Symbols

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I worked just around the corner from this door for 7 years and it was only after I quit that job that I noticed this door!! OK, to be fair to myself, I wasn't as 'into' doors at that time AND that street is really narrow so those many times that I walked by it, I had my head tucked down or was watching for traffic. What is important is that I did finally see it!! This is some kind of a side door to what is now a bank, though I think it was always a bank OR it was an insurance company. Either way, the building this door is on is located on a corner, therefore it is on two streets...this narrow street and a larger street. On the larger street side, this building is an absolute beauty!!! I looked at this building A LOT because it is just so incredible...perhaps for this reason I never noticed this door, but considering that the main side of this building is so beautiful, it isn't at all surprising that this door is.

There are many elements in the frame which carry a great deal of symbolism. Unfortunately, I do not know who's head is depicted at the top center of the arch...surely he was someone important (and maybe will always be), but I don't know who he is. On the other hand, the two babies very likely symbolise innocence and natural simplicity (according to a dictionary of symbols), while the vases symbolise not only the elexir of life but, because they are open at the top, openness to celestial influences. The eagle (or, in this case, eagles) is an often-used and very strong symbol which is often shown in the presence of gods or great men/heros.

In the wrought-iron work, there is a lion with a double tail - this is a famous and long-used Czech symbol that originated in the 13th century when the country had two kings and consisted of two parts - Czechia and Moravia - to symbolise this dual and combined sovereignty, the lion's tail was split into two. Today the symbol of the lion with the split tail is used in a multitude of places and ways, including on the country's coins and paper money.

Now, as for my personal analysis of this door! The door itself, though cold and uninviting, is still pretty with it's delicate decorations consisting of flowers, bands, and a delicate repeating border. I find the diamond-shaped sneak-a-peek window charming and the discrete mail slot endearing! I like the eagles in the arch and appreciate how they are not mirrors of each other, but unique in both the positioning of their wings and their feet. The wrought-iron work is admirable, but I don't think I will ever understand the practice of putting the strange dwarf-like faces in the designs...what could that mean?

Sad, but there may be hope!!

OK, this door looks rather sad and lacking in love, but I was looking closer at it and noticed that in the top right corner there is a building permit sign..Perhaps I just need to go back and pay a visit to this door. I just might find that it has been renovated...had a door face-lift!! Until I can do this, I'll let you admire the door's frame which is simple, yet inviting especially with the sweet face above it. The door itself is nice with it's interesting shaped window and the wrought-iron work over them. I especially like the window over the door...it's shape and the other decorations around it. The only REALLY sad part of this door is that horrendous handle!!! Let's hope this door has finished it's door spa treatment and is now repaired and lovely!! I'll let you know what I find if I get over to this door's neighborhood.

Fantasy and Beauty

When I look at this door, it makes me think of a children's story; a fairy tale about a modest king. I seriously doubt that a modest king lives behind this door, but there is a modest king that lives above it. And there above him is his coat of arms to show what his lineage is...if you are familiar with coats of arms! This door and frame is all rather fun and fantasy filled...even the king's hair (or is that a sort of hat?) is all curly-cues!!

But let's get to the important part here...the door...well, in this case we have the wrought-iron gate which is lovely and effective. The flowing lines of the gate are gentle and easy-going, but they don't let you forget the gate's function. We see the gate a second time in the door's reflection and it repeats elements that render it so endearing. The door itself, is unfortunately lost in the dark depths of the foyer, but I am so mesmerized by the 'show' in front of it that I can't believe that the door itself is anything but lovely as well. It need not be too complicated since the show is (and our eyes are) centered on the wrought-iron gate that protects the door!!

Ladies in Waiting

I don't know why, but I saw this door and the two naked ladies sitting there above it and I thought: 'what on earth are they waiting for?' The way they are sitting there under a sort of eve, makes it look as if they are waiting for the rain to stop, but surely at some time during the last 90 years the rain has stopped long enough for them to hop down and run home, or put on a dress or do whatever they set out to do when they left home.

You know, if I was one of those ladies, I would have hopped down from that roost a long time ago...at least to go take a look at the door below or to smack upside the head whoever it was that put the stickers on the windows and installed such an eyesore of a handle! (Note: the handle was so ugly I didn't even bother to take a close-up photo of it...absolute rubbish!!) I must say though that the rest of the door and especially the windows are fabulous. Granted, there is a bit of wear and tear to the door and it is in need of a cleaning and a coat of varnish, but the beveled glass that makes up the patchwork of windows is spectacular and the three etched windows above the door are endearing.

Lovely, but it makes my teeth hurt!

What do you think? Nice door? Yeah, I think so too, so when I came across it I started taking pictures of it from a distance (the doors here ARE big - tall - so a certain distance is always necessary when photographing them or else you're bound to chop something off). It was only when I got closer to it that my smile turned to a grin...Here is why:

I can't help but 'feel' for this poor guy. Seriously, can you imagine having a door grate across your teeth all day long? The idea is hilarious, but the look on this guy's face isn't so funny so just looking at him makes my teeth ache. Poor guy!! And you can see that his neighbour above is giving him NO sympathy!

At least he doesn't have to be ashamed about the door's accessories...the round handles are really nice and the functioning door handle is also not bad!

Sad Door Saturday

Another Sad Door Saturday, but unlike last week's door and the week before that, this door isn't so sad looking (though if I caught the delinquents that 'saddened' this door THEY would be sad!!). This door has many happy elements including the repeating motif across the door's top and bottom; the uniquely-shaped windows; the diamond-shaped window panes above the door; and the really nice frame which not only has a repeating floral motif, but two ladies heads there on each side of the door just waiting to welcome everyone who passes by (too bad they don't have the power to fight off the people who saddened this door!). This slightly sad door deserves to be happy again AND some respect...and maybe a new and more interesting handle!!

The Elusive Door

Finding a pretty door in Prague is not a challenge...the challenge is photographing one when you do find it. This beautiful door and frame is located right next to a great little cafe I go to often, but I can tell you that of the dozens of times I have been to the cafe, I was there only once when a car wasn't parked in front of this door...that was the day I took this picture!!

This massive door and it's gigantic frame is awe-inspiring. The sculptures of the men are more than life-size and they are so real-like that you almost get a headache/backache because the men look so real you can nearly feel them straining to carry all that weight on their heads and shoulders!! The woodwork on the door (see below) and the stone work on the frame (click on the picture to see a larger version of it) is absolutely incredible. I highly recommend visiting this door if ever you are in Prague.

Below is a close-up of the original door handles, which by the way, were approximately at the height of my head...and I am not that short!. Note: you can see in the above picture that some daft person installed a new and extremely ugly aluminum handle below the original handles. Duh.