Otázka: Prague
Jazyk: Angličtina
Přidal(a): Jindrisekfou
introduction, basic facts
– The capital of the Czech republic, also the biggest city
– Around 1,2 million inhabitants (with the suburbs and outskirts)
– It’s also an independent region – region of the Capital of Prague -> surrounded by the region of Central Bohemia
– Situated in the centre of the Czech republic -> the heart of the CZ, the heart of Europe
– “Golden Prague”, “Prague – mother of all cities”, “hundred-towered Prague”, “town of 100 spires”
– The crossroad of all roadways, railways
– It’s the seat of the president, the government and the parliament
– The centre of industry, tourism and business, economy and politics
– Developed tourism
– River Vltava flows through the city
– Prague has 15 districts/constituencies, 57 quarters
– There are many architectural styles -> that’s one of the reasons why so many tourists some to visit every year
A little bit of history
– Prague has a very rich history so I would like to speak about few most important moments
– There is this legend which says that princess Libuše once had a vision in which she saw a city “whose glory touches the stars”. This city was Prague.
– First mentions about Prague are from 9th century -> that’s when the ruling dynasty – the Premyslids moved their seat from Levý Hradec to Prague
- They founded the Old Town – 870 Prague Castle was founded
- Then the New Town was founded
- Prague consisted of four oldest independent parts: Hradčany (the Castle district, Lesser quarter (Malá Strana), Old Town, New Town
– It became the seat of the first Czech king Vratislaus II. – 1085
– The rule of Charles IV. -> flourishing of the city -> Prague became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire
- He founded the Charles University (1348), the Charles Bridge (1357), the Castle of Karlštejn
- He was an enlightened ruler/monarch
– 14th – 16th century the movement of the Hussites -> 1415 John Huss was burnt in Konstanz
– During the rule of Rudolf II. In the 16th century Prague was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire again, new flourishing of the city
- Famous personalities of that time came to Prague -> Tycho de Brahe, Johannes Kepler
– 1621 the execution of 27 Czech nobles at the Old Town Square (consequence of the battle of the White Mountain – beginning of the 30 years’ war)
– 1918 after the World War 1 Prague became the capital of Czechoslovakia
– 1938 the beginning of Nazi occupation (the Munich treaty) (17.11.1939 the Day of Students -> the Prague universities were closed)
– 5. 5. 1945 an uprising in Prague against the Nazi Army -> the end of World War 2 (8.5.)
– 1948 the Communists take over the power
– 1968 the Prague Spring -> Soviet army invasion
– 1989 the Velvet Revolution -> the fall of communism
– 1993 Independent Czech Republic -> Prague is the capital
Monuments
– They are the main reason for tourists to come
– Prague is one of the oldest cities in the Europe, the are a lot of interesting places and historic buildings
– Many of them are preserved and protected by UNESCO
– The Prague Castle
- It’s the seat of the president of the Czech republic
- There are beautiful gardens -> called Belvedere
- 2 towers -> Daliborka and the Black Tower
- Was built by the Premyslids
– St. Vitus’ Cathedral
- Founded by Jan Lucemburský
- Finish in the beginning of the 20th century
– The Charles Bridge
- 1357 – second oldest bridge in the Central Europe
- Replaced the Judith Bridge which used to be there before (made of wood)
- The statues were added many years later -> in the baroque -> Petr Parléř
– The Carolinum
- It’s the seat of the Charles University -> the rector’s office
- Charles University -> the oldest university in the Central Europe
– The Old Town Square
- The execution of 27 Czech nobles
- The Church of St. Nicolas (orthodox)
- A gallery
- The Astronomical Clock -> statues of the Apostoles (in the 15th century)
- The Paris Avenue -> famous fashion designers
– St. Wenceslas Square
