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For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). Coordinates: 50°05′N 14°25′E / 50.083, 14.417  Prague (Praha) City Flag Coat-of-arms Motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae Nickname: City of a Hundred Spires Country  Czech Republic Region Capital City of Prague River Vltava Elevation 399 m (1,309 ft) Coordinates 50°05′N 14°25′E / 50.083, 14.417 Area 496 km² (191.51 mi²)  - metro 6,977 km² (2,694 mi²) Population 1,198,094 (2007-06-30)  - metro 1,941,803 Density 2,392 /km² (6,195 /mi²) Founded 9th century Mayor Pavel Bém Timezone CET (UTC+1)  - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Postal code 1xx xx UNESCO World Heritage Site Name Historic Center of Prague Year 1992 (#16) Number 616 Region Europe and North America Criteria ii, iv, vi Website: www.cityofprague.cz Prague (IPA: /ˈprɑːg/, Czech: Praha (IPA: [ˈpraɦa]), see also other names), is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Its official name is hlavní město Praha, meaning the Capital City of Prague. List of cities named Prague (Prague is Praha in Czech) Prague, Czech Republic Praha, Slovakia - a village outside Lučenec in South-East Slovakia (tourist info) Places in the United States named Prague Prague, Nebraska Prague, Oklahoma New Prague, Minnesota Other meanings The Child of Prague Prague is a novel... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Image File history File links UNESCO_World_Heritage_Site_-_small_logo. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1600x1044, 626 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Prague ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Prague. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic. ... The Czech Republic consists of 13 kraje (singular - kraj; usually translated as Regions with capital R) and one capital city (hlavní mÄ›sto), marked by a *: South Moravian Region (Jihomoravský kraj) Central Bohemian Region (StÅ™edočeský kraj) Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj) Vysočina Region (Kraj... The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was the century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... Pavel Bém (born July 18, 1963) is a Czech doctor and politician. ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries that do not observe summer time Central European Time (CET) is one of the names of the time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Central European Time West Africa Time British Summer Time* Irish Summer Time* Western European Summer Time* Category: ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries that do not observe summer time Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Eastern European Time Central Africa Time Israel Standard Time South Africa Standard Time Central European Summer Time West Africa Summer Time Category: ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 467 pixelsFull resolution (2684 × 1568 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Czechia_-_outline_map. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic center of the Czech state for over 1100 years. The city proper is home to nearly 1.2 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million[1]. The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ... Prague is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe[2] and is among the most visited cities on the continent[3]. Since 1992, the historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" (Praga mater urbium, or "Praha matka měst" in Czech)", "city of a hundred spires" and "the golden city"[4]. UNESCO logo The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO, is a specialized agency of the United Nations system established in 1946. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... A modern spire on the Lancaster University Chaplaincy Centre A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. ... Contents 1 History 1.1 Prehistory 1.2 Medieval 1.3 Renaissance 1.4 The Jewish Quarter of Prague 1.5 18th century 1.6 19th century 1.7 20th century 2 Timeline of important moments in Prague history 3 Historical population 4 Sights 5 Culture 6 Economy 7 Colleges and universities 8 Transport 8.1 Integrated transport system 8.2 Rail 8.3 Air 8.4 Taxis 9 Sport 10 Miscellaneous 11 Prague as a venue 12 International relations 13 See also 14 References 15 External links [edit] History Main article: History of Prague The history of Prague spans over thousands of years, during which time the city grew from the VyÅ¡ehrad Castle to the multicultural capital of a modern European state, the Czech Republic. ... [edit] Prehistory The land where Prague came to be built has been settled since the Paleolithic Age. Several thousands of years ago, there were trade routes connecting southern parts of Europe to northern Europe which passed through this area, following the course of the river. From around 500 BC the Celtic tribe known as the Boii, were the first inhabitants of this region known by name. The Boii named the region Bohemia and the river Vltava. The Germanic tribe Marcomanni migrated to Bohemia with its king Maroboduus in 9 AD. Meanwhile, some of the Celts migrated southward while the remainder assimilated with the Marcomanni. In 568, most of the Marcomanni migrated southward with the Lombards, another Germanic tribe. The rest of Marcomanni assimilated with the invading West Slavs. (The Migration of Nations started in the 2nd century; it ended at the end of the 9th and at the beginning of the 10th centuries). The Byzantine historian Prokopios mentions the presence of the Slavs in the lands in 512 AD. The Czech Slavic tribe came to Bohemia at the beginning of 7th century and