Prague

I

Introduction

Prague (Czech Praha), capital and largest city of the Czech Republic, located in the west central part of the country, in the region of Bohemia. Often called the City of a Hundred Spires because of its many churches and towers, Prague is the chief commercial, industrial, and cultural center of the Czech Republic. Unlike much of central Europe, the city was not seriously damaged in World War II (1939-1945) and remains one of the most beautiful cities on the continent. From 1918 to 1993 Prague was the capital of Czechoslovakia, which came under Communist control after World War II. Since the fall of Communism in 1989, Prague has become a major tourist attraction, bolstering the city’s economy.

II

Prague and Its Metropolitan Area

Greater Prague, which covers an area of 496 sq km (192 sq mi), was formed in 1920 by the incorporation of 37 nearby towns and villages. Greater Prague also includes numerous new suburban developments dominated by high-rise apartments that date from the Communist era.

The historic center of the city developed in a broad valley on the banks and surrounding hills of the Vltava River. Many bridges link the two parts of the city. The most famous of these is the Charles Bridge, commissioned in the late 14th century by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, completed in the early 15th century, and later embellished with statues of saints. Old Town, founded in the 13th century, and New Town, which developed in the 14th century, lie on the eastern bank of the river. Old Town contains many important architectural and artistic monuments, several of them situated on Old Town Square. A statue of John Huss (Jan Hus), the Bohemian religious reformer who instigated the Protestant Reformation in the 15th century, dominates the square. Other attractions are the 14th-century Týn Church, a center of the Hussite movement, and the astronomical clock, or Orloj, of Old Town Hall (Staroměstská Radnice), which is adorned with statues of the 12 apostles that rotate each hour. Old Town also encompasses Josephov, the city’s Jewish quarter. Dating from the 10th century, Josephov contains the Old-New Synagogue and the Old Jewish Cemetery, which is the oldest in Europe. Many of the buildings of Charles University are in Old Town, as are several concert halls and museums.

New Town, which is adjacent to Old Town on the eastern bank of the Vltava, has remained an industrial and commercial center over the centuries. Many of the area’s buildings date from the 18th century. There are also numerous examples of art nouveau architecture. The famous Wenceslas Square, or Václavské náměstí, is presided over by a statue of Saint Wenceslas, the 10th-century nobleman celebrated in the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas.” The National Museum, built between 1885 and 1890, lies at one end of the square. The National Theater, completed in 1881, is located on Národní třida, or National Street. Both buildings were constructed during the period of resurgent Czech culture and nationalism in the 19th century.

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The Hradčany, or Castle, district is on the western side of the Vltava and dominates the city. Situated on a hill, Hradčany (Prague Castle) includes several historical buildings and is Prague’s most visible symbol. Formerly the residence of the kings of Bohemia, Hradčany now houses the offices and official residence of the president of the Czech Republic. Zlatá ulička, or Golden Street, is just inside one of the castle’s walls and includes the tiny shops and small homes of the artisans who once served the castle’s occupants. The Lesser Quarter, or Malá Strana, located in the area between the castle hill and the river, contains many of the Baroque palaces that lend distinction to Prague.

Residential and industrial areas surround the historic sections of the city. The older neighborhoods close to the center contain many fine residences built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Industrial zones to the east and south of the city grew significantly under Communism. The greater metropolitan area includes suburbs of low-quality high-rise apartment complexes built after World War II. Agricultural areas and small villages also dot the metropolitan area.

III

Population

The city of Prague had a population of 1,169,106 in 2003. The city’s population has declined since the end of Communism. The increased costs of raising children in a market economy and new career and travel opportunities available to young people have led to a drop in the birthrate. Government restrictions on migration into Prague were abolished after 1989. However, difficulties in finding housing and the higher cost of living have limited in-migration. Approximately 68,000 foreigners have residence permits to live in Prague.

The majority of Prague’s residents are Czech. In earlier centuries, many Germans lived in the city. The ruling Přemyslid dynasty of Prague encouraged German migration to Bohemia in medieval times. When Prague became the capital of the newly created Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, approximately 35 percent of the city’s inhabitants were German-speakers. Many of these were members of Prague’s large Jewish community, which dated to the 10th century. Nearly all of the city’s Jews perished in the Holocaust. After World War II, most other German-speakers in Prague were among the approximately 3 million Germans expelled from the country. Most Czechs are nominally Catholic. Czech culture has also been shaped by a strong Protestant influence dating from the times of Huss, the Czech religious reformer burned at the stake as a heretic in 1415.

IV

Education and Culture

In addition to its cultural importance to the Czech Republic, Prague also made major contributions to European culture. The city served as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Charles IV. Prague flourished during the Czech national awakening in the l9th century and as the capital of the Czechoslovak Republic in the period between World War I and World War II. Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák are the city’s best-known composers. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived in Prague and wrote the opera Don Giovanni (1787) there. Franz Kafka, Jaroslav Hašek, and former Czech president Václav Havel are the city’s best-known writers.

The city has a long tradition as a center of learning. Charles University, founded by Charles IV in 1348, is one of the oldest universities in Europe. The Czech Technical University; Prague University of Economics, formerly the Higher Economic School; the Institute of Chemical Technology; Czech University of Agriculture; the Academy of Performing Arts, the Academy of Fine Arts, and the Academy of Applied Arts are also in Prague. The Czech Academy of Sciences carries on the work of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences founded in 1952.

The city has a rich musical life. The annual Prague Spring music festival held in May draws many of the world’s finest performing artists to the city. The Czech Philharmonic and Prague Symphony are world-renowned. Many other orchestras and smaller musical groups regularly perform classical music in the city’s numerous concert halls, churches, and convents. Prague also has a lively dramatic tradition. There are approximately 50 theaters in addition to the National Theater and the State Opera House.

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