Prachatice

The town of Prachatice dates from the 11th century. Its location on the Golden Path, an important salt trade route beginning in Passau, Bavaria, and a 13th century grant that gave it sole rights to buy and store the salt provided its prosperity initially. Over the years it was ransacked, plundered and burned, and sold from one powerful family to another. Today it is supported by machine engineering, electrotechnical companies, and timber processing. It is the birthplace of John Nepomuk Neumann (1811-1860), the first American bishop to be canonized.

This signpost is in the town square. A building dating to 1649.

This gallery on the square is decorated with faux stone, painted.

The most amazing buildings in the square are decorated in the sgraffito technique. This storefront is a good example of the delicacy of some of the work.

One side of the square houses the old and new city buildings, a combination of warm stone and gray sgraffito.

The building on the left has a painted stucco front and intricate sgraffito on the side. Lloyd likes the dormers; he says they look like sleepy eyes.

This is what's around the corner -- an elephant!

We stayed in the Hotel Koruna (Crown) in Prachatice. Lloyd and George are parking the car to unload our suitcases. The hotel is tucked away on a little side alley off the square.

This is the alley beyond the front door.

The pub in the hotel. Great inspiration for minis.