Everything about Prague totally explained
Prague (, see also ), is the
capital and
largest city of the
Czech Republic. Its official name is
Hlavní město 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.
Prague is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is among the most visited cities on the continent. Though it suffered one large bombing raid during the
Second World War, it largely escaped the utter destruction which befell so many European cities during that period and emerged largely intact. 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 měst" in Czech)", "city of a hundred
spires" and "the golden city".
Prague is
a candidate city for the 2016 Olympics.
History
The history of Prague spans over thousands of years, during which time the city grew from the
Vyšehrad Castle to the multicultural capital of a modern
European state, the
Czech Republic.
Ancient Prague
The area on which Prague was founded was settled in ancient times since the
Paleolithic Age. Around 200 BCE the
Celts had a settlement in the south, called Závist, but later they were replaced by
Germanic tribes. The
Slavs conquered the site from the 4th century CE onward, though for a period were subdued by the
Eurasian Avars.
According to a legend, Prague was founded by the Princess
Libuše and her husband,
Přemysl, founder of the dynasty with the same name. Whether this legend is true or not, Prague's first nucleus was founded in the latter part of the 9th century as a castle on a hill commanding the right bank of the
Vltava: this is known as Vyšehrad ("high castle") to differentiate from another castle which was later erected on the opposite bank, the future
Prague Castle. Soon the city became the seat of the dukes and kings of
Bohemia. It was an important seat for trading where merchants coming from all Europe settled, including many
Jews, as recalled in 965 by the Jewish merchant and traveller Ibrahim ibn Ya'qub. The city became a bishopric in 973.
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.
In 1257, under King Otakar II,
Malá Strana ("Lesser Quarter") was founded in Prague in the future
Hradčany area: it was the district of the German people. These had the right to administrate the law autonomously, pursuant to
Magdeburg Rights. The new district was on the opposite bank of the Staré Město ("Old Town"), which had a borough status and was defended by a line of walls and fortifications.
The era of Charles IV
The city flourished during the 14th century reign of
Charles IV of the new
Luxembourg dynasty. He ordered the building of the
New Town (Nové Město) adjacent to the Old Town. The Charles Bridge was erected to connect the new district to Malá Strana. Monuments by Charles include the
Saint Vitus Cathedral, the oldest
gothic cathedral in
central Europe, which is actually inside the Castle, and the
Charles University. The latter is the oldest university in central Europe. Prague was then the third-largest city in Europe. Under Charles Prague was, from 1355, the actual capital of the
Holy Roman Empire, and its rank was elevated to that of archbishopric (1344). It had a
mint, and German and
Italian merchants, as well as bankers, were present in the city. The social order, however, became more turbulent due to the rising power of the
craftsmen's guild (themselves often torn by internal fights), and the presence of increasing number of poor people.
Under King
Wenceslas IV (1378-1419)
Jan Hus, a theologian and lector at the University, held his preachers and sermons in Prague. Since 1402 he summoned his followers in the Bethlehem Chapel, speaking in Czech language in order to enlarge as much as possible the diffusion of his ideas about the renovation of the church. Having become too dangerous for the political and religious establishment, Hus was burned in
Konstanz in 1415. Four years later Prague experienced its first defenestration, when the people rebelled under the command of the Prague priest
Jan Želivský and threw the city's counsellors from the New Town Hall. Hus' death had spurred the so-called
Hussite Wars. In 1420 peasant rebels, led by the famous general
Jan Žižka, 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 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. 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 Město, Staré Město 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
At the beginning of the 20th century Czech lands were the most productive part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire and some Czech politics began with attempts to separate it from Habsburg empire.
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 (
Tomáš 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. The Czech Jews didn't speak Yiddish. 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. The German population, which had formed the majority of the city's inhabitants until the 19th century, was expelled in the aftermath of the war.
