Prague

This article is licensed under theGNU Free Documentation License.It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Prague" (click for full Wikipedia text)

 'Prague ' (Czech language:  Praha  (International Phonetic Alphabet: ), see also Names of European cities in different languages#P) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Vltava river in central Bohemia, it is home to approximately 1.2 million people. (It can be derived from jobs statistics, however, that an additional 300,000 work there without having registered as residents.) Nicknames for Prague have included "city of a hundred spires" and "the golden city". Since 1992, the historic center of Prague has been included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization list of World Heritage Sites. According to Guinness World Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world.

History

The area on which Prague was founded has been settled since the Paleolithic Age. Around 200 BC the Celts had a settlement in the south called Závist, but later they were replaced (either expelled or assimilated) by Germanics. The Slavs conquered the site from the 4th century AD onwards, though for a period they were subdued by the Mongolian Eurasian Avars. According to 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 the castle which was later erected on the opposite bank, the future Hradčany. Soon the city became the seat of the List of rulers of Bohemia, some of whom also later reigned as emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. It was an important seat for trading where merchants coming from all Europe settled, including many Jews, as recalled by the Jewish merchant and traveler Ibrahim ibn Ya'qub in 965. The city became a bishopric in 973. King Vladislav II of Bohemia had the first bridge on the Vltava — the Judith Bridge — built in 1170, though it crumbled 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 as the district of the Germans, who had the right to administer the law autonomously, referring to the Magdeburg legislation. The new district was on the opposite bank to the  Staré Město  ("Old Town"), which had then borough status and was defended by a line of walls on fortifications. The city flourished during the 14th century reign of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, of the new House of Luxembourg. He ordered the building of the New Town, Prague ( Nové Město ) adjacent to the Old Town. The Charles Bridge was erected to connect the new district to Malá Strana. Monuments by Charles include also Saint Vitus Cathedral, the oldest gothic architecture cathedral in central Europe inside the Castle, and the Charles University of Prague. The latter is the oldest university in central Europe. Prague was then the third-largest city in Europe. Under Charles Prague was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, and its rank was elevated to that of archbishopric. It had also a mint and German and Italian merchants, as well as bankers, in the city. The social order, however, became more turbulent owing 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 —  Václav IV —  (1378–1419) Jan Hus, a theologian and lector at the University, held his sermons in Prague. From 1402 he summoned his hussite to the Bethlehem Chapel, speaking in Czech language to enlarge as much as possible the diffusion of his ideas about the reformation of the church. Having become too dangerous for the political and religious establishment, Hus was burned in Constance in 1415. Four years later Prague experienced its first First Defenestration of Prague, when the people rebelled under the command of the Prague priest Jan Želivský and threw the city's counselors from the New Town Hall. Hus's death had spurred the so-called Hussite revolt. In 1420 peasant rebels, led by the famous general Jan Žižka, along with Hussite troops from Prague, defeated the Bohemian King Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor ( Zikmund , son of Charles IV), in the Battle of Vítkov Mountain. In the following two centuries Prague strengthened its role as a merchant city. Many noteworthy Gothic art buildings were erected, including the Vladislav Hall in the Hradčany. In 1526 the Kingdom of Bohemia was handed over to the Habsburg. The fervent Catholicism of its members was to have grevious consequences in Bohemia, and then in Prague, where Protestant ideas instead had increasing popularity. These problems were not preeminent under Emperor Rudolf II, elected King of Bohemia in 1576, who chose Prague as his home. He lived in the Castle where he held his bizarre courts of astrologers, magicians and other strange figures. This was a prosperous period for the city: famous people living there in that age included the astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johann Kepler, the painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo and others. In 1618 the famous Defenestration of Prague provoked the Thirty Years' War. Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor was deposed, and his place as King of Bohemia taken by Frederick V of Pfalz. But the Bohemian army was crushed in the Battle of the White Mountain (1620), not far from the city, and thenceforth Prague and Bohemia encountered a harsh period in which religious tolerance was abolished and the Catholic Counter-Reformation became dominant in every aspect of life. The city suffered also under Saxony (1631) and Sweden (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. The 17th century is considered the Golden Age of Jewish Prague. The Jewish community of Prague numbered some 15,000 people (approx. 30 per cent of the entire population), making it the largest Ashkenazic community in the world and the second largest community in Europe after Thessaloniki. In the years 1597 to 1609, the Maharal (Judah Loew ben Bezalel) served as Prague's chief rabbi. He is considered the greatest of Jewish scholars in Prague's history, his tomb at the Old Jewish Cemetery eventually becoming a pilgrimage site. The expulsion of Jews from Prague by Maria Theresa of Austria in 1745 based on their alleged collaboration with the Prussian army was a severe blow to the flourishing Jewish community. The queen allowed the Jews to return to the city in 1748. In 1848 the gates of the Prague ghetto were opened. The former Jewish quarter, renamed Josefov in 1850, was demolished during the "ghetto clearance" (Czech: Asanace) on the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. 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 of Habsburg, the four municipalities of Malá Strana, Nové Město, Staré Město and Hradčany 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 coalmines and ironworks of the nearby region. A first suburb, Karlín, was created in 1817, and twenty years later the 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. World War I ended with the defeat of Austria-Hungary and the creation of Czechoslovakia. Prague was chosen as its capital. At this time Prague was a true European capital with a very developed industrial base. In 1930 the population had risen to a startling 850,000. For most of its history Prague had been a multiethnic city with important Czech people, Germans, and Jewish populations. 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. Most of the Jews living in Prague after the war emigrated in the years of Communism, particularly after the communist coup, the establishment of Israel in 1948, and the Soviet invasion in 1968. In the early 1990s, the Jewish Community in Prague numbered only 800 people compared to nearly 50,000 before the World War II. In 2006, some 1,600 people were registered in the Jewish Community. The German population, which had formed the majority of the city's inhabitants until the 19th century, was expelled or fled in the aftermath of the war. Prague's people had revolted against the Nazi occupants as early as May 5, 1945, and four days later the Soviet army entered the city. Prague was henceforth the capital of a Communist Republic under the military and political control of the Soviet Union, and in 1955 it entered the Warsaw Pact. The always lively intellectual world of Prague, however, suffered under the totalitarian regime, in spite of the rather careful program of rebuilding of and caring for the damaged monuments after World War II. At the 4th Czechoslovakian Writers' Congress held in the city in 1967 a strong position against the regime was taken. This spurred the new secretary of 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 democratic reform of institutions. The Soviet Union and the rest of the Warsaw Pact reacted, occupying Czechoslovakia and the capital in August 1968, suppressing under tanks' tracks any attempt of renovation. In 1989, after the Berlin Wall had fallen, and the Velvet Revolution crowded the streets of Prague, Czechoslovakia finally freed itself from communism and Soviet influence, and Prague benefited deeply from the new mood. In 1993, after the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague became capital city of the new Czech Republic.

