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The Czech name Praha is derived from an old Slavic word, práh, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava river.
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Prague, city, capital of the Czech Republic. Lying at the heart of Europe, it is one of the continent’s finest cities and the major Czech economic and cultural centre. The city has a rich architectural heritage that reflects both the uncertain currents of history in Bohemia and an urban life extending back more than 1,000 years.
The physical attractions and landmarks of Prague are many. Among the finest is the Charles Bridge (Karlův most), which stands astride the Vltava River. The winding course of the Vltava, with its succession of bridges and changing vistas, contrasts with the ever-present backdrop of the great castle of Hradčany (Prague Castle), which dominates the left-bank region of the city from behind massive walls set high on a hill. The narrow streets and little taverns and restaurants of the older quarters contrast with the broad sweep of Wenceslas Square and modern parks and housing developments, while the great 18th-century Baroque palaces have their own elegance and splendour. Seen from the surrounding hills, the many church towers make up a unique perspective, giving Prague its description as the “city of a hundred spires.” This architectural harmony was enhanced by post-1945 planning, which preserved the ancient core of the city as a major monument and carefully supervised all modern building. In 1992 the historic city centre was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
From its original small riverside settlements, Prague has spread over its hills, up river valleys, and along riverside terraces. The Prague metropolitan area covers 192 square miles (496 square kilometres).
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The city’s core, with its historic buildings, bridges, and museums, is a major centre of employment and traffic congestion. Around the core is a mixed zone of industrial and residential areas, containing about half the city’s population and nearly half its jobs. Surrounding this area is the outer city development zone, and beyond this is yet another zone of development containing new industrial areas, parks and recreation areas, and sports facilities. Finally, there is a belt of agricultural land and open countryside, where farms and market gardening projects satisfy Prague’s demand for food.
The lowest point in the city is 623 feet (190 metres) above sea level, and the highest point is 1,247 feet (380 metres) on White Mountain (Bílá hora). The climate of Prague is typically mid-continental, with temperatures there averaging 67 °F (19.3 °C) in July and 31 °F (−0.6 °C) in January.
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Prague has a homogeneous population. There is a small Slovak community, but the overwhelming majority of residents are Czechs. The city has a number of demographic peculiarities stemming mainly from the effects of World War II; there are more women than men, and a sizable proportion of the female population is past the age of fertility. The natural...
Since 2000, the Czech Republic has been divided into thirteen regions (Czech: kraje, singular kraj) and the capital city of Prague. Every region has its own elected regional assembly and a regional governor.
1 day ago · It comprises the historical provinces of Bohemia and Moravia along with the southern tip of Silesia, collectively called the Czech Lands. In 2016 the country adopted the name ‘Czechia’ as a shortened, informal name for the Czech Republic. The capital is Prague.
- Stroll Across Charles Bridge. Charles Bridge (Karlov Most) is one of the most famous pedestrian bridges in the world, connecting the Old Town to Mala Strana.
- Visit the Old Town Square. The Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti) has been the market square for Prague since the 11th century. Now it is a landmark of the city and a popular tourist attraction.
- Watch the Hourly Show at the Astronomical Clock. The astronomical clock is a complicated mechanism that shows several different versions of time. Every hour, the clock puts on a brief show: a skeleton rings his bell, twelve apostles walk by, a rooster crows, and then the clock chimes.
- Climb the Towers of Prague. Prague is called “The Golden City of A Hundred Spires” and there is no better way to view this cityscape than from the top of its many gothic towers.
Prague, the largest city of the Czech Republic (and the 15th largest in the EU), is of great significance from a historical, political, and cultural point of view, among others. Not only valuable for the Czechs, the Czech Republic’s capital is an important European centre as well.
The Czech Republic's official long and short names at the United Nations are Česká republika and Česko in Czech, and the Czech Republic and Czechia in English. All these names derive from the name of the Czechs , the West Slavic ethnolinguistic group native to the Czech Republic.
