Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, situated on the banks of the «Vltava» River in the heart of Central Europe. Settlement of the site dates back to the 9th century, and the city flourished especially in the 14th century under Emperor «Charles IV», who made it the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and a leading cultural and scholarly center in Europe.
The City of a Hundred Spires
Prague earned the nickname «City of a Hundred Spires» for its dense skyline of Gothic and Baroque church towers and palaces. The 14th-century «Charles Bridge» links the two banks of the river and is adorned with more than thirty Baroque statues, while «Prague Castle» crowns the hill above as the largest ancient connected castle complex in the world, according to Guinness World Records.
- Prague Castle is the largest ancient connected castle complex in the world
- The Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square has run since 1410
- Charles Bridge is adorned with more than 30 Baroque statues
- The historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Prague largely escaped the destruction of both World Wars, allowing it to retain one of the best-preserved historic city centers in Europe, and it is today a major cultural and tourist destination on the continent.
