‍I’ve visited a number of countries through the years, some for work and some on leisure travel with my wife since I retired.

‍I enjoy seeing — and photographing — the sights and sites, some touristy, some historic (or simply old), and some just visually interesting.

‍During our travels through Europe, we’ve seen many — and I do mean MANY — centuries-old churches. Every small town has a large, ancient church with a bell tower that rises far above other structures in the community. It has helped me better understand all the World War I and World War II movies I’ve seen where there is always a sniper in the bell tower. Every town had one, and it’s always the highest position, which makes it a valuable and strategic location for forces seeking to control an area.

‍When visiting church after church after church during our travels, the architecture starts looking the same: soaring, often arched ceilings supported by towering columns.

‍But from a photography standpoint, each church is a treasure. Most are illuminated by daylight streaming through windows, bathing the architectural details with soft light and shadows.

‍I can’t remember which church had what feature, but I have photos of everything.

‍This photo shows visitors standing in a towering exterior corridor in St. Barbara's Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, about 40 miles east of Prague. When I was looking at this scene through my camera’s viewfinder, I liked how the lone couple helped illustrate the massive size of the corridor.

‍St. Barbara's Cathedral is one of the most famous Gothic churches in central Europe and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Construction began on the cathedral in 1388.

‍The area that became Kutná Hora has been populated since before the 1st century BC. The town itself began in 1142 and was built around silver mines in the area (note that St. Barbara is the patron saint of miners, so the name of the cathedral is appropriate for a town whose existence is based upon its silver mines). The mines played out and were abandoned late in the 18th century.

‍Centuries ago, Kutná Hora rivaled Prague economically, culturally, and politically. Today, it is a quaint, beautiful village of 21,000 people.

‍We made a day trip to Kutná Hora in 2022 during our four-day stay in Prague before boarding a Viking River cruise into Germany on the Elbe River. We really enjoyed the Czech Republic, and — more specifically — Prague.

‍Prague is vibrant, attractive, and clean. And it’s also what I call a target-rich area for photography (a plethora of interesting things to photograph), something I enjoy. The food is excellent.

‍And the city is incredibly affordable, something important from a travel standpoint.

‍For instance, my wife and I joined two friends for dinner at a very nice restaurant a few blocks from Prague’s Old Town. My wife and I had appetizers, salad or soup, entrees, desserts, and drinks. The food and service were excellent. The check for the two of us came to almost 1000 Czech Koruna … or about $43. 

‍I’d go back.