Prague history

U Prague (pronounced /ˈprɑːɡ/; Czech: Praha pronounced [ˈpraɦa] ( listen), see also other names) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included Praga mater urbium/Praha matka měst ("Prague – Mother of Cities") in Latin/Czech, Stověžatá Praha ("City of a Hundred Spires") in Czech or Zlaté město/Goldene Stadt ("Golden City") in Czech/German.[4]




Bridges over Vltava river, as seen from the Letna.
Prague panorama upstream Vltava river, from Charles Bridge.
Prague, New Town, a weir on Vltava river, under the Castle, in background.



Czech práh shall be understood here as to be in the river, rapids or cataract: its edge as a passage to the other river side. Contrarily, although there are a few weirs nowadays, there was not discovered any such geological threshold in the river under the Prague Castle. Thus some derive the name Praha from the stone of the hill, where the original castle was built: na prazě, the original term for shale rock. (In those days, there were forests around the Castle, on the nine hills of the future city: the Old Town on the other river bank as well as the Lesser Town underneath the Castle appeared later.)[7]


Ancient age

The area on which Prague was founded was settled as early as the Paleolithic age. Around 200 BC the Celts had a settlement in the south, called Závist, but later they were replaced by the Marcomanni, a Germanic people and later by the West Slavic people. According to legends, Prague was founded by Libuše and her husband, Přemysl, founder of the dynasty of the same name. Whether this legend is true or not, Prague's first nucleus[citation needed] was a castle on a hill commanding the left (western) bank of Vltava: this is known as Prague Castle, to differentiate from another castle, which was later, in the latter part of the 9th century[citation needed], erected on the opposite right (eastern) bank the Přemyslid fort Vyšehrad, which is now wrongly considered as the oldest one.



King Vladislav II had a first bridge on the Vltava built in 1170, the Judith Bridge, which was destroyed by flood in 1342.

In 1257, under King Otakar II, Malá Strana ("Lesser Quarter") was founded in Prague on a place of an older village 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 the king of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor 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.



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



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, killing 12–13,000 people.[11] The economic rise continued through the 18th 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. After the Battle of Prague in 1757 the city was badly damaged during a Prussian bombardment.[12] 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.


20th century
The Jerusalemer Synagogue, built in 1905 to 1906 by Wilhelm Stiassny, of Bratislava, is the largest Jewish place of worship in Prague

The First Republic
Main article: Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)

Second World War
Main article: German occupation of Czechoslovakia


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). Once the outcome of the war was decided and it was known that Germany would surrender to the allies, Prague revolted against the Nazi occupants on 5 May 1945 two days before Germany capitulated, on May 7. Four days later the Soviet army entered the city. The majority of the German population either fled or was expelled in the aftermath of the war.
Cold War

Era after the Velvet Revolution

In 1989, after the riot police beat back a peaceful student demonstration, the Velvet Revolution crowded the streets of Prague and the Czechoslovak capital benefited greatly from the new mood. In 1993, after the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague became the capital city of the new Czech Republic. In the late 1990s Prague again became 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 floods that damaged buildings and also its underground transport system. Prague launched a bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics,[14] but failed to make the Candidate city shortlist. Due to low political support, Prague's officials chose in June 2009 to cancel the city's planned bid for 2020 Summer Olympics as well.[15]


* Old Town (Staré Město) with its Old Town Square
* The Astronomical Clock (Orloj) on Old Town Square
* The picturesque Charles Bridge (Karlův most)
* The vaulted gothic Old New Synagogue (Staronová synagoga) of 1270.
* New Town (Nové město) with its busy and historic Wenceslas Square
* Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter) with its Infant Jesus of Prague
* Prague Castle (Pražský hrad - 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 Žižka equestrian statue in Vítkov park, Žižkov - Prague 3.
* The Lennon Wall
* Vinohrady, a sightly quarter in the center
* Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague - huge collections of glass, furniture, textile, toys, Art Nouveau, Cubism, Art Deco, and so on.
* The museum of Heydrich assassination in the crypt of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius
* National Museum
* Vyšehrad castle & cemetery where many famous Czechs are buried including the composers Antonín Dvořák & Bedřich Smetana.
* Písek Gate, last preserved city gate of Baroque fortification
* Petřínská rozhledna, an observation tower on Petřín hill, which resembles the Eiffel Tower
* Anděl (neighborhood) which is probably the busiest part of the city with a super modern shopping mall and architecture
* Žižkov Television Tower (Žižkovský vysílač) with observation deck - Prague 3.
* The New Jewish Cemetery in Olšany, 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, also his grave at the Jewish cemetery near the metro station želivského)
* The Prague Zoo elected as the 7th best zoo in the world by Forbes magazine


Geography & Location

On Vltava river, in the center of the Bohemian basin.

