PRAGUE
Country: Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50° 05′ N 14° 25′ E
Elevation: 177– 399 m above sea level
Area: 496 Km²
Population: 1 223 368
Residential density: 2467/Km2
Web: www.praha-mesto.cz
Mayor: Pavel Bém
Prague is the capital as well as the biggest city of Czech Republic. It is situated on the lower stream of the River Vltava in central Bohemia. Owing to its position it became the historical metropolis and centre of this area. The appearance of Prague has been changing through eleven centuries until now. Historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The city bears its present official name The Capital City of Prague since 1920. Formerly it was known as Royal Capital City of Prague.
Name of the city is traditionally derived from the word práh, which means “threshold”. The legend about founding Prague explains the name of the city: princess Libuše ordered the city to be built where a man hews a threshold of his house in the forest. Prague Castle, which is often called the symbol of Prague, or even the symbol of the whole Czech Republic, is according to the Guinness Book of Records the largest ancient castle in the world at about 570 metres in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.
It is situated in the ward Hradčany and it is being used as a seat of the President of the Republic since 1918. Formerly, it was the traditional seat of Czech rulers. We can find many showplaces behind the castle walls, e.g. St. Vitus Cathedral, where the Czech Crown Jewels are kept, or the Basilica of Saint George and favourite Golden Lane, named for goldsmiths who lived there in the 17th century. Golden Lane is renowned for its little colourful houses that were built directly in the castle walls.
The medieval centre of the city, today’s ward Prague 1, is historically the most significant part of the city. One can find there almost all showplaces like Prague Castle, Old Town Square, or Charles‘Bridge. There is also the Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square, which is the most famous Czech clock. Old Town is connected to Lesser Quarter (Malá strana) by ancient Charles’ Bridge.
Several monuments of great importance are concentrated around the Royal Road, which leads from the Powder Tower through the Old Town Square, Charles’ Street, Charles’ Bridge, where it continues through the Lesser Quarter area and finally to the Prague Castle.
Prague is simply the city, which is not enough to see. You have to experience it.
