Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is the fourteenth-largest city in the European Union.It is also the historical capital of Bohemia. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava River, the city is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate climate, with warm summers and chilly winters.

Prague has been a political, cultural, and economic centre of central Europe with waxing and waning fortunes during its 1,100-year existence.

Prague is home to a number of famous cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe. Main attractions include the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, the Lennon Wall and Petřín hill. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The city boasts more than ten major museums, along with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas, and other historical exhibits. A modern public transportation system connects the city. Also, it is home to a wide range of public and private schools, including Charles University.

Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, and the city receives more than 4.4 million international visitors annually, as of 2011.In 2011, Prague was the sixth-most-visited city in Europe.

The era of Charles IV

Prague flourished during the 14th-century reign (1346–1378) of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and the king of Bohemia of the new Luxembourg dynasty. He transformed Prague into an imperial capital and it was at that time the third-largest city in Europe (after Rome and Constantinople).

He ordered the building of the New Town (Nové Město) adjacent to the Old Town, the Charles Bridge. On 9 July 1357 at 5:31 am, Charles IV personally laid the first foundation stone for the Charles Bridge. In 1347, he founded Charles University, which remains the oldest university in Central Europe. Charles IV died in 1378.

Hradčany and Lesser Town (Malá Strana)

• Prague Castle with the St. Vitus Cathedral which store the Czech Crown Jewels
• The picturesque Charles Bridge (Karlův most)
• The Baroque Saint Nicholas Church
• Church of Our Lady Victorious and Infant Jesus of Prague
• Písek Gate, one of the last preserved city gate of Baroque fortification
• Petřín Hill with Petřín Lookout Tower, Mirror Maze and Petřín funicular
• Lennon Wall
• The Franz Kafka Museu
• Kampa Island, an island with a view of the Charles Bridge

Old Town (Staré Město) and Josefov

• The Astronomical Clock (Orloj) on Old Town City Hall
• The Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem) from the 14th century with 80 m high towers
• The vaulted Gothic Old New Synagogue (Staronová Synagoga) of 1270
• Old Jewish Cemetery
• Powder Tower (Prašná brána) a Gothic tower of the old city gates
• Spanish Synagogue with its beautiful interior
• Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) with gothic and baroque architectural sty­les
• The art nouveau Municipal House, a major civic landmark and concert hall known for its Art Nouveau architectural style and political history in the Czech Republic.
• Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, with an extensive collections including glass, furniture, textile, toys, Art Nouveau, Cubism and Art Deco
• Clam-Gallas Palace, a baroque palace from 1713

New Town (Nové město)

• Busy and historic Wenceslas Square
• The neo-renaissance National Museum with large scientific and historical collections
• The National Theatre, a neo-Renaissance building with golden roof, alongside the banks of the Vltava River
• The deconstructivist Dancing House (Fred and Ginger Building
• Charles Square, the largest medieval square in Europe (now turned into a park
• The Emmaus monastery and WW Memorial „Prague for his winning children“ at Palacky Square (Palackého náměstí)
• The museum of the Heydrich assassination in the crypt of theChurch of Saints Cyril and Methodius
• Stiassny's Jubilee Synagogue is the largest in Prague
• The Mucha Museum, showcasing the Art Nouveau works of Alfons Mucha

Vinohrady and Žižkov

• Jan Žižka large bronze equestrian statue in Vítkov Park, Žižkov – Prague 3
• The neo-Gothic Church of St. Ludmila at Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) inVinohrady
• Žižkov Television Tower with sculptures of crawling babies
• New Jewish Cemetery in Olšany, location of Franz Kafka's grave –Prague 3
• The Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Church at George of Poděbrady Square (Jiřího z Poděbrad)
• The early-20th-century grand Art Nouveau apartment buildings in the area between Náměstí Míru (Peace Square)in Vinohrady and Riegrovy Sady

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