Valentine’s Tour: The Hidden Love Stories of Vyšehrad

autor: 07, Únor 2020Uncategorized

Young Woman Presents Follow Me To Pose in Prague Streets Free Photo

Did you know that there are places in Prague connected with St. Valentine? Indulge your romantic side this Valentine’s weekend. Come celebrate love with us on this afternoon walking tour…

… as we bring to life bygone tales of love.

This romance-filled walking tour is for anyone who is in love… or in love with love! If you’re enamoured with legendary love stories, past or present, this tour is for you.

Táborská brána na Vyšehradě je součástí vnějšího barokního opevnění Vyšehradu. Dříve byla ale také jednou ze vstupních bran do Prahy. (Foto: © Kristýna Maková, www.PrahaKrizemKrazem.cz)

Táborská brána, entrance gate to the Vyšehrad fortress from south (Photo: © Kristýna Maková, www.PrahaKrizemKrazem.cz)

What will we hear about on this tour?

  • When was the relic of St. Valentine found in Vyšehrad, and how did it come to be there?
  • Who was St. Valentine and what legendary tales are associated with him?
  • What story is associated with the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene in Vyšehrad? And what was St. Mary Magdalene’s love story?
  • What’s the connection between Charles IV’s daughter and the feast of St. Valentine?
  • What tales of myth and legend, and real-life stories, hide within the walls of Vyšehrad?
  • How many wives had Vratislav, the first King of Bohemia? And what role did marriage politics play in the Middle Ages?
  • What are the love stories of the legendary princes of Bohemia?

Valentine’s Day as we know it today is an American export. But what if the feast of St. Valentine had Czech origins? And what’s the connection with Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV? One little known piece of history will change the way you look at Valentine’s Day

Foto: Kristýna Maková

Princess Libuše and her husband Přemysl, the Ploughman. Sculpture group created by Josef Václav Myslbek (Photo: © Kristýna Maková, www.PrahaKrizemKrazem.cz)

Did you know the tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day more than likely began with the marriage of the real-life daughter of a Bohemian king? Well, technically her father was Holy Roman Emperor. It may sound like the stuff of myth and legend, but it’s a true story. The story of Anne of Bohemia, or Good Queen Anne as her English subjects called her.

Only much later on did the feast of St. Valentine make its way to America, where it took on a very different form that subsequently spread around the world. But we’re going to hear about what happened in the 14th century.

The earliest valentine that we have a record of today was sent five years before Christopher Columbus anchored on American shores. But we don’t know how long the custom had been observed prior to that. When the first ever valentine was sent remains a mystery.

Skipping ahead to the 19th century, the feast of St. Valentine was first commercialised in 1847, when Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, started distributing and selling Valentine’s Day cards. She was inspired by a valentine she’d been sent from England. The story goes she made her fortune on the idea. Meanwhile she had brought St. Valentine and his feast day back into fashion.

Come experience these stories on our walking tour!

The price of the tour is final, and includes all and any entrance fees to sites as applicable. We reserve the right to change the tour times and itinerary. 

The tour can only be booked online and in advance. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at info@prahakrizemkrazem.cz. I look forward to seeing you on the tour! Kristýna Maková

See our Facebook event page for the latest updates on this tour: https://www.facebook.com/events/1358174797724629/

Date of tour:

Price:

570 CZK per person

Group size:

  • This tour is limited to 20 guests. The minimum number of guests is 12.

Tour organiser:

Kristýna Maková

Tour guide:

Judita Peschlová & Kristýna Maková

Tour Language:

English

Your place on the tour is only secured once you have booked online. If you are unable to come on the day, you can send someone else to take your place. We can accept cancellations at the latest 3 days (72 hours) before the tour; any later than this, the cancellation fee is 100% of your payment.

In the event that the date of the tour is changed or cancelled, only guests with confirmed bookings will be notified.

Photo for illustrative purposes: Viktor Hanacek, PicJumbo

Book guided tour on-line:

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