How 12 Study Abroad Art Classes in Prague Changed My Life
Before studying abroad in Prague, I had no interest in any form of architecture or art. If you would have told me that I would now willingly go and pay for an art museum, I would have thought you were insane. But a four-week class, only spanning 38 hours total, can really change you.
Parliament of the Czech Republic in Prague. Almost every building in Prague has some form of architecture or artwork that was created many years ago; this picture shows how something does not have to be colorful to be beautiful.
One of the classes I took in Prague was “Art and Architecture of the Golden City.” The main reason I took it was to get a humanities credit from my home school, but it ended up being my favorite class I have ever taken throughout college.
Špilberk Castle Bastion in Brno. Architecture can come in all forms, and one I enjoyed exploring the most is the hidden underground tunnels that have historical significance and intriguing architectural building techniques.
From day one, I was already interested in why there was so much engaging architecture in Prague, and the historical significance of the many statues scattered across the city.
St. Vitus Cathedral in the Prague Castle Complex. This over 100-meter tall cathedral was one of my first and favorite class trips in “Art and Architecture of the Golden City.”
The Spanish Synagogue in Prague. Coming to Prague, I knew there was lots to learn regarding my Jewish culture, but my favorite part was the actual art and architecture of the synagogues.
Every day, I would go on a field trip with my class to learn about a different architectural style or form of art. The most important thing I learned during these trips was not the actual content of the course, but how to appreciate what you are looking at. For example, the Powder Tower in may look like an old tall building from far away, but it actually has numerous statues and gold detailing which makes it a famous landmark.
The Powder Tower in Prague. This was one of the first pictures of architecture I took, not knowing I would soon write an essay about this building and stare at it in awe every day.
Troja Chateau in Prague. One of my favorite hidden art gems in Prague was Troja Chateau, a castle with an extremely large ballroom with all of the walls and ceiling fully painted.
When my class ended halfway through my study abroad program, I was sad that I did not have a personal guide around the city anymore, but I was happy because I had found a new passion with an unlimited amount of content to explore.
Český Krumlov Castle seen on one of my first day trips outside of Prague, where I immediately fell in love with the architecture of the castle structure.
I soon fell in love with day tripping to small towns because they had just as much beauty and architecture as Prague, including Karlovy Vary, which is a spa town with colorful houses lining all the streets.
Soon after the end of my class, I took trips to both Vienna and Slovenia as a solo traveler. Vienna is a city known for its art, so I was worried about whether I would enjoy the city when planning my travels before my study abroad experience. However, I now wish I had spent more time in Vienna as I could have stared at each piece of artwork for double the time that I did. I felt a spark in my brain that made me analyze each piece of artwork and look at all the different brush marks, textures, and colors.
"The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt in Vienna. My first realization of the impact of my class was visiting art museums in Vienna, an activity I was not excited about at first but ended up being my favorite part, especially the intricate details on the famous works of art.
In Slovenia, I decided to visit a castle which was mostly used as an art display, yet I loved it even more than the beautiful greenery outside.
Painting at Bled Castle in Bled, Slovenia. My last weekend trip was a solo trip to Slovenia, and instead of swimming all day which is what I would have done before taking “Art and Architecture of the Golden City,” I instead explored castles and felt a deep interest in anything related to art, even if it was just a random painting in the middle of the castle.
Traveling around Prague, the Czech Republic, and the surrounding countries taught me how to appreciate art and architecture in a way that I never would have thought to be interesting. My eight-week study abroad experience changed who I was as a person, but my four-week long art and architecture class changed my life forever.
This post was written by Emily Peisner, an Alumni Ambassador at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor who studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic.