Forefather Czech became the founder of the Czech nation. This article is about the European people. ... Boii (Latin plural, singular Boius; Greek Βοιοι) is the Roman name of an ancient Celtic tribe, attested at various times in Transalpine Gaul (modern France) and Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy), as well as in Pannonia (today Western Hungary), Bohemia, Moravia and western Slovakia. ... The Marcomanni were a Germanic tribe, probably related to the Suebi or Suevi. ... Marbod or Maroboduus (died in A.D. 37), was king of the Marcomanni. ... Distribution of Slavic people by language The Slavic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in Europe, where they constitute roughly a third of the population. ... This article is about the author of the Anecdota. For other uses, see Procopius (disambiguation). ... According to legends, Princess Libuše, the sovereign of the Czech tribe, married a humble ploughman by the name of Přemysl and founded the dynasty carrying the same name. The legendary Princess saw many prophecies from her castle Libusin, which was located in central Bohemia.[citation needed] (Archaeological finds dating back to the seventh century support the theory of the castle's location).[citation needed] In one prophecy, it is told, she foresaw the glory of Prague. One day she had a vision: "I see a vast city, whose glory will touch the stars! I see a place in the middle of a forest where a steep cliff rises above the Vltava River. There is a man, who is chiselling the threshold (prah) for the house. A castle named Prague (Praha) will be built there. Just as the princes and the dukes stoop in front of a threshold, they will bow to the castle and to the city around it. It will be honoured, favoured with great repute, and praise will be bestowed upon it by the entire world."[citation needed] PÅ™emysl and LibuÅ¡e, sculpture by Josef Václav Myslbek (1881), today in VyÅ¡ehrad LibuÅ¡e (Czech; in German Libussa or Libuscha) is a mythical ancestor of the PÅ™emyslid dynasty and the Czech people as whole. ... The Czechs name PÅ™emysl, the Ploughman (Premysl or Przemysl; in Czech PÅ™emysl Oráč) as the mythical ancestor of PÅ™emyslid dynasty, containing the line of princes (dukes) and kings which ruled in the Czech lands from 873 or earlier until the murder of Wenceslaus III in 1306. ... PÅ™emyslid coat of arms. ... Panorama of Prague Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 84 pixelsFull resolution (16346 × 1726 pixel, file size: 8. ... [edit] Medieval Panorama of Prague as seen on the reverse of 100 Czechoslovak koruna banknote issued in 1961 Prague Castle at night. Charles Bridge. Bridges of Prague. St. Vitus Cathedral. Old Town Square in Prague, Town Hall Tower & Astronomical Clock The Astronomical Clock Astronomical Clock Vltava river Týn Church - a view from east of Prague. Old Town Square. The Church of St. Nicolas. The Old Town Square The Jerusalem Synagogue, built in 1905 to 1906 by Wilhelm Stiassny, of Bratislava, is the largest Jewish place of worship in Prague Jewish Cemetery and surrounding buildings Packed with tourists on a busy summer day in Malá Strana (The Lesser Quarter), Prague Wenceslas Square and National Museum at night. The "nostalgic tram" no. 91 runs through the city center Milunić and Gehry's Dancing House Prague TV tower with crawling "babies" Prague skyscraper. From around 900 until 1306, Czech Přemyslid dynasty rulers had most of Bohemia under their control. The first Bohemian ruler acknowledged by historians was the Czech Prince Bořivoj Přemyslovec, who ruled in the second half of the 9th century. He and his wife Ludmila (who became a patron saint of Bohemia after her death) were baptised by Metodej, who (together with his brother Cyril) brought Christianity to Moravia in 863. Borivoj moved his seat from the fortified settlement Levý Hradec to a place called Prague (Praha). It was also called Prague castle grounds and later Prague Castle. Since Borivoj's reign it has been the seat of the Czech rulers. (Prague Castle became one of the largest inhabited fortress in Europe. Today, it is the seat of the Czech president.) Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 386 pixel Image in higher resolution (1290 × 623 pixel, file size: 211 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Czechoslovak koruna ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 386 pixel Image in higher resolution (1290 × 623 pixel, file size: 211 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Czechoslovak koruna ... ISO 4217 Code CSK User(s) Czech Republic Slovakia Inflation 57. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 509 pixel Image in higher resolution (3321 × 2111 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 509 pixel Image in higher resolution (3321 × 2111 pixel, file size: 1. ... Entrance to the Prague Castle at night The Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad) is the castle in Prague where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1570 KB) Sumario Puente de Carlos una mañana temprano, antes de llenarse de turistas. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1570 KB) Sumario Puente de Carlos una mañana temprano, antes de llenarse de turistas. ... Charles Bridge and Prague Old Town Charles Bridge as viewed from Petřínská rozhledna - lookout tower Charles Bridge (Czech:  ) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1152x864, 510 KB) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Prague Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1152x864, 510 KB) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Prague Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 511 KB) Prague, Hradčany, St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 511 KB) Prague, Hradčany, St. ... St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 3072 pixel, file size: 877 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Prague Town Square including the Old Town Hall Tower and Astronomical Clock. