The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is a beautiful city famous for its music, literature, and architecture. Its unusual skyline of church towers gives it the nickname City of a Hundred Spires. Prague sits on the banks of the Vltava River, the longest river in the Czech Republic. Over the years, the city has spread across the surrounding hills, river valleys, and riverside terraces. The Prague metropolitan area covers 192 square miles (496 square kilometers). Places of interestPrague is a centuries-old city with a wealth of historic landmarks. The great castle of Hrad?any (Prague Castle) was begun in the 9th century. It is now the home of the president of the Czech Republic. Next to the castle is St. Vitus' Cathedral, begun in the 14th century but not completed until 1929. Inside the castle complex lie narrow streets such as Gold Makers' Lane, where alchemists—people who tried to make gold from chemicals—are said to have lived. Below the castle is the Lesser Quarter (Malá Strana), founded in 1257 and rebuilt after major fires in the 15th and 16th centuries. Charles Bridge, which dates from 1357, connects the Lesser Quarter to the Old Town (Staré M├sto) across the Vltava River. At the center of the Old Town is the Old Town Square, which contains the 14th-century Týn Church and a large clock that shows both the time and the seasons. In the center is a statue of Jan Hus, a national hero. A broad street divides the Old Town from the New Town (Nové M├sto). It is a main shopping street. At its northern end stands one of the old city gates, the Powder Tower. Even though it is called “new,” this part of the city dates from the 14th century. The center of modern Prague is Wenceslas Square, a long avenue with the National Museum at one end. Once the city's horse market, the square is now lined with hotels, stores, theaters, and restaurants. The castle, Lesser Quarter, Old Town, and New Town make up only the central part of Prague. Newer parts of the city surround these older sections. CulturePrague is famous for its active and varied cultural life. The city is home to two orchestras—the Prague Symphony and the Czech Philharmonic—and hosts an international music festival each spring. During the busy tourist season, classical, jazz, rock and roll, and folk music is played nightly at sites across Prague. Throughout the year plays are staged in the city's many theaters. Notable among Prague's art collections is the National Gallery, which contains both Czech art and works from other countries. The collection is housed in several locations, including the Saint Agnes Convent, built in 1234. The City Gallery Prague is located in the 14th-century Old Town Hall. The Czech Fine Arts Museum, also in the Old Town district, features modern Czech art. Prague also has a museum of decorative arts and a military museum. Before World War II (1939–45) Prague was a center of Jewish life. The former Jewish section of the city contains an old town hall, several synagogues, a cultural museum, and one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe, dating from the 15th century. Most of the city's Jewish residents were killed by the Nazis during World War II. Prague is the site of the oldest university in Central Europe, Charles University. Founded in 1348, the school continues to offer courses. Another notable educational site is Strahov monastery, which was built in the 12th century as a school for monks and noblemen. It houses a large library of religious manuscripts as well as collections of Czech literature. EconomyPrague is the economic center of the Czech Republic. Textile and machinery industries were developed in the city early in the 19th century. Today, most people in the city still work in the manufacture of products such as machinery, vehicles, electronics, chemical, and processed foods. Tourism has also become a very important industry in Prague. The city's shops, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment sites employ a large number of people. HistoryFor thousands of years trade routes linking Northern and Southern Europe crossed the area that is now Prague. The earliest recorded settlement at Prague dates from the 9th century. Two castles were built, and settlements near these castles formed the first core areas of the city. Prague became a major city in the 14th century. John of Luxembourg became king of Bohemia, the historic country in which Prague was located. His son, Charles IV, became Holy Roman Emperor in 1355 and had his capital at Prague. Charles was responsible for the planning of the city, and he started building the new town to the south and east of the old town. Decline of the cityIn the 15th century Prague came to be controlled more and more by German and Italian merchants who settled there. Gradually the German culture and language became more widespread in the city. Religious wars throughout the 15th and 16th centuries made life difficult for Prague's citizens. The Austrian Hapsburg family gained control in the 16th century. In 1618 a revolt against the Hapsburgs at Hrad?any castle was one of the events that began the Thirty Years' War, which led to changed borders across Europe. War and outbreaks of disease in the 17th century led to the decline of the city as a cultural and political center. Art and industryIn the 18th century Prague's economy and population began to grow again, and there was a revival of culture. Many artists, architects, and musicians were invited by nobles and wealthy merchants to produce new works in the city. During the 19th century the Industrial Revolution had a major effect on Prague. Many factories were built, and suburbs began to spring up around the city. The opening of its first railway in 1845 led to further expansion. Prague and the rest of Bohemia became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. The collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918 led to the creation of the independent republic of Czechoslovakia. Prague was made the capital. Modern PragueIn 1939 Germany occupied all of Czechoslovakia and set up a government in Prague. The city suffered little during World War II because it was spared the bombing that destroyed other European cities. The city was freed by the Russian army in 1945. In 1948 the Communist party took control of Czechoslovakia. When the Czech government tried to ease Communist rule in 1968, Soviet troops invaded Prague. The invasion stopped the reform movement, which became known as the Prague Spring. The Communists developed many industries in Prague, but the people remained poor. In 1989 large demonstrations in favor of democracy took place in Wenceslas Square. The gatherings helped put an end to four decades of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia. When Czechoslovakia itself broke up into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic. Population (2000 estimate), 1,186,860. |