Similarly to Rome, the city of Prague is spread over nine hills: Letná, Vítkov, Opyš, Větrov, Skalka, Emauzy, Vyšehrad, Karlov and the highest Petřín.[4]

The city of Prague experiences a humid continental climate with warm summers and relatively cold winters.


Prague is traditionally one of the cultural centres of Europe, hosting many cultural events.[citation needed]

Significant cultural institutions:

* National Theatre (Národní divadlo)
* Estates Theatre (Stavovské or Tyršovo or Nosticovo divadlo), premiere of Mozart's Don Giovanni was held there
* The Rudolfinum (home to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra)
* The Municipal House (home to Prague Symphony Orchestra)
* The Smetana Theatre (home to the Prague State Opera (Státní opera))
* National Museum (Národní muzeum)
* Museum of the Capital City of Prague
* Jewish Museum in Prague
* Mucha Museum
* Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague
* Náprstek Museum (Náprstkovo muzeum)
* Josef Sudek Gallery
* 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 Summer Shakespeare Festival [17], 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 other famous landmarks. Prague was also the setting for the film "Dungeons and Dragons" in 2000.

Forbes Traveler Magazine listed Prague ZOO among the world's best zoos.





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,[19] in Purchasing Power. However, the price level is significantly lower than in comparable cities.





Czech Airlines has its head office on the grounds of Ruzyně International Airport in Ruzyně, Prague.
Colleges and universities

Several universities and colleges are located in the city:

* 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
* 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
* Anglo-American College (AAC) founded in 1990
* University of New York in Prague [1] (UNYP) founded in 1998
* University of Northern Virginia in Prague [2] (UNVA) founded in 1998

Science, research and hi-tech centers

The region city of Prague is an important centre of research:

* Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CAS) founded in 1953

...and its institutes:

* Czech Language Institute (Ústav pro jazyk český) founded in 1946
* Institute of Information Theory and Automation (UTIA) founded in 1959


Střížkov metro station on line C
Barrandov bridge at night, part of the Municipal Ring Road.
Construction of Tunnel Blanka at quarter Troja
Construction of 2 km long bridge across river Vltava and Berounka valley on Prague Ring Road in April 2009

Public transportation

The public transport infrastructure consists of an integrated transport system of Prague Metro (its length is 59 km with 57 stations in total), Prague Tram System (including the "nostalgic tram" no. 91), buses, the Petřín funicular to Petřín Hill, and five ferries: PID, Pražská integrovaná doprava (English: Prague integrated traffic system) Prague integrated traffic) All services have a common ticketing system, and are run by The Prague Public Transit (Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, a.s.) and some other companies (full list). Recently, Prague integrated transport coordinator (ROPID) has franchised operation of ferries on the Vltava river, which are also a part of the public transport system with common fares, taxi.

Cars and trucks

The recent situation on the streets is very unpleasant: the main traffic stream of cars leads through the centre of the city. The longest city Tunnel in Europe with a proposed length of 5.5 km and with 5 interchanges with the surface is now being built to relieve congestion in the north-western part of Prague. The tunnel is called Tunel Blanka and it is part of the Municipal Ring Road. Construction started in 2007 and the tunnel is scheduled to be completed in 2011/2012. The southern part of the Prague Ring Road(with a length of almost 17 km) is also under construction with a proposed completion date of April 2010.[citation needed]


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 known as Esko Prague which serves the Prague metropolitan area.

Prague has two international railway stations, Hlavní nádraží (formerly called and sometimes still 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.[citation needed]


Prague is served by Ruzyně 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, as well as of the low-cost airline Smart Wings operating throughout Europe.

Other airports in Prague include the city's original airport at the Kbely north-east district, which is serviced by the Czech Air Force, internationally too: The runway (9-27) at Kbely is 2 km long. The airport also houses the Prague Aviation Museum.

The close airport in Letňany is mainly used for private aviation and aeroclub aviation.

Another close airport is Aero Vodochody aircraft factory's on the north, used for testing purposes, as well as for aeroclub aviation.
Aeroclub airfields

There are a few aeroclubs around Prague: I.e. the Točná airfield is located in the south part of the city, just on the right (east) river bank, and serves mostly as an aeroclub.

Ships and ferries

* Pražská paroplavební společnost
* ferries


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.[citation needed]