Blog Praha

Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for over 1100 years. The city is home to more than 1.2 million people (the whole population of the Czech Republic is 10 million people), while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million.

Prague is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is among the most visited cities on the continent. Since it largely escaped bombing during the Second World War, which befell so many Charles Bridge and the Prague CastleEuropean cities during that period, Prague has kept its unique historical appearance with a labyrinth of winding, medieval cobblestone streets and beautiful palaces and churches of all architectural styles. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. According to Guinness World Records, the Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Nicknames for Prague have included “the mother of cities” (Praga mater urbium in Latin), “city of a hundred spires” and “the golden city”.

Prague is famous for its cultural life. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived there, and his Prague Symphony and Don Giovanni were first performed in the city. In addition, the lyric music of the great Czech composers Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Leoš Janáček is commemorated each year in a spring music festival. The U kalicha (“At the Chalice”) beer parlour, which is still popular with local residents and tourists alike, provided the setting for the humorously antiauthoritarian activities of Schweik, immortalized by the novelist Jaroslav Hašek in The Good Soldier Schweik. The writings of Franz Kafka, dwelling in a different way on the dilemmas and predicaments of modern life, also seem indissolubly linked with life in this city. Pop. (2011 est.) 1,234,037.

The physical attractions and landmarks of Prague are many. Among the finest is the Charles Bridge (Karlův most), which stands astride the Vltava River. The winding course of the Vltava, with its succession of bridges and changing vistas, contrasts with the ever-present backdrop of the great castle of Hradčany (Prague Castle), which dominates the left-bank region of the city from behind massive walls set high on a hill. The narrow streets and little taverns and restaurants of the older quarters contrast with the broad sweep of Wenceslas Square and modern parks and housing developments, while the great 18th-century Baroque palaces have their own elegance and splendour. Seen from the surrounding hills, the many church towers make up a unique perspective, giving Prague its description as the “city of a hundred spires.” This architectural harmony was enhanced by post-1945 planning, which preserved the ancient core of the city as a major monument and carefully supervised all modern building. In 1992 the historic city centre was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

A lot of locals hate the Zizkov Tower building either for political reasons or for disrupting Prague’s medieval skyline as a very tall, grey structure that looks like it’s about to take off. However if you do go to check it out, head up to the top as you can get some pretty cool views.

Plus it can’t look as bad as when there were 10 giant statue babies crawling all over it up until a mere few months ago!

According to legend, the brains behind the creation of Prague’s Astronomical Clock Tower, Hanus Carolinum, was blinded by the Old Town councillors with a hot poker. They did this out of fear that Hanus would recreate the clock in another city and make this one less famous and unique. Brutal.

That’s right, you can BATHE IN BEER and drink unlimited amounts! (From a separate barrel of course, not your tub…) Apparently the high hop oil content in the beer helps to open your pores and have a more glowing appearance. It also supposedly helps improve immunity, stimulate metabolism and ease stress - who would’ve known a beer bath could be so revitalising!