Timeline of most important moments of Prague history

* ' 870 '   Prague Castle founded* '1085 ' Prague became the seat of kings - 1st king Vratislaus II of Bohemia* '1344 ' the Prague Bishopric became an Archdiocese* '1346 ' the rule of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor - Prague capital of Holy Roman Empire* '1348 ' University of Prague (Charles University) founded* '1378 ' Jan Hus´s reformations* '1419 ' 1st Defenestrations of Prague* '1420 ' battle on Vítkov Mountain - Hussites win over crusaders* '1583 ' rule of Rudolf II - city for the 2nd time the capital of Holy Roman Empire and cultural center of Europe* '1618 ' 2nd Defenestrations of Prague sparked off the Thirty Years' War* '1621 ' execution of 27 Czech lords on the Old Town Square as a consequence of the Battle of White Mountain* '1648 ' west bank of Prague (including the Prague Castle) Battle of Prague (1648) by Swedish armies* '1741 ' occupation by French-Bavarian armies* '1744 ' occupation by Prussian armies* '1848 ' revolutionary uprising crushed by imperial army* '1890 ' big flood caused extreme damage* '1918 ' after World War I Prague became the capital of Czechoslovakia* '1938 ' after political Western betrayal (France and Britain at Munich Agreement) Germany occupied Sudetenland and in 1939 the whole country* '1942 ' Czechoslovak paratroopers kill Reinhard Heydrich, Nazis respond with wave of terror* '1945 ' United States Air Force conducts bombing of Prague in World War II, killing hundreds of Praguers by mistake. (Target was Dresden, 134 km away).* '1945 ' uprising against the Nazis during the last days of World War II, ended with the arrival of the Red Army.* '1948 ' communism takeover of power* '1968 ' Soviet army invasion to repress the Prague Spring* '1989 ' Prague is the main center of Velvet Revolution (the fall of communist regime)* '2000 ' Anti-globalization Protests in Prague (some 15,000 protesters) turned violent during the IMF and World Bank summits* '2002 ' Prague suffers from 2002 European flood, parts of the city evacuated but no major landmarks destroyed The four independent boroughs that had formerly constituted Prague were eventually proclaimed a single city in 1784. Those four cities were Hradčany (the Castle District, west and north of the Castle), Malá Strana (Malá Strana, south of the Castle), Old Town, Prague (Staré Město, on the east bank opposite the Castle) and New Town, Prague (Nové Město, further south and east). The city underwent further expansion with the annexation of Josefov in 1850 and Vyšehrad in 1883, and at the beginning of 1922, another 37 municipalities were incorporated, raising the city's population to 676,000. In 1938 population reached 1,000,000.

Sights

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of Europe's (and the world's) most popular tourist destinations. Prague was one of the few European cities relatively untouched during the World Wars, allowing its historic architecture to stay true to form. There are lots of old buildings, many with beautiful murals on them. It contains one of the world's most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubism, Gothic architecture, Neoclassicism and ultra-modern. Some of the most known sights are:

• Old Town, Prague (Staré Město) with its Old Town Square (Prague)
• The Prague Orloj
• The picturesque Charles Bridge
• New Town, Prague (Nové město) with its busy and historic Wenceslas Square
• Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter)
• Prague Castle (the largest castle in the world) with its St. Vitus Cathedral
• Josefov (Prague) (the old Jewish quarter) with Old Jewish Cemetery and Old New Synagogue
• The Lennon Wall
• Vinohrady
• The museum of Operation Anthropoid in the crypt of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius
• National Museum (Prague)
• Vyšehrad castle
• Petřínská rozhledna, an observation tower on Petřín hill, which is nearly a 1:5 copy of the Eiffel Tower
• Žižkov Television Tower with observation deck
• The New Jewish Cemetery in Olšany, location of Franz Kafka's grave
• The Prague 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.

Culture

Prague is a traditional cultural centre of Europe, hosting many cultural events. Significant cultural institutions:

• National Theatre (Prague)
• The Rudolfinum (home to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra)
• National opera (Prague)
• National Museum (Prague)
• Clementinum
• National Gallery in Prague There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. Prague also hosts Film Festivals, List of music festivals, a Prague Writers Festival, hundreds of Vernissages and Fashion Show Mall. See also:
• Prague Spring International Music Festival
• Prague Autumn International Music Festival
• Febiofest
• One World Film Festival
• Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
• Barrandov Studios
• Prague Writers Festival
• Prague International Organ Festival
• Prague Fringe Festival
• World Roma Festival
• Premiere of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni

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 EUR 32,357 in 2002, which is at 153% of the European Union average. The city is becoming a site of European headquarters of many international companies. Since the late 1990s, Prague has become a popular filming location for international productions and Hollywood motion pictures. Unlike many other European cities, Prague did not suffer great destruction during World War II, and the city is often used as a "stand in" for other pre-WW2 European cities, such as Amsterdam or London. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117799914?categoryid=8&cs=1 http://www.indiadaily.com/breaking_news/46945.asp A combination of architecture, low costs, tax breaks, and the existing motion picture infrastructure have proved attractive to international film production companies.

