16) Prague

16. Prague  capital city of the Czech republic  14th largest city in Europe  1.2 million people  500 square kilometers  major institutions (GNP 184% of Europe) HISTORY  starts with a legend - Princess Libuše from Přemyslid Dynasty said „I can see a city whoose glory touches the stars“ - Vyšehrad + horse Šemík - The Golem (16th century Rabbi Lew)  CHARLES IV. o established Charles university o Charles Bridge  were added eggs to help the construction  start of the constructions was on the 9th July 1357 at 531 am (1357 9.7. 5:31) o he made the Prague the centre of the Holy Roman Empire (TOP city in Europe at that time) o he established first Archbishop in CZ o St. Vitus Cathedral  1419  first defenestration of Prague  RUDOLPH II. o he brought many famous scientists to Prague  1618  second defenestration of Prague  1620  battle on White Mountain  1621  27 leaders were executed on the Old Town Square  1968 o The Prague Spring  it was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II SIGHTS  Prague castle o St. Vitus Cathedral (construction took nearly 500 yrs… Petr Parléř = architect), museum, many rooms (about 700), lot of policemen, crown jewells, Golden lane,  Charles Bridge o 52O meters long, statues of famous people (in these times 32), over the river Vltava, connects The Old Town with The Lesser Town (Malá Strana)  Old Town Square o Astronomical Clock, John Huss in the middle, Old Town Hall, Tyn Church, National Gallery  Municipal House o concerts etc., style of early 20 century, Smetana concert hall in it, ČNB inside  Jewish Quarter o Jewish cemetery, synagogues (for example Old-New Synagogue)  Petřín Lookout Tower o small copy of Eifell Tower, moved to Petřín Hill in 1930´  The Lennon Wall o special = made because of communism = people were writing and drawing messages about freedom there and communist were repairing it = it was symbol of protest o since 1980´  Wenceslas Square o very modern <= founded by Charles IV. => repaired , in the New Town, a lot of shops, National Museum (under reconstruction), statue of st. Wenceslas (meeting point of demonstrations, etc.)  National Theatre o reopened 1883 because of the fire in 1881, first play = Libuše by Bedřich Smetana  Dancing house o it has shape like dancing woman, brought lots of controversy into Prague, now it has become one of the major sights  Vyšehrad o Fortress, rotunda of St. Martin, Slavín cemetery is part of (cemetery of famous people) PARTS  main o The Lesser Town (Malá Strana), Old Town, New Town, Hradčany, Vyšehrad, Josefov, Židovská čtvrť) TRANSPORT  Underground, trams, busses, Václav Havel airport Cosmopolitan city  Many foreign people and companies ATRACTIONS  O2 arena, ZOO, House of Wax, Strahov Stadion (Biggest in the world (not because of the amount of people but because of the size of the area)) UNESCO part from 1992, WOULD I LIKE TO LIVE THERE?, WHAT I LIKED THE MOST WHEN I WAS THERE?