The Time Machine at St. George's

There are few places in the Czech Lands as sacred as St. George's Basilica at Prague Castle. It is one of the oldest churches in our country, a burial site of the rulers from Premyslid dynasty, the pearl of Prague Castle.

It is well worth taking a tour of this beautiful building, let alone having a chance to see it while listening to the magnificent music of Händel, Mozart or Vivaldi.

One you have dealt with the Sauron's guard at the entrance to the Castle - by the way, it is better to come here through the entrance at the bottom of the Castle - the gate “Na Opyši”, by climbing the Old Castle Stairs, since it is not so strongly defended - all the inconvenience ends. You can muse in peace in front of the basilica, listening to the artists inside tuning their instruments and, in avid anticipation, tune in to the experience to come.

You might have had a fight with your partner today, you may prefer the idea of an evening spent watching the Champions League, you may be tired after all day at work, the trick is - when you step inside, you enter a living battery, a space full of energy accumulated here over centuries, which could "recharge" you just as it is. But then, the musicians begin to release sounds which come like a dose of life-giving flow, and you forget everything, at least for a moment.

Before you realize it, the tunes will resonate with the sublime in you. Some parts will sound familiar, others will be unknown to you, but on the whole, the composition of the concert is tailor-made to suit even those who consider a classical music event a rather occasional treat. It is actually a selection of classical pop music, as our ancestors perceived it centuries ago. And it only takes a few minutes to forget that you came here on a crowded bus delayed by a traffic jam. Your heart is no longer pounding because you had just run up the stairs, but because you are a witness to the beauty of the civilisation in a jewel of Romanesque architecture. Suddenly, the World and the Universe are in perfect balance. With the violin, viola, cello, harpsichord and double bass, you will find yourself in the time machine. Close your eyes and choose a century by the piece of music just being played.

But this is only the start. After Händel and Mozart, there comes a moment of silence. Then a man with raven hair and a violin appears on the stage like an otherworldly messenger. This may be the feeling you will get, when he tunes up his instrument, nods, leans slightly forward, places the bow on the string, and begins to play the Four Seasons. The probably most famous piece of classical music is a true work of genius, especially for those who will opt for this music genre on occasion. Our first violinist´s vivacious rendition of this classical “smash hit” will only make the experience more intense. By now, you are swallowed by a whirlpool of tones and you swim in a crystal-clear stream of music. When you come out, you will feel like reborn. The “Cynical You” at the entrance of the church has now turned into a new “Lyrical You” as you leave, at least for some time, before the daily routine kicks in. Nonetheless, you will cherish this experience deep in the corner of your soul and know that if you have a chance, you will not miss it and return to be part of it again.