Slovakia, Hungary & Czech Republic (By EMArg)

[EMArg]

Prague: City Overview






Prague is a political, cultural and economic centre of central Europe complete with a rich history. Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras, Prague was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the main residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably of Charles IV (r. 1346–1378). It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian Empire. The city played major roles in the Bohemian and Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years' War and in 20th-century history as the capital of Czechoslovakia between the World Wars and the post-war Communist era. Prague is home to a number of well-known cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe. Main attractions include Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square with the Prague astronomical clock, the Jewish Quarter, Petřín hill and Vyšehrad. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The city has more than ten major museums, along with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas and other historical exhibits. An extensive modern public transportation system connects the city. It is home to a wide range of public and private schools, including Charles University in Prague, the oldest university in Central Europe.

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[Urban Enthusiast]

Ever since high school I was fascinated by the area that comprised the Hapsburg empire, notably Prague, Vienna and Budapest. But Prague is really my favorite. It's probably over run with tourists, but the architecture and setting are just great. I have only been there once, but I hope to go back some day.

[EMArg]

Indeed it was populated by tourists back in the day. I wonder how the city looks nowadays. If a czech forumer reads this, it would be cool to read your views on this

[EMArg]

Prague: Dancing House (Tancici Dum)





The Dancing House, or Fred and Ginger, is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building on the Rašínovo nábřeží (Rašín Embankment) in Prague, Czech Republic. It was designed by the Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić in cooperation with Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry on a vacant riverfront plot. The building was designed in 1992 and was completed four years later in 1996. The non-traditional design was controversial at the time because the house stands out among the Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous. The then Czech president, Václav Havel, who lived next to the site for decades, had avidly supported this project, hoping that the building would become a center of cultural activity. Gehry originally named the house Fred and Ginger (after the dancers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers – the house resembles a pair of dancers) but this nickname is now rarely used. Gehry himself was later "afraid to import American Hollywood kitsch to Prague", and thus discarded his own idea.

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Prague Castle






Built in the 9th century the Prague Castle is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, occupying an area of almost 70,000 square metres (750,000 square feet), at about 570 metres (1,870 feet) in length and an average of about 130 metres (430 feet) wide. The castle is among the most visited tourist attractions in Prague attracting over 1.8 million visitors annually.

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[JMKeynes]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!

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Prague: Cathedral






The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert is a Roman Catholic metropolitan cathedral in Prague, the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Until 1997, the cathedral was dedicated only to Saint Vitus, and is still commonly named only as St. Vitus Cathedral. This cathedral is a prominent example of Gothic architecture and is the largest and most important church in the country. Located within Prague Castle and containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors, the cathedral is under the ownership of the Czech government as part of the Prague Castle complex. Cathedral dimensions are 124 by 60 metres (407 ft × 197 ft), the main tower is 102.8 metres (337 ft) high, front towers 82 metres (269 ft), arch height 33.2 metres (109 ft).

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Prague: Masarykovo Railway Station




Masarykovo was the first railway station in the city to serve steam trains, and the second oldest railway station in Prague (the first is Praha-Dejvice, formerly Bruska on the Lány Horse-drawn Railway). The station was designed by Antonín Jüngling and came into service in 1845. During the Prague uprising against German occupation in 1945, the station was captured by the Waffen-SS on 8 May and 53 surrendered resistance fighters and noncombatants were massacred. Nowadays the station only serves regional and suburban trains, because the larger Praha hlavní nádraží does not have enough capacity. In 2010 it served 48,838 trains and 9.6 million passengers. The station is currently being reconstructed, and will become the terminus of the planned railway connection with Václav Havel Airport Prague.

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Prague: Old Towers of the City







What characterizes Prague and makes it truly unique within the european capitals is the particular architecture of several of its oldest towers, which varied between military, religious and governmental uses. This is a summary of those towers, the most striking and iconic:







Old Town Bridge Tower:

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Malotranská Mostecká Vez:





















Powder Tower:

















Jindrisská Vez:

















Old Town Hall:













Church of Our Lady Before Týn:

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