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Prague is a political, cultural, and economic hub of central Europe, with a rich history and Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architectures. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably Charles IV (r. 1346–1378) and Rudolf II (r. 1575–1611).
- 8th century
- 100 00 – 199 00
- 399 m (1,309 ft)
- Czech Republic
Traditionally, Prague was called the Golden City, City of a Hundred Spires and the Heart of Europe. Prague is made up of five historic towns and was built on the banks of the Vltava River. Foundation of Prague. The land where Prague now lays was first inhabited by the Boii, a Gallic tribe after whom the region Bohemia was named.
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- One of the world’s largest castles can be found in Prague. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes Prague Castle, which was founded in 880 by Prince Boivoj of the Premyslid Dynasty, as the biggest castle complex in the history of mankind.
- There is an entire wall painted in honor of John Lennon. The Lennon Wall may be found right adjacent to the French Embassy in Prague’s main business sector.
- There is rumor of a haunting bridge in Prague. Charles Bridge, Prague’s most well-known landmark, has a reputation for being haunted. Midnight is when the ghosts are said to make their appearance, according to urban legend.
- A very narrow street can be found in Prague. Located in the historic district of Mala Strana in Prague, this narrow street branches off of U Luického semináe.
- Introduction
- Architectural Styles
- Prague Castle and Hradcany
- Lesser Town and Charles Bridge
- Old Town
- New Town, Vysehrad & Surroundings
Prague
The capital of the Czech Republic is our most valuable urban conservation area. In 1992 the historical core of the city covering 866 hectares was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register. Prague was one of the nine cities awarded by the European Community the title of European City of Culture for the year 2000. The idea of the European City of Culture was coined by the then Greek Minister of Cuture Melina Mercouri. The first city to be honoured the title was Athens in...
Examples of architectural styles
1000 years of development presented Prague with the most beautiful historical monuments of all architectural styles: 1. Basilica of St. George (Prague Castle) 2. Rotunda of St. Longin (Na Rybnicku) 3. St. Adalbert's 4. Hybernian 5. Wilsonova 6. basement of No. 222 in Retezova street 1. Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia (U Milosrdnych) 2. Old-New Synagogue (Cervena street) 3. Charles Bridge with the bridge towers 4. St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas' and St. Vojtech's Cathedral - eastern part (Prague Cas...
Prague Castle
A castle was built on this site in the 9th century, and a Romanesque palace was erected there in the 12th century. In the 14th century, during the rule of Charles IV, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The Royal palace was re-built to the current shape under the Jagellos at the end of the 15th century, and at that time, the builder Benedikt Rejt added the now-famous Vladislav Hall, also in the Gothic style. The castle was enlarged in the 16th century, especially after a big fire in 1541. The...
St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral
The Gothic St. Vitus cathedral is the spiritual symbol of the Czech state. It was founded in the late 9th century by John of Luxembourg and his sons Charles and John Henry. It took nearly six centuries to build. The current cathedral is situated on the site of a 10th-century rotunda. Designed by architects Mathias Arras and Petr Parler, its construction started in 1344. The final stage of construction was completed only in the period between 1873 and 1929. There are underground tombs in the c...
Old Royal Palace
The Old Royal Palace served as the residence of Bohemian princes and kings until the 16th century. It was built upon the relics of a Romanesque palace of Prince Sobeslav. Additional reconstructions in the Gothic and Renaissance styles were initiated by famous Czech kings Premysl Otakar II, Charles IV, Wenceslas IV and Vladislav Jagello. Its most noteworthy part is the Gothic Vladislav Hall - the largest profane hall of medieval Prague (1487 - 1500, Benedikt Rejt) with a remarkable rounded rib...
Petrin Lookout Tower
A reduced copy of the Eiffel Tower (60 m high) built in 1891 on the occasion of the 1891 Jubilee Exhibition. 299 steps lead up to the top platform. Open daily: August 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. September to October 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Petrin Labyrinth
A maze of mirrors set up originally for the Jubilee Exhibition (1891) and featuring a diorama of "Battle of the Praguers with the Swedes in 1648 at the Charles Bridge". Open: April-August: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily September-October: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily November-March: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. /weekends only/
St. Nicolas Church
Prague 1, Malostranske nam. This church, built in the period of 1704-55, is the most significant historical structure of the so-called Prague Baroque. The architects were G. Santini, K. I. Dienzenhofer, and A. Lurago. W. A. Mozart played the organ there during his stay in Prague. The belfry offers a view of the Lesser Town and an exposition "Music of Prague Lofts" is situated there. Opening hours: The Church: daily: 9 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. The Belfry: April-October: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., November-Marc...
Old Town Square
Dating from the 12th century, the square has witnessed many a significant event. Beside the Old Town Hall and the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, the square has several other dominants - the baroque St. Nicholas church (K. I. Dienzenhofer, 1732 - 1735), the rococo Kinsky palace housing the National Gallery graphic collection, the Stone Bell house - a gothic palace from the 14th century, now the Municipal Gallery concert and exhibition rooms, as well as the Master Jan Hus Memorial sculptured by...
The Old Town Hall with the Astronomical Clock
The Town Hall was founded in 1338. In 1364, the tower was joined to a chapel and in 1470, the Town Hall was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The clock dates from the beginning of the 15th century; on the hour, a procession of the Twelve Apostles appears the window in the upper part. In the lower part, there are 12 medallions with the signs of the zodiac, created by Josef Manes (1865). The eastern wing of the Town Hall was destroyed on May 8, 1945, and has not been rebuilt yet. Open daily April-Oc...
Church of Our Lady before Tyn
Second only to the St. Vitus Cathedral, it is the most remarkable Gothic church with a Baroque interior in Prague. It contains the tomb of famous astronomer Tycho de Brahe. Part of the iterior is being renovated at present.
Wenceslas Square
Prague 1, New Town Prague's centre of commerce. The upper part of the square is dominated by a statue of the main patron saint of the Czech lands, St. Wenceslas and four other Czech patron saints (St. Prokop, St. Adalbert, St. Ludmila and St. Agnes) by Josef Vaclav Myslbek. Erected in 1912.
The National Museum
Prague 1, Vaclavske nam.68 A neo-Renaissance building designed by architect Josef Schulz in 1885-90.
The National Theatre
Prague 1, Narodni trida 2 A neo-Renaissance building of 1868-81, built to plans of J. Zitek. A fire destroyed much of the building in its first year of existence. It was rebuilt by architect Josef Schulz in 1883 and underwent a thorough renovation a hundred years later. The authors of both exterior and interior decorations are artists of the so-called National Theatre generation: M. Ales, F. Zenisek, V. Hynais, J. V. Myslbek, and others. The National Theatre is a major Czech stage and its rep...
Prague Castle. The city of Prague is commonly known as the “City of a Hundred Spires.” The highlights of Prague, Czech Republic, include gorgeous architecture, extensive history, and thriving culture have made it a popular tourist destination for decades. Still, there’s more to this city than just the well-known landmarks like Charles ...
Twenty-seven Prague commoners and Czech noblemen were executed on the Staroměstské Square in 1621; the city ceased to be the capital of the empire, was occupied by Saxons (1631) and Swedes (1648), and went into a decline hastened by two outbreaks of plague. Prague - Bohemian, Czech, Capital: For thousands of years that portion of the Vltava ...
Dec 3, 2022 · Back in 1992, the opening of the first McDonald’s in Prague was a red-carpet event. Gowns were worn, celebrities were summoned, paparazzi stood poised and 11,000 people lined the streets.
