Jon Searles' photos with the keyword: petrin

The Lanova Draha, or Funicular Railway, in Prague is one of the wonders of the city, and its ridership has always consisted mostly of tourists. Nevertheless, it's a green and easy way to get from Ujezd to Petrin without climbing the hill. Great for lazy...well...tourists. :-) It's also great for railway enthusiasts. It looks new, of course, but this is because it was thoroughly rebuilt in the 1980s, and so the track, tram cars (trains?), and stations are all new, with the notable exception of the Ujezd station, which is original. The original Ujezd station, and the original Lanova Draha, were built in 1891 for the same exposition that the Petrin watchtower was built for. It has since been rebuilt several times, and actually this latest restoration, surprisingly before the end of Communism, is one of the most successful, as the various rebuilds have been required by the whole system's falling apart again and again.

The Petrin Watchtower was built for the same 1891 exhibition that the Lanova Draha was built for, and indeed the Lanova Draha is the most convenient way to access it from the city centre of Prague. It was based on the Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) of a few years before, and the resemblence is striking. This is one of my best all-time night shots, I think, although that mysterious light to the right of the tower isn't all mystery. One could say it's nothing but a distraction. I'm not sure, but I think it was an aircraft that happened to be there at an inconvenient time.

Although my first Petrin shot (actually the second, as these are in reverse chronological order) is one of my best all-time night shots, I would venture to say that this one is even better. There aren't any distractions in this one, and the exposure is a lot better, I think.

Here's a somewhat unusual view of the Mala Strana, seen from the south end of Cechuv Most (Cechuv Bridge). Notice the Petrin watchtower on Petrin Hill, to the left, and of course the Hradcany to the right.

The Strahovsky Klaster was built in 1120, but didn't become a officially a Monastery until 1143. It has survived ever since, in spite of many adverse conditions such as the Hussite Wars and Communism, and is now also a must-see for tourists. If nothing else, the view of Prague from Strahov, especially from the Petrin Watchtower, is worth a look.

Continuing in reverse chronological order from my night shots of Petrin, here's a day shot. :-)

This is the shot which inspired Picture 1, but as you can see, getting a picture is much more difficult when the trees and the wall are in the way.

This is one of my only successful photos taken inside the funicular railway station at Ujezd. I got it using my Lomo 135BC, but with the help of my Gossen Polysix light meter, since the Lomo doesn't have any specified settings for indoor shooting.