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THE CITY OF PRAGUE
Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, is often mentioned as the Europe’s heart, the Mother of the cities, the city of hundred towers. Prague being the biggest city of the Czech Republic with 1,2 mil. Inhabitants is also the capital of the country.
The first mentioning of the settlements along the both banks of the river Vltava goes back to the Stone Age. The dynasty of the Premyslovci has founded the Czech state by founding the Prague Castle in the 9th century. The Prague Castle has become the seat of the Bohemian Kings and later on of the Czech Presidents. The city has reached huge cultural and the economical development during the rule of the Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century. The foundation and the creation of the University was the peak of the epoque besides the construction of the picturesque Charles Bridge.
Also the eccentric King Rudolf II of the Habsburg dynasty is worth mentioning. He enriched the art collections of the emperor’s court with many masterpieces and brought many famous artists and scientists to Prague. Prague is a real heaven for people who like historical architecture. Not only the Prague Castle and the Charles bridge are worth mentioning, but also several palaces in the Old Town and the Lesser Town. The Old Town with the medieval streets and the beautiful Old Town Square offers the splendid experience, fi rst of all under the nocturnal lights. The Jewish Town, the part of the Old Town hosts one of the biggest and the most precious collections of the Jewish culture in Europe.
The city where Slavic, German and Jewish culture meet together, Prague has become a unique cultural center beloved by many people of art and science. Franz Kafka lived in Prague, Rainer Maria Rilke, Max Brod, and Jaroslav Hašek stayed in the city. The well known visitors of Prague were famous musicians: Wolfang Amadeus Mozart, who composed the opera Don Giovanni, Bedřich Smetana, Antonin Dvořak, Petr Iljič Tchaikovsky, Ludwig van Beethoven and others. Prague also attracted scientists, the famous physicist Albert Einstein also lectured at the Prague University.
The Prague of today is becoming a modern European city with a great offer of the cultural life and many commercial opportunities. The city offers all kind of high quality services, big modern shopping centres and small shops with traditional Czech gifts as crystal glass, Czech garnets, woodcraft, leisure time centers, pubs with traditional Czech cuisine and splendid Czech beer.
The map of Prague is available here.
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