Prague (, (), see also other names), is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Its official name is Hlavní m?sto Praha, meaning Prague, the Capital City.

Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for over 1100 years. The city proper is home to more than 1.2 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million.^[1]

Prague is widely considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with preserved examples from all periods of history^[2] and is among the most visited cities on the continent.^[3] Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. According to Guinness World Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" (Praga mater urbium, or "Praha matka m?st" in Czech)", "city of a hundred spires" and "the golden city"^[4].

History

The history of Prague spans thousands of years, during which time the city grew from the Vy?ehrad Castle to the multicultural capital of a modern European state, the Czech Republic.

Ancient Prague

Prague seen from Spot Satellite

Vltava river

Charles Bridge.

King Vladislav II had a first bridge on the Vltava built in 1170, the Judith Bridge, which crumbled down in 1342. The Charles Bridge was later built on its foundations.

From the Charles Bridge.

The era of Charles IV

Prague Castle at night.

St. Vitus Cathedral.

During the reign of King Wenceslas IV (1378-1419), Jan Hus, a theologian and lector at the Charles University, preached in Prague. In 1402, he began giving sermons in the Bethlehem Chapel. Inspired by John Wycliffe, these sermons focused on reforming the Church. Having become too dangerous for the political and religious establishment, Hus was summoned to the Council of Constance, put on trial for heresy, and burned in Konstanz in 1415. Four years later Prague experienced its First Defenestration (the act of throwing someone out the window as a political protest - in this case, the city's councillors out the window of the New Town Hall), when the people rebelled under the command of the Prague priest Jan ?elivský. Hus' death, coupled with Czech proto-nationalism and proto-Protestantism, had spurred the so-called Hussite Wars. In 1420, peasant rebels, led by the general Jan ?i?ka, along with Hussite troops from Prague, defeated the Bohemian King Sigismund, in the Battle of Vítkov Hill.

In the following two centuries, Prague strengthened its role as a merchant city. Many noteworthy Gothic buildings were erected, including the Vladislav Hall of the Prague Castle.

The Habsburg era

In 1526, the Kingdom of Bohemia was handed over to the House of Habsburg: the fervent Catholicism of its members was to have grievous consequences in Bohemia, and then in Prague, where Protestant ideas were having instead increasing success. These problems were not preeminent under Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, elected King of Bohemia in 1576, who chose Prague as his home. He lived in the Prague Castle where he held his bizarre courts of astrologers, magicians, and other strange figures. Rudolf was an art lover too and Prague became the capital of European culture. This was a prosperous period for the city: famous people living there in that age include the astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johann Kepler, the painter Arcimboldo, the alchemists Edward Kelley and John Dee, the poetess Elizabeth Jane Weston, and others.

In 1618, the famous Defenestration of Prague provoked the Thirty Years' War. Ferdinand II of Habsburg was deposed, and his place as King of Bohemia taken by Frederick V, Elector Palatine. But the Czech army was crushed in the Battle of White Mountain (1620), not far from the city, and thenceforth Prague and Bohemia lived a harsh period in which religious tolerance was abolished and Catholic Counter-Reformation became dominant in every aspect of life. In 1621 there was an execution of 27 Czech lords (involved in the Battle of White Mountain) in the Old Town Square. The city suffered also under Saxon (1631) and Swedish (1648) occupation. Moreover, after the Peace of Westphalia of the latter year, Ferdinand moved the court to Vienna, and Prague began a steady decline which reduced the population from the 60,000 it had had in the years before the war to 20,000.

In 1689, a great fire devastated Prague, but this spurred a renovation and a rebuilding of the city. In 1713?1714, a major outbreak of plague hit Prague one last time. The economic rise continued through the following century, and the city in 1771 had 80,000 inhabitants. Many of these were rich merchants who, together with noblemen of German, Spanish and even Italian origin, enriched the city with a host of palaces, churches and gardens, creating a Baroque style renowned throughout the world. In 1784, under Joseph II, the four municipalities of Malá Strana, Nové M?sto, Staré M?sto and Hradcany were merged into a single entity. The Jewish district, called Josefov, was included only in 1850. The Industrial Revolution had a strong effect in Prague, as factories could take advantage of the coal mines and ironworks of the nearby region. A first suburb, Karlín, was created in 1817, and twenty years later population exceeded 100,000. The first railway connection was built in 1842.

The revolutions that shocked all Europe around 1848 touched Prague too, but they were fiercely suppressed. In the following years the Czech nationalist movement (opposed to another nationalist party, the German one) began its rise, until it gained the majority in the Town Council in 1861.

20th century

The Jerusalem Synagogue, built in 1905 to 1906 by Wilhelm Stiassny, of Bratislava, is the largest Jewish place of worship in Prague

1st Republic

article about First Republic of Czechoslovakia

World War I ended with the defeat of the Austrian Empire and the creation of Czechoslovakia. Prague was chosen as its capital and Prague Castle as the seat of president (Tomá? Masaryk). At this time Prague was a true European capital with a very developed industry. In 1930 the population had risen to a startling 850,000.

