Waiting for Glory

If you take a walk around Prague, anywhere around the center, you will very probably come across one, if not several, buildings from the art nouveau period. Some of these buildings have been restored to impeccable beauty while others are waiting their turn to be brought back to their original glory. The building that owns this door is across the street from the Parliament Building so one would assume that it would be admired and respected, but helas such is not the case. Granted, the door is not in a state of decadence, but it isn't glowing in the glory of it's beauty either.

There are some very lovely details such as the sculptures over the door, the lamp, the leafy arch, the beautiful shape of the window over the door, the various elements on door which despite being simple, complete the overall look and feel of the ensemble.

Of course, the door's handle is the smallest detail that completes the art nouveau theme nicely. This is another door that I find truly beautiful...I do hope that one day it will be loved again and respected...and that someone will have the decency to at least move the garbage bins away from it!

Abandonned

Once upon a time, the man and woman standing over this door greeted many visitors daily to this grand turn-of-the-century building which housed the central post office for this part of Prague as well as the communications for much of the city. Now, the entire building lies empty and this door, which was once a main entrance, is shut and no one passes through it. Maybe one day people will once again use this warm, interesting door, but for now, it is there...alone...victim to the thoughtless, stupid acts of individuals who are unable to comprehend the value of something well-made and appreciable.

Though this is admittedly not from my favourite architectural period, I have to say in all fairness that I find all the elements of this door and its frame to be very agreeable..from the light fixtures above the door down to the round brass decorations on the door and, of course, the grills and the very simple, yet unique door handle.

Poor door, it needs to be loved...it wants to be loved...I do hope that one day again soon, it will find the love it deserves.

Colourful Door Monday

Yes, I know, it's almost Tuesday, but I'm sneaking in under the wire on this!!

This door isn't extraordinary, but I do like it...especially the colour. It is small and could even be considered an 'Emily' door...look how high up the handle is! I don't know, this just seems like a nice, happy little door...it would make me happy to come home to this every day.

Hello Pretty Blue Door!!

What??

From a distance, this door and it's arch and wrought-iron gate look really impressive and they are, but come in close and see some of the details that you might have missed when looking at the big picture...

A chain to keep the gate closed?

Two door handles (one old, one new)...is this a joke or what?!

But beyond those details, I do have to say that there are some nice things about this door. The lion's head carving is nice...

...as is the wrought-iron work that makes the gate...

...and the symbolism...a baby's head!!

The door itself is also interesting, but with all that is going on in front of it, it's a bit hard to focus just on the door!! It, too has a lot of style and the windows in it are quite interesting...just imagine how all of this would look if someone took the time to clean, repair and paint all of it. Wow!!

Stone Cold

I think this door and it's frame have a certain beauty and merit being discussed. The huge door is really very nice, but honestly, the ensemble leaves me a bit cold. No, I don't want to say I don't like this door, I guess I just feel a bit chilly when I look at it. Even though there are several figures and faces around this door, I just can't seem to find any warmth or cheerfulness when I look at it. Odd that I have this impression of the door because each element does have charm. Perhaps it is I that is the odd one..yes, this is quite possible!

A Clever Door

This door is pretty, but not drop-dead gorgeous...it's loved, but not spoiled...it has a beautiful handle (see the last photo below) and lovely woodwork (see below). But what about all this makes it clever?

Look at the triangle over the door...see that line down the center of it? That is where the big doors separate so that a truck can pass through what looks to be a small door. Clever, huh?!

Colourful Door Monday

Again, a door that has seen happier days, but I still find it a happy door...just look at the decorative elements...flowers!! Flowers always make me happy! And this is a nice green colour, too. So, consider this a happy door to start off a happy week!

Sunday Door

This church to which this door belongs is located on a small but very busy street where the trolley-bus' go by almost constantly. Actually, getting this picture meant standing in the middle of traffic (literally!) and waiting for an opening! This big, incredible door deserves better, but what can I do? A passing glimpse of it from the trolley-bus is perhaps better than nothing at all...but still. The door has a lovely, generous door handle, but I just can't imagine anyone actually using it given the fact that it is so hard to access which leads me to believe that it is a side entrance...I'll just have to go back and find the front entrance! Here, I've given you the chance to see what you would only see in passing were you to take, for example, tram 22 from Malostranske Namesti.

For more information about the church and a virtual tour from its tower, see here.

Sad Door Saturday

This poor door has surely seen better days. Despite the graphitti and the ugly door handle, I think the situation is reversible, don't you? If this door was given a few days of some serious TLC, I believe it could once again be a beautiful and even spectacular-looking door!!

