Prague

Prague

• Is the capital and the biggest city in the Czech Republic

• there are lot of towers

• Is situated on the river Vltava

• seat of the president, parliament, government,

• social, cultural, political, educational, business, financial centre of the Czech republic

• historic Centrum – included in UNESCO

• it is divided into 22 districts (Prague word with the corresponding /odpovídající/numeral /:njůmerl:/)

  • five historical districts have name

    • The Old Town, The New Town, Josefov (Jewish quarter), the Lesser Town, Hradčany, Vyšehrad

History

• people have lived in this area since Stone Age

• legend connects the foundation /:fndejšn:/ (založení) of Prague with princess Libuše

• In the 9th century – Prague became the capital city of Bohemia

• In the 14th century – the king Charles IV ruled

  • he founded

    • the Charles University (the Carolinum – oldest building of Charles University)

    • Charles Bridge, Hungry wall, The New Town, St. Vitus Cathedral, Horse market…

• Rudolph II.

  • he invited artists and scientists to Prague

  • the Golden Lane was built (zlatá ulička)

• In 1918 – Prague became the capital city of the Czechoslovak Republic

• In 1993 – capital city of the Czech Republic

Sights

• the most famous sight

• founded in 9th century

• official residence of the President (when he is there – we can see Czech flag)

• it is a big complex of buildings

  • there is the Vladislav Hall – it is used for representative purposes

  • there is the Rudolph Gallery

  • there is the St. Vitus Cathedral

    • Crown Jewels are saved there

GOLDEN LINE

• it was built at the time of Rudolph II. – alchemists who lived there (tried to make gold)

  • there is beautiful view on the Lesser Town, the National Theatre…

• you can get there by cable car (lanovka)

• there are parks and gardens

  • on the top is Mirror maze (zrcadlové bludiště), Petřín observation tower (petřínská rozhledna) (like Eifel tower)

• Statue of Karel Hynek Mácha – patron of lovers

• we can get there from Lesser Town square (malostranské náměstí)

  • connect Lesser Town and Old Town

• the oldest bridge in Prague

  • built by Charles IV.

• 30 statues in baroque style

• on the bridge there are lot of artists and musicians /:mňůzišns:/

• centre of the Old Town and historical Prague

  • in the square is building – Old Town Hall (staroměstská radnice)

  • there is the astronomical clock (orloj)

    • it strikes every hour (udeří)

• there is the John Hus Monument- in the middle of the square

• gothic Týn Church – Tycho de Brahe is buried there

• St. Nicholas church

• from Old Town Square we can go along

• Paris Street

  • it takes us to the Jewish Town

• in the New Town

• commercial centre of Prague (obchodní)

  • there are banks, department stores, shops, hotels, coffees

• in the upper part (v horní části) stands statue of St. Wenceslas Memorial

• at the upper end (na horním konci) there is the National Museum