Second World War

article about the Occupation of Czechoslovakia

Hitler ordered Germany's army to enter Prague on 15 March 1939 and from Prague Castle proclaimed Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate. For most of its history Prague had been a multiethnic city with important Czech, German, and (mostly Czech- and/ or German-speaking) Jewish populations. From 1939, when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany, and during World War II, most Jews either fled the city or were killed in the Holocaust.

In 1942, Prague was witness to the assassination of one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany - Reinhard Heydrich (during Operation Anthropoid). Hitler ordered bloody reprisals. At the end of the war Prague suffered several bombing raids by the U.S. Air Force. Over 1000 people were killed and hundreds of buildings, factories and historical landmarks were destroyed (however the damage was small compared to the total destruction of many other cities in that time). Prague revolted against the Nazi occupants in 5 May 1945. Four days later the Soviet army entered the city. The majority of German population either fled or was expelled in the aftermath of the war.

Prague during the Cold War

Prague was a city in the territory of military and political control of the Soviet Union (see Iron Curtain). The 4th Czechoslovakian Writers' Congress held in the city in 1967 took a strong position against the regime. This spurred the new secretary of the Communist Party, Alexander Dub?ek to proclaim a new deal in his city's and country's life, starting the short-lived season of the "socialism with a human face". It was the Prague Spring, which aimed at the renovation of institutions in a democratic way. The Soviet Union and its allies reacted with the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the capital in August 1968 by 7,000 tanks, suppressing any attempt at renovation.

Packed with tourists on a busy summer day in Malá Strana (The Lesser Quarter), Prague

Era after the Velvet Revolution

In 1989, after riot police beat back a peaceful student demonstration, the Velvet Revolution crowded the streets of Prague and the Czech capital benefited greatly of the new mood. In 1993, after the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague became the capital city of the new Czech Republic. In the late 90's Prague became again an important cultural centre of Europe and was notably influenced by globalization. In 2000 anti-globalization protests in Prague (some 15,000 protesters) turned violent during the IMF and World Bank summits. In 2002 Prague suffered from widespread flooding.

Sights

The Astronomical Clock

Miluni? and Gehry's Dancing House

• Old Town (Staré M?sto) with its Old Town Square
• The Astronomical Clock
• The picturesque Charles Bridge
• The vaulted gothic Old New Synagogue of 1270.
• New Town (Nové m?sto) with its busy and historic Wenceslas Square
• Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter)
• Prague Castle (the largest castle in the world) with its St. Vitus Cathedral
• Josefov (the old Jewish quarter) with Old Jewish Cemetery and Old New Synagogue
• Jan ?i?ka equestrian statue in Vítkov park, ?i?kov - Prague 3.
• The Lennon Wall
• Vinohrady
• The museum of Heydrich assassination in the crypt of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius
• National Museum
• Vy?ehrad castle
• Pet?ínská rozhledna, an observation tower on Pet?ín hill, which resembles the Eiffel Tower
• And?l (neighborhood) which is probably the busiest part of the city with a super modern shopping mall and architecture
• ?i?kov Television Tower with observation deck - Prague 3.
• The New Jewish Cemetery in Ol?any, location of Franz Kafka's grave - Prague 3.
• The Metronome, a giant, functional metronome that looms over the city
• The Dancing House (Fred and Ginger Building)
• The Mucha Museum, showcasing the Art Nouveau works of Alfons Mucha
• Places connected to writers living in the city, such as Franz Kafka (One popular destination is the Franz Kafka museum)

Climate

Culture

Wenceslas Square and National Museum at night.

Significant cultural institutions:

• National Theatre
• Estates Theatre, premiere of Mozart's Don Giovanni was held there
• The Rudolfinum (home to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra)
• State Opera
• National Museum
• Náprstek Museum
• National Library
• National Gallery

There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. Prague hosts Music Festivals including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Prague Autumn International Music Festival and the Prague International Organ Festival. Film Festivals include the Febiofest, the One World and Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Prague also hosts the Prague Writers Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, the World Roma Festival as well as hundreds of Vernissages and Fashion Shows.

Many films have been made at the Barrandov Studios. Hollywood movies set in Prague include Mission Impossible, Blade II and xXx. Other Czech films shot in Prague include Empties and The Fifth Horseman is Fear. Also, the music video to "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" by Kanye West was shot in Prague, and features shots of the Charles Bridge and the Astronomical Clock, among others.

Prague restaurant Allegro received the 1st Michelin star in the whole Eastern Europe (post-communist Europe).

Economy

The GDP per capita of Prague is more than double that of the Czech Republic as a whole, with a per-capita GDP (PPP) of 33,784 (purchasing power standard) in 2004, which is 157.1% of the European Union average, ranking Prague among the 12 richest EU regions ^[5], in Purchasing Power. However, the price level is significantly lower than in comparable cities.

The city is the site of the European headquarters of many international companies.

