and Austria. In the Late Baroque period (1675–1750), it reached as far as Russia, the Ottoman Baroque architecture, Ottoman Empire and the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Spanish and Portuguese colonization of the Americas, Portuguese colonies in Latin America. In about 1730, an even more elaborately decorative variant called Rococo appeared and flourished in Central Europe. Baroque architects took the basic elements of Renaissance architecture, including domes and colonnades, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vladislaus II, Duke And King Of Bohemia
Vladislav ( (', '); , ; Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, sh-Cyrl, Владислав, ) is a male given name of Slavic origin. Variations include ''Volodislav'', ''Vlastislav'' and ''Vlaslav''. In the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia, the common variation is Ladislav. Outside of Slavic and Eastern Romance countries, it is sometimes latinized as either ''Vladislaus'' or ''Vladislas''. Spanish forms include '' Ladislao'' and ''Uladislao''. The Portuguese and Romanian forms are ''Ladislau''. The Hungarian form is László. In Russian-speaking countries, it is usually colloquially shortened to either ''Vlad'' (Влад) or ''Vladik'' (Владик). The feminine form of the name Vladislav is Vladislava or, in Polish spelling, ''Władysława''. Origin The name Vladislav literally means 'one who owns a glory', or simply 'famous'. It is a composite name derived from two Slavic roots: ''Vlad-'', meaning either 'to own' (Ukrainian ''volodity'' [] means 'to own ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
