PRAGUE MAIN STATION (PRAGUE)

Trip back in time to art nouveau scene

Photos by Yomiuri Shimbun Photographer Eishi Miyasaka

By Katsuo Kokaji

Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Visitors travel back to a time of intricate architecture when they enter Prague Main Station's glass doors.

After walking through a modern station lobby, they are greeted by a dome ceiling, glittering in gold, and elaborately decorated walls. Faces of angels look down on the travelers from above, where beautiful human forms loll.

The station holds the designs of two ages — modern style and art nouveau. Through the station's glass doors, visitors encounter its 19th century form, which houses a cafe.

The station house features two architectural styles — an area decorated with art nouveau that dates back to the start of the 20th century, preserved through the efforts of a campaign, and a modern lobby from 1973, built during socialism's reign.

"Old buildings have souls. This one is connected with the city of Prague through its soul," said Stanislav Cermak, a 48-year-old sculptor who was enjoying afternoon tea in the cafe.

Outside the station house, a huge brick chamber with a tower and tiled roof features similar faces, many more faces.

The faces depict the beauty and variety of humanity in the world, demonstrative of a decorative style common in Prague. The atmosphere created by these faces in the station house and city feels as though it is assuring observers of the existence of the soul.

There are many fan clubs for railroad lines in Czech Republic, which in Japan would be equivalent to establishing fan clubs for such lines as the Joban Line or Yamanote Line.

According to Jan Jungmann, the 40-year-old curator of the City of Prague Museum, there have been cases in which fan clubs continue to exist even after the lines are closed. "We have a private railroad company that is operated by a fan club. Czechs love railroad lines," he said.

Jungmann also is a fan. He takes the same line every weekend to travel to Slovakia. "I travel to the Tatra Mountains. It takes about 8-1/2 hours," he said,

He does not mind the pain that comes from sitting for a such long time because he is able to enjoy such excellent views from the train's windows, featuring countryside sceneries of forests and mountains.

"You can't enjoy the view and drink beer while driving a car. I sometimes travel to Romania by train," Jungmann said.