Since the late 1990s, Prague has become a popular filming location for international productions and Hollywood motion pictures. A combination of architecture, low costs and the existing motion picture infrastructure have proven attractive to international film production companies.

Colleges and universities

The city contains several universities and colleges:

• Charles University (UK) founded in 1348 (the oldest university in Central and Eastern Europe)
• Czech Technical University (?VUT) founded in 1707
• Academy of Fine Arts (AVU) founded in 1800
• Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (V?UP) founded in 1885
• The New Anglo-American College (AAC) founded in 1990
• Institute of Chemical Technology (V?CHT) founded in 1920
• Academy of Performing Arts (AMU) founded in 1945
• Czech University of Agriculture (?ZU) founded in 1906/1952
• University of Economics (V?E) founded in 1953
• Institute of Information Theory and Automation (UTIA) founded in 1959
• University of New York in Praguehttp://www.unyp.cz (UNYP) founded in 1998

Transport

St?í?kov metro station on line C

The "nostalgic tram" no. 91 runs through the city centre

The public transport infrastructure consists of an integrated transport system of Prague Metro (with 54 stations in total), Prague Tram System (including the "nostalgic tram" no. 91), buses, the Pet?ín funicular to Pet?ín Hill, and five ferries. All services have a common ticketing system, and are run by Prague Public Transit Co. Inc. (Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, a.s.) and some other companies (full list).

Rail

The city forms the hub of the Czech railway system, with services to all parts of the Czech Republic and abroad. There is also a commuter rail system serving Prague metropolitan area.

Prague has two international railway stations, Hlavní nádra?í (sometimes referred to as Wilsonovo nádra?í) and Praha-Hole?ovice. Intercity services also stop at the main stations Praha-Smíchov and Masarykovo nádra?í. In addition to these, there are a number of smaller suburban stations. In the future rail should play a greater role in Prague Public Transport System.

Air

Prague is served by Ruzyn? International Airport, the biggest airport in the Czech Republic and one of the busiest in Central and Eastern Europe. It is the hub of the flag carrier, Czech Airlines and of the low-cost airlines SkyEurope and Smart Wings operating throughout Europe. Other airfields in Prague include the city's original airport in the suburb of Kbely, and Let?any which is mainly used for private aviation and domestic flights. Tocna is located in the southwest part of the city and serves mostly as an aeroclub.

Taxis

Taxi services in Prague can be divided into two sectors. There are major taxicab companies, operating call-for-taxi services (radio-taxi) or from regulated taxi stands, and independent drivers, who make pickups on the street. The latter are notorious for overcharging targeted mainly at foreign tourists and are possibly managed by (mob) crime organizations. For airport transportation the safest solution is to book the ride in advance through an on-line transfer company.

Sport

Eden football stadium, home to Slavia Prague club

• Prague International Marathon
• Slavia Prague -> UEFA Champions League
• Sparta Prague -> UEFA Cup
• O₂ arena -> NHL 2008 Opening Game, 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and Euroleague Final Four
• Strahov Stadium — the second-largest stadium in the world
• Mystic SK8 Cup — World cup of skateboarding
• Prague Open — prestige Floorball cup
• Prague Cup — annual synchronized skating competition

Miscellaneous

Prague TV tower with crawling "babies"

• President of the Czech Republic
• The Government and both houses of Parliament
• Czech Television and other major broadcasters
• Radio Free Europe — Radio Liberty
• Prague Institute for Global Urban Development

Prague as a venue

Recent major events held in Prague:

• 21st Coaltrans World Coal Conference 2001
• NATO Summit 2002
• International Monetary Fund and World Bank Summit 2000
• International Olympic Committee Session 2004
• International Astronomical Union General Assembly 2006

International relations

Prague is involved in a number of official as well as unofficial partnerships with other major world cities.^[6] The city of Prague also maintains its own EU delegation in Brussels called Prague House.^[7]

Partner cities:

In Popular culture

• In 1968 as a response to the Soviet Invasion of the city, the Israeli singer Shalom Hanoch wrote a song, also named "Prague", about the invasion which was sung by Arik Einstein. Although it was received badly at first, it later on began to be received more warmly by audiences in Israel and in the Czech Republic.
• A series of objectives must be completed in the city of Prague in the Playstation 3 game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
• The city of Prague, as well as an adaptation of the Astronomical clock, play a vital role in the video game Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb.
• Prague was one of the most used destinations for Sydney Bristow on ABC's Alias

Namesakes

Emigrants from the Czech lands named new towns after the capitol of its home land, most found in USA.

• Praha, in Slovakia, neighboring country to Czech Republic
• Praha, Texas in USA
• Prague, Oklahoma in USA
• Prague, Nebraska in USA
• New Prague, Minnesota in USA

See also

• Bethlehem Chapel
• Infant Jesus of Prague
• Golem of Prague
• Districts of Prague
• Famous people connected with Prague
• Prague uprising
• Prague Zoo

References

External Links and Readings

• Official Website
• Prague Public Transport Company - including traffic map and search
• The Prague Post - the English-language newspaper in Prague

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