Ancient and mystical, unique and charming, Zlata Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. For millennia, it has grown and developed at the intersection of trade routes. In its appearance you can see the whole history of European architecture: Gothic castles and arches, Baroque churches and Renaissance buildings, buildings in the Rococo style and Art Nouveau.
The historical center of Prague, with its vast squares and winding and narrow streets paved with paving stones, was included in the list of World Cultural Heritage sites by UNESCO decision.
A few words about the country
In the very center of Europe, between the hills covered by the Bohemian forest and the Sudeten mountains, the Czech Republic is located. This country has no access to the seas and borders with Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia.
In the Czech Republic, perhaps nowhere else, you can feel the spirit of the Middle Ages, carefully preserved in dozens of big and small cities, palace and castle complexes. The most beautiful natural landscapes serve as an excellent setting for architectural monuments.
Modern Czech Republic
As a result of the so-called velvet divorce (the collapse of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic in January 1993 - the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic) two sovereign states appeared on the world political stage - the Slovak Republic, the main city in which became Bratislava, and the Czech Republic, the capital of which remained in Prague.
In recent European history, this is perhaps the only case when the division of the country was not accompanied by military or other military actions. Modern Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic led by a president elected by popular vote. Today, the
Czech Republic, under the leadership of President
Milos Zeman, elected in March 2013, is a member of the European Union and NATO.
Main city
Prague is the capital, historical, cultural and economic “heart” of the modern Czech Republic, located in the north-west of this country, in the middle of the Czech basin. The city was built on the hills along the Vltava River and is divided by it into two parts: eastern and western. Visegrad is located on the right bank, and Prague Castle is on the left bank. Due to the frequent transfers of residences of Czech rulers from one settlement to another, both of them have grown significantly and practically merged into one.
But officially, Big Prague was formed only in the first quarter of the last century, after several dozen practically merged into one settlement were included in the city limits. And earlier it was a small city, occupying only 20 km
2 . Modern Prague on the map covers an area of almost 500 km
2 .
Prague legends
In the historical center of the Czech capital, every house, garden and cobblestone on its pavements can tell many legends and stories. Legends are fanned and the foundation of this city. After the Czech tribes led by the Forefather Čech came and began to develop lands located between the Vltava and Laba rivers, Prince Krok, who raised three daughters, the youngest of whom, Libuša, came to power after the death of his father, became the ruler. It was she who, according to legend, founded the Vysehrad fortress on the rocky shores of the Vltava, which later became her residence. Princess Libush was not only smart and beautiful, but also had the gift of foresight. Once, standing on the rocky shore of the Vltava, she managed to “see” that a city would soon be laid, the glory of which would reach heaven. She even managed to name the place where such a city would be founded: the threshold of the house, which a man should make.
Immediately, the princely servants rushed in search and quickly found a Prague craftsman who at that time, which in Czech means “threshold”, a simple plowman named Przemysl. Libusha took him as husbands, and on the spot where he made the threshold, the Grad fortress was founded, from which Prague grew - a city that served as the residence of many generations of princes Przemyslovichi.
The opinion of historians
Scientists consider Libus and the plowman Przemysl nothing more than mythical characters. In fact, Prague was founded no earlier than 880, after Borzhivoy, the first prince from the Przemyslovic dynasty, moved his residence here from Hradec nad Vltavou. Information about Libus is found in the well-known work of Kozma of Prague “The Czech Chronicle”, and he dates them from 623 to 630 years. At that time, at the beginning of the seventh century, according to experts, the Czechs did not yet have statehood, and the formation of the city is unlikely.
What does the name of the city mean?
As mentioned above, the most popular version says that Prague is a city whose name comes from the Czech word prah - “threshold”. Some scholars believe that Praha is formed from the Old Slavonic name of the Vltava rocky and rapids. There is a version that the name of the city may be associated with the word pražení - roasting, roasting, as a lot of grain was grown in this region, and bread production was developed.
All of these versions are based only on the analysis of linguistic constructions. Modern scientists consider the most plausible hypothesis of rocky rapids, which were many on the Vltava.
How it all began
The first wooden Prague Castle was founded in the second half of the 9th century by Prince Borzhev. At the beginning of the 10th century, Vysehrad grew up on the other side of the Vltava. Over time, merchant and craft settlements began to appear around both castles. So, on the left bank the town of Stare Mesto was formed, and on the right, under the Prague Castle, Mala Strana arose. By the end of the XIII century, during the reign of the son of Przemysl Otakar II, Prince Krakowski and the Czech King Wenceslas II, Prague is the capital, the largest and most economically developed city, able to rise above the rest.
The heyday of this city lasted almost the entire 13th century and fell on the reign of Jan Luxembourg and his son Charles IV. The latter managed to raise the status of Prague to the level of the capital of the Roman Empire, and in size it was second only to Constantinople and Paris. During his reign,
Charles IV tried his best to prove that Prague is not only an economic capital, but also a cultural one. It was then that Charles Bridge and the first university were built, the construction of St. Vitus Cathedral began. Then the archbishopric department was created, and the Novo Mesto district arose.
Stages of development
As a result of the Hussite Wars, Prague experienced a period of devastation and decline. But by the end of the 15th century, gradual stabilization took place, and the construction of new and restoration of destroyed buildings began in the city. It was at this time that under the direction of the architect Benedict Wright, the Old Royal Palace was reconstructed in Hradcany.
The second "golden age" for Prague came during the reign of the Habsburg dynasty, which began in 1526. The Austrian rulers put a lot of effort and money into the development of Prague. In 1612, after the death of Emperor Rudolph II, the city loses its status, as the royal court in full force moves to Vienna.
The next heyday of Prague was the 18th century, which coincided with a national revival. At the end of this century, during the reign of Joseph II, the four main urban areas merged into a single administrative territory: Hradcany, Stare Mesto, Mala Strana and New Town.
In the late XIX - early XX centuries, when there was a rapid development of industry and the economy, like most European capitals, Prague is actively developing and expanding significantly. The rise of this period was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. In 1918, an independent state was formed - Czechoslovakia. During the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, Prague - the capital of this state - like the rest of the country, was under Nazi occupation. After the war, and until 1989, when the "velvet revolution" took place, Czechoslovakia entered the socialist camp.
Prague areas
Modern Prague consists of many districts, some of which have been considered separate cities for centuries. It:
- Vysehrad;
- Stare Mesto;
- Mala Strana;
- Hradcans;
- New town.
In the old days, they not only had various systems of control and subordination, financing, but also were at enmity with each other, sometimes reaching the point of military operations. By the end of the 19th century, Old Prague took shape, the historical center of which included such districts as Stare and Nove Mesto, Hradcany, Vysehrad, Mala Strana and Josefov - the Jewish quarter.
It is in them that the main historical, architectural and cultural attractions of the Czech capital are located. In subsequent years, the city expanded, and new areas appeared, but there are few interesting objects for travelers.
Today it is quite difficult not only for tourists, but also for the indigenous people to understand how Prague is divided into districts. On the map, according to the modern concept of urban planning, modern areas are identified by their territorial affiliation to a particular municipality. Thus, the whole city is divided into 22 districts, comprising 57 districts.
At the same time as the new one, the old cadastral system for dividing the city also operates. So, Prague is divided into 10 main areas, uniting 112 territories. This distinction is called administrative and is widely used in various aspects of urban life.