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 a bombing raid by the U.S. Air Force by mistake (the target was Dresden, 83 miles away). Hundreds of people were killed and some important buildings and factories were destroyed. Prague had revolted against the Nazi occupants as early as
5 May 1945 (see
Prague uprising). Four days later the
Soviet army entered the city. After this fierce acts of revenge against the German minority of the city were perpetrated and many German civilians were killed by Czech militias until the government slowly put an end to these acts of revenge. The surviving Germans were deported from Prague to
West Germany (External Link
).
Prague in the Cold War
Prague was a city in the territory of military and political control of Soviet Union (see
Iron Curtain). It, however, suffered under the totalitarian regime, in spite of the rather careful program of rebuilding and caring of the damaged monuments after World War II. 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 Dubček 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.
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
Since the fall of the
Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of Europe's (and the world's) most popular tourist destinations. It is the sixth most-visited European city after
London,
Paris,
Rome,
Madrid and
Berlin. Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than some other major cities in the region, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form. It contains one of the world's most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from
Art Nouveau to
Baroque,
Renaissance,
Cubist,
Gothic,
Neo-Classical and ultra-modern. Some of the most known sights are:
Culture
Prague is traditionally one of the cultural centres of
Europe, hosting many cultural events.
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. Among others, Czech films Empties and The Fifth Horseman is Fear were shot in Prague.
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, 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 proved 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 (ČVUT) founded in 1707
Academy of Fine Arts (AVU) founded in 1800
Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (VŠUP) founded in 1885
The New Anglo-American College (AAC) founded in 1990
Institute of Chemical Technology (VŠCHT) founded in 1920
Academy of Performing Arts (AMU) founded in 1945
Czech University of Agriculture (ČZU) founded in 1906/1952
University of Economics (VŠE) founded in 1953
Institute of Information Theory and Automation (UTIA) founded in 1959
University of New York in Prague(External Link) (UNYP) founded in 1998
Transport
The public transport infrastructure consists of an integrated transport system of Prague Metro (with 51 stations in total), Prague Tram System (including the ), buses, the Petřín funicular to Petřín Hill, and three 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.
Prague has two international railway stations, Hlavní nádraží (sometimes referred to as Wilsonovo nádraží) and Praha-Holešovice. Intercity services also stop at the main stations Praha-Smíchov and Masarykovo nádraží. 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 Ruzyně International Airport, the biggest airport in the Czech Republic and one of the busiest and the most modern 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 Letňany 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 three sectors. There are major taxicab companies, operating call-for-taxi services (radio-taxi) or from regulated taxi stands, where overpricing is rare and regulation mostly in place. There are independent drivers, who make pickups on the street; cheating is mostly associated with these cars. The problem with overcharging is so huge, that it's mentioned in Lonely Planet guide books and it was featured on CNN couple of years ago. Tourists taking taxi in Prague are being advised to be very careful, request a receipt and make sure to know the approximate amount to be charged before entering the cab.
Sport
Prague is the site of many sports events, national stadiums and teams
Prague International Marathon
Slavia Prague -> UEFA Champions League
Sparta Prague -> UEFA Cup
Sazka 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
and more
The City is also bidding for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Miscellaneous
Prague is also the site of the most important offices and institutions of the Czech Republic and Central Europe.
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. The city of Prague also maintains its own EU delegation in Brussels called Prague House.
Partner cities:
official:
Berlin, Germany, 1996
Brussels, Belgium, 2003
Chicago, United States, 1990
Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 1990
Hamburg, Germany, 1990
Kyoto, Japan, 1996
Moscow, Russia, 2000
Nuremberg, Germany, 1990
Paris, France, 1997
Phoenix, United States, 1991
Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1992
Taipei, Republic of China, 2001
Jasło, Poland, 2008
|
unofficial:
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Bratislava, Slovakia
Budapest, Hungary
Cali, Colombia
Copenhagen, Denmark
Helsinki, Finland
Jerusalem, Israel
Lisbon, Portugal
Riga, Latvia
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Vienna, Austria
Vilnius, Lithuania
|
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. And though it was received badly at first, it later on began to be received more warmly by audiences in Israel and in the Czech republic.Further Information
Get more info on 'Prague'.
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