Prague is the city in west central Czech Republic and it is the capital of the country. Prague is located in the central Bohemia region, situated on both sides of the Vltava River. The largest city in the Czech Republic, Prague is the chief commercial and industrial centre and the cultural capital of the country. Primary manufactures here are machine tools, electrical machinery, automobiles, chemicals, textiles, clothing, leather goods, food and alcoholic beverages, and glassware. The city is also the main centre of book publishing in the country. Educational institutions in Prague include Charles University (1348), the oldest university in central Europe, and the Technical University of Prague (1707). The city also has many art, music, and professional schools, as well as museums, libraries, and theatres. With the fall of Communism, Prague has become a popular tourist destination, bolstering the city's economy.
One of the most picturesque cities in Europe, Prague is sometimes called the city of one hundred spires. It was built in a broad valley paralleling the banks of the Vltava River and on the surrounding hills. The river is spanned by many bridges, of which the most famous is the Charles Bridge, built in the 14th century and later embellished with statues of saints. The eastern bank of the river is the site of the Old Town, dating from the 13th century, and the New Town, built about a century later. In the Old Town, traversed by crooked streets and containing architectural relics of Bohemian grandeur, is the 14th-century Tyn Cathedral, a centre of the religious revolt of the Hussites. The section also contains the University of Prague; Staroměstská Town hall, the 14th-century town hall; and the Municipal House. The New Town, primarily a commercial and industrial section, encompasses many public buildings, museums, and banks. On the western side of the river is the part of the city called the Lesser Town, with a number of baroque palaces. Above this section and dominating the entire city is Hradčany with Prague Castle; formerly the residence of the kings of Bohemia, it is now the residence of the president of the Czech Republic. Next to this vast structure is the Gothic-style Cathedral of Saint Vitus, which contains the tombs of many Bohemian kings.
The settlement of Prague dates from the 9th century, when it served as the site for several Bohemian castles.