Prague

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, the biggest, oldest and the most important city, the seat of the President, government and parliament.Prague is the political, cultural and economic centre of the country. Prague is lying in the heart of Europe. Others call it „hundred-towered Prague“ It spreads out on both banks of the river Vltava in the centre of Bohemia. It covers an area of almost 500 km2 and it has 1,2 million inhabitants.The whole city consists of 10 administrative districts.The oldest parts are the Old Town, The Lesser Town, the New Town, Josefov, Hradčany and Vyšehrad.
The oldest settlement of this area goes back to the Stone Age but the Slavs came to the Prague valley in the 6th century. In the 9th century Prince Bořivoj founded a castle on a headland above the Vltava valley and it became the seat of princes of the Přemyslid dynasty. In the 10th century another castle, Vyšehrad , was built and it became temporality a seat of the Přemyslid Princes too. Prague became the imperial residence of Charles IV. And during his reign it flourished and grew. Charles IV. Established an Archbishopric (1344), foundedCharles University (1348) and The New Town, and promoted the construction of Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral.In the 15th century Prague was the centre of the Hussite movement. At the end of the 16th century Prague regained its cosmopolitan character again when it became the seat of Rudolph II., who invited artists and scientists there (Tycho de Brahe, Johannes Kepler). On November 8, 1620 the Czech estates rose up against the Habsburgs and were defeated in the Battle of the White Mountain. A few months later, in 1621, 27 representatives of the uprising were executed in the Old Town Square.The Thirty Years War, re-catholicization and germanization followed. At the end of the 18th century it became the centre of Czech cultural life when Czech scholars and writers began the process of national revival. In 1918 Prague was the capital of the independent Czechoslovak Republic again. In 1939 it was occupied by German troops and in 1942 severely persecuted after the assassination of the Nazi deputy protector Reinhardt Heydrich. After the Prague Uprising against the fascists the town was liberated by the Russians on 9th May, 1945. The August occupation of Prague in 1968 stopped the democratic reforms in the country and began the process of „normalization“.

On 17th November, 1989, The Velvet Revolution began democratic changes in our society. The whole processcontinued with the splitting of former federal Czechoslovakia into two independent states and thus, on 1st January, 1993, Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic.
Without any doubt, the Prague Castle, the seat of the President, is the dominant of the city. Prague Castle, probably the city’s best known sight, is over thousand years old. It was founded in the 9th century, then rebuilt and extended many times. It was residence of Czech kings and now is it the residence of Czech president. The most impressive building at the Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral. It was founded by Charles IV., it was built in gothic style, and it was completed in 1929. In the cathedral are kept the bohemian crown jewels. The present cathedral is the result of the work of two famous architects, Matthias of Arras and Petr Parléř. Other interesting parts of Prague Castle include the Old Royal Palace with its huge Vladislav Hall, still used for official ceremonies, the Basilica of St.George, Schwarzenberg Palace, the Archibishop’s Palace,Sternberg Palace-the seat of National Gallery-, Černín Palace-now the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Loretto complex, a fine Romanesque church,and the Golden Lane. In the castle gardens we can admire the Royal Summer Palace Belvedere and the Singing Fountain.
In the neighbourhood of the Castle on Petřín Hill overlooking the Lesser Town the Strahov Monastery is located. Founded in the 12th century, it is now a Museum of Czech Literature. Nearby the Petřín Observation Tower can be found. It was built for the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891 as a free copy of the Eiffel Tower. Along Neruda Street we can go from the Castle to the Lesser Town below. The Lesser Town is a poetic quarter with picturesque crooked streets, stylish taverns, ancient houses and palaces and romantic gardens. The famous building in the Lesser Town is St.Nicholas Church, which is built in baroque style by brothers Dienzenhofer. From the Lesser Town we can easily get to Charles Bridge over the river Vltava. It is the oldest (14th century) bridge and most charming of the many Prague briges. Charles Bridge is built in Gothic style, it is 520 m long and is decorated with 30 statues, which are made in Baroque style ( some of them by M. B. Brown and J. M.

Brokoff).
Along Charles Street we can get to the Old Town Square, the centre of the Old Town.It is after the Castle the most popular place in town.The centre of this is a monument of John Hus.The best known building in the square is the Old Town Hall with astronomical clock with twelve Apostles, a skeleton and a cockerel. In front of the Old Town Hall were executed 27 representatives of the anti-Habsburg uprising. The visual dominant of the Square is the Týn church where was buried in 1601 Tycho de Brahe.
We couldn’t forget to the Jewish Town with the Jewish community originated in Prague. Now there is only a few synagogues (for example-Old-New Synagogue) and the cemetery. The other street, Celetná St. leads to the Powder Tower and in the end of this street is the Municipal House. There are held concerts of the Prague Spring Music Festival and balls.
The Wenceslas Square is a 750 m long boulevard lined with banks, department stores, boutiques, shops, hotels, restaurants, cafés, theatres and cinemas. The upper end of the square is closed by the Neo-Renaissance building of the National Museum. In the upper part of the square stands the St. Wenceslas Memorial, it is a statue of Prince Wenceslas by J. V. Myslbek and a favorite meeting place of tourists. From the bottom of the Square we can go along Národní Street to the river Vltava. There is situated the National Theatre. Along the river we come to Vyšehrad, once the seat of Czech Princes. Now only a few remains of the castle have been preserved on the rock. The oldest costruction on Vyšehrad and in the whole Prague is the Rotunda of St. Martin, built in the 11st century. There is also the Slavín Cemetery, the burial place of famous personalities of our cultural and political life. Apart from the important institutions, charming places, houses and museums, is there also the Charles Univerzity, the oldest university in Central and Eastern Europe and the House of Artists (Rudolfinum).
But Prague is not only a historical city, it bustles with everyday life. It is an important road, rail, air (Ruzyně Airport) and river transport junction. Prague also has a dense network of local transport which includes trams, buses and newly built underground (1974), called the metro.
There are many industries in Prague too. The most importantkinds of industry are the engineering, food industry, textile, chemical, printing and film industries.
We can really say, Prague is the most interesting and beautiful city in our state. Maybe one of the most interesting and beautiful places in Europe.