Colleges and universities

The city contains eight universities and colleges including the oldest university in Central and Eastern Europe:

• Charles University (UK) founded in 1348
• 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 in Prague (VŠCHT) founded in 1920
• Academy of Performing Arts (AMU) founded in 1945
• Czech University of Agriculture (ČZU) founded in 1952
• University of Economics, Prague (VŠE) founded in 1953

Transportation

Integrated transport system

Public transport infrastructure consists of an integrated transport system of Prague Metro (with 54 stations in total), trams, Prague Tram System (including the ), buses, a funicular to Petřín Hill and a chairlift at Prague Zoo. All services have a common ticketing system, and are run by  Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy  (The Capital City of Prague Transport Company).

Rail

The city forms the hub of the České dráhy system, with services to all parts of the Czech Republic and to neighbouring countries. 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.

Air

Prague is served by Ruzyně International Airport, which is the hub of the flag carrier, Czech Airlines. There are several cheap flights per day from the UK and from other countries. Ruzyně International Airport is considered as one of the most modern airports in Europe.

Taxis

The Taxicab service in Prague has had a somewhat checkered history. During the rule of Communist Party in Czechoslovakia (1948–1989), the taxi service was nationalised into one umbrella company, and, with a short exception during liberalization related to the Prague Spring, no independent taxi drivers were allowed. The quality and availability of the service was low. This caused many enterprising people to run illegal taxi services. Their earnings were far above income of typical citizens and became a source of envy. After the Velvet Revolution, the service was liberalized and anyone could become a taxi driver. Unfortunately, the chaos of transition from planned to market economy did not leave any time to implement sufficient regulations. The lack of planning and controls has led to a number of serious taxi scams operating in the city; some of which have been linked with organised crime. Many of the victims of overpricing are tourists. Taxi services in Prague can currently 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 pick-ups on the street; cheating is mostly associated with these cars. Lastly, there are fake taxi drivers, who operate as "contractual transport services" in order to avoid government regulation.

Sport

Prague is the site of many sports events, national stadiums and teams

• Prague International Marathon
• Sparta Prague -> UEFA Champions League
• Slavia Prague -> UEFA Cup
• Sazka Arena -> 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and Euroleague Final Four 2006
• Strahov Stadium — the largest stadium in the world
• World Cup Skateboarding — World cup of skateboarding
• Prague open — prestige Floorball cup
• and more

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 the Parliament
• Czech Television and other major broadcasters
• Radio Free Europe — Radio Liberty
• Prague Institute
• and more

Prague as a venue

Recent major events held in Prague:

• NATO 2002
• International Monetary Fund and World Bank Summit 2000
• International Olympic Committee Session 2004
• International Astronomical Union

Famous people connected with Prague

Being the cultural and economical center of Bohemia, Prague has attracted many famous people. Some of the best known are:

• Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
• Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
• Jan Hus
• Bohumil Hrabal
• Franz Kafka - German Jewish writer
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Austrian German composer
• Antonín Dvořák
• Václav Havel
• Albert Einstein - German Jewish scientist
• Milan Kundera - Famous Writer

Historical population

• The record of 1230 includes Staré Město only
• The records of 1370 and 1600 includes Staré město, Nové město, Malá Strana and Hradčany quarters
• Numbers beside other years denote the population of Prague within the administrative border of the city at that time (and population including present suburbs in parentheses).

Twin cities

• Hamburg, Germany
• Kyoto, Japan

See also

• Infant Jesus of Prague
• Golem
• Prague specifics
• Prague city districts
• Prague uprising
• Prague Zoo

External links

Official Website

Metro, trams, and buses operated by Dopravni podnik hl.m Prahy, a.s.

Connection search in Prague public transport

National Theatre

State Opera

Prague Daily Monitor — Czech news in English

Average weather conditions

Current weather parameters

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Prague" (click for full Wikipedia text) Hide