Unique - and worthy of more than a glance

Several months ago I think I mentioned in one of my blogs something about not wanting to 'spoil' you with only fabulous doors. Sure, you would like this, but I think it is necessary to appreciate even doors that at first glance appear less fabulous than others. My 'job' is to help you appreciate those doors. Today's door needs appreciation (in more ways than one!)...you might not give it a second glance if you walked by it, but I think you should and here is why. It has wonderful round windows both on the doors and above the doors and it has interesting, unique-shaped windows around the round window above the door. It also has a great face (albeit a little scarey!) over the door and some nice wrought-iron work in the circle windows on the doors.

Sure, there are bits of paper stuck to the door here and there, but those are not the fault of the door, but of heartless people. Forgive the door for those bits and admire it for the parts that it can own up to!! Now, aren't you glad you stopped to appreciate this door with me?

Oh yeah, forgive the door for its cheap, ugly handle...that was once again the work of a heartless (and uncreative) person.

Theatre Tuesday

For a door to a theatre (divadlo), this is not terribly exciting, but you do have to admit that this door is not only of a nice, rich-coloured wood, but it is well-loved. Behind this door is a small theatre that is loved by many, especially those who are fans of Jara Cimrman.

It also has a nice handle...which, ironically, in Czech if you say that you 'have a handle' (mate klicku), it means 'you are lucky'! I'll let you think about that and come to your own conclusions!

Church Door Sunday

When one has the good luck of finding a church's doors open, they have the opposite luck of getting a good picture of those doors. This is the Church of Our Lady Under the Chain (click on this link for a fabulous virtual tour from the top of the church)/ Eglise Notre Dame sous la Chaine / Kostel Panny Marie pod retezem in the Mala Strana quarter of Prague. When I arrived at the doors of this church, I was happy to find them open as it offered me a glimpse of the inside and, even better, a chance to take a couple of pictures through the old warped glass of the inner doors.

What I found especially enjoyable - given my love of door handles and accessories - were these beautiful and very unique handles!

The door to the church might seem surprisingly fragile (large multi-paned glass window and wood), but you must understand that this church is located within a locked and gated courtyard so it was not necessary to have a strong metal door like you have seen on some of the other churches I have shown you (e.g. see here).

Refractive Friday

Though this poor door deserves far better than it has gotten, I must say that it does look good despite certain short-comings that are not its fault. What it does have is a nice handle, a beautiful collection of beveled windows that are like jewels and even an interestingly shaped window above the door. I have to say though that if this were my door, I would paint it a colour that would bring out its subtle yet valuable attributes. As it is, it is just looks dull and boring and has very little, other than the windows, to attract the regard of passersby. It goes pretty much without saying that once again (as we have seen many times here before), the graphitti on the door merits that severe action be taken by the SPCD* against the perpetrator! If only it were possible!!

*SPCD - the non-existent Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Doors

----------

The below, a close-up of the above door's windows, is my contribution to 'Weekend Reflections', a meme by James of Newtown Area Photo. For more information please see here. Note how the beveled glass refracts the light while also giving a different reflection.

The People's(?) Door

This door, or rather, this set of doors is at once cold and unforgiving and tactile and warm. How could this be? Well, of course this is my opinion so take it for what it is worth, but the metal is cold and not easily penetrated, but the brass that it is made of is, underneath the patina is a warm golden orange. In the area around the door's handle and other areas that are touched regularly, we can see how the door has remained (or become?) its original warm color due to the repetative act of hands reaching for the handle...even some of the screws have been rubbed to a glowing gold.

The scarfed head of a woman over the door and the two small children that flank her clearly make reference to work, or the work of the people.Think of those famous Russian propaganda posters of the scarfed woman working in the fields or in a factory. The symbolism of the child with the beehive refers the the way bees are diligent workers that work as part of a group or community. The other child holding a bundle of wood (?) again underlines the work theme showing the fruits of labour. To complete the working theme are the two sculptures of men on the terrace who are wearing working clothes and are holding materials of their trade which both seem to have to do with industry.

I find it interesting how the side view of the woman's head seems much friendlier and softer than the front view. From the front she seems very serious, but from the side, I don't get the same impression. What do you think?

Baaaaahhh!

It is impossible for me to say what this door has been through in its lifetime, but I would venture a guess that it has seen and lived some very interesting and also painful times (look at how many places the wood has been repaired). One thing I can say is that at present it is very loved. How do I know this? Well, look at it...it has been lovingly repaired, cleaned, sanded, varnished and kept looking beautiful...only a truly loved door knows that kind of care and attention. I have the impression that the lamb on the door is even smiling! Oh! Did I hear baaahhh!?