- The statue of St. Wenceslas on the horse -> he is the patron of the Czech nation
- There are many shops and boutiques, department stores; a lot of clubs, bars and restaurants
- Behind the statue there is the National Museum (art nouveau) -> huge exposition, science and art (now it is in reconstruction)
– The National Theatre
- On the bank of Vltava
- “the nation to itself”
- The most famous artist of that time -> art nouveau à Žníšek (architect), Hynais (the curtain), Mucha, Myslbek – painters
- There was a big fire and the theatre needed to be reconstructed -> the money were collected from people -> in 4 weeks enough
– The Estates Theatre
- There was the premiere of the play Fidlovačka -> National Anthem “Where is my home?” -> composed by F. Škroup and lyrics by J. K. Tyl
- W. A. Mozart himself there his opera Don Juan
– The Vyšehrad
- There is a big graveyard where many famous personalities were buried
- Vyšehrad used to be a fortress
– The Petřín
- Gardens with an observation tower inspired by the Eiffel tower in Paris
- A place of all the amorous people
– The Golden Street
- Picturesque small street, small houses
- Small shops with souvenirs
– The Chapel of the Bethlehem
- John Huss preached there
– Josefov
- The old Jewish quarter
- Old Jewish cemetery, Old New Synagogue
– The Dancing House
- Modern office building designed by Milunič and Gehry
- Fred Aster and Ginger Rogers
Transport
– Bus -> cheap
– Tram -> quiet, not expensive, even at night
– Metro -> 3 lines, fastest
– Taxi -> expensive, for tourists, at the airport
– Carriage -> expensive, touristic experience
– Boats -> for tourists, expensive; botels, parties
– Train -> travelling around Prague, connection with smaller cities
– Car -> traffic jams (the bypass is not finished yet); difficult to find a parking lot – the blue line
– Airplane -> airport Ruzyně (the Czechs think about renaming it after the recently passed away former president Václav Havel), international travelling
– A lot of architectural styles: Romanesque (St. George’s basilica), gothic (St. Vitus’ Cathedral)renaissance (Belvedere, Spanish Hall), baroque (almost all churches), art nouveau (the Municipal House), Neo-classical (the National Theatre)
The royal route
– From the Prague Castle to the Powder Tower
– Used by Czech kings on the way to the coronation (passed through)
– Originally started at Vyšehrad
– Starts in the Kings Quad (nádvoří – Králův dvůr) by the Powder Tower (the Old Town) Celetná street Old Town Square (The Astronomical Clock) the Small Square Charles’ Street (Klementinum) Křižovnické square under the Old Town bridge gate the Charles Brigde under the Lesser Town bridge gate Mostecká street Lesser town Square Nerudova street Ke Hradu street (Pohořelec once) Hradčanské (Castle?) square the Prague Castle St. Vitus Cathedral
– Many important sights today a popular tourist route
What to do in prague, activities
– A lot of cultural activities and events
– Galleries
- The National Gallery
- The National Museum
- The Mánes Gallery
- The Mucha Museum
– Theatres
- The National Theatre
- The Estates Theatre
- The Vinohrady theatre
- The Theatre of Jára Cimrman
– Cinemas
- In big shopping centres – Smíchov, Letňany, Zličín….
- But also Světozor, Aero, Lucerna
– Plenty of clubs, bars and restaurants -> rich nightlife – popular among tourists and students
– The Troja Zoo -> one of the biggest European Zoos
– Shopping -> many huge shopping centres all around Prague, in the centre -> Palladium; also small shops and boutiques; clothes and fashion are quite expensive in Prague and CZ generally
– Lots of events and special occasions -> Prague Spring, Majáles, Festivals, concerts
– Prague is a really popular and plentifully visited by tourists
– A lot of foreign students come to study in Prague
– One of the most beautiful cities in the Europe
Other remarkable places
– Kutná hora – silver mines; cathedral
– Karlštejn – castle built by Charles IV. the golden chapel
– Říp – hill + rotunda; according to legend grand father Czech came here
– Karlovy vary – spas + center