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 3072 pixel, file size: 877 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Prague Town Square including the Old Town Hall Tower and Astronomical Clock. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 696 KB) Summary Description: Rathausuhr Source: eigene Fotografie, 2005 Photographer: Hans Peter Schaefer, http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 696 KB) Summary Description: Rathausuhr Source: eigene Fotografie, 2005 Photographer: Hans Peter Schaefer, http://www. ... The astronomical clock in the Old-Town Square of Prague The Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj (Czech: Pražský orloj, pron. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,600 × 1,200 pixels, file size: 701 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View of the Vlatava River and Castle in Winter I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,600 × 1,200 pixels, file size: 701 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View of the Vlatava River and Castle in Winter I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (607x800, 76 KB) Прага - столицата на Чехия Praha File links The following pages link to this file: Prague ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (607x800, 76 KB) Прага - столицата на Чехия Praha File links The following pages link to this file: Prague ... Church of Our Lady in front of Týn, Old Town Square, Prague The Church of Our Lady in front of Týn (in Czech Chrám Panny Marie pÅ™ed Týnem, Týnský chrám or just Týn) is a dominant feature of the Old Town district... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 139 KB) Own made picture I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 139 KB) Own made picture I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Download high resolution version (600x800, 130 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (600x800, 130 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,288 × 1,712 pixels, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,288 × 1,712 pixels, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1920x2560, 1229 KB) Description: Prague - Jerusalemer Synagoge Source: self Date: August 2004 Author: Maros M r a z (sk:user:Maros) Permission: GNU Free Documentation License File links The following pages link to this file: Prague Metadata This file contains additional... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1920x2560, 1229 KB) Description: Prague - Jerusalemer Synagoge Source: self Date: August 2004 Author: Maros M r a z (sk:user:Maros) Permission: GNU Free Documentation License File links The following pages link to this file: Prague Metadata This file contains additional... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 385 KB) VIewing the Jewish Cemetary and surrounding buildings in Jusefov I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 385 KB) VIewing the Jewish Cemetary and surrounding buildings in Jusefov I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x800, 384 KB) Packed with tourists on a busy summer day in Malá Strana (Little Quarter), Prague. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x800, 384 KB) Packed with tourists on a busy summer day in Malá Strana (Little Quarter), Prague. ... Malá Strana in Prague Malá Strana  listen? (in English literally Little Side, though more frequently described as Lesser Quarter or Lesser Side) is originally a popular and nowadays also official name for former Menší mÄ›sto pražské (The Lesser Town of Prague), one of Pragues historical and oldest... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 799 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2055 × 1543 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 799 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2055 × 1543 pixel, file size: 2. ... Wenceslas Square Wenceslas Square (Czech: Václavské námÄ›stí) is one of the main city squares and the centre of the business and cultural communities in the New Town of Prague, Czech Republic. ... National Museum National museum is a Czech scientific institution intended to systematically establish, prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical collections. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Tram91. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Tram91. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1506x1600, 560 KB) Summary Description: Ginger and Fred (Architekt: Frank Gehry) Source: eigene Fotografie, 2005 Photographer: Hans Peter Schaefer, http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1506x1600, 560 KB) Summary Description: Ginger and Fred (Architekt: Frank Gehry) Source: eigene Fotografie, 2005 Photographer: Hans Peter Schaefer, http://www. ... Building photo The Dancing House or Fred and Ginger is the nickname given to an office building in downtown Prague, Czech Republic. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 456 KB) Description: Žižkov Television Tower in Prague Source: Czech Wikipedia: http://cs. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 456 KB) Description: Žižkov Television Tower in Prague Source: Czech Wikipedia: http://cs. ... Žižkov TV tower dominates the skyline. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 97 KB) Hotel Corintia Tower in the centre of Prague photo May 2005 File links The following pages link to this file: Prague ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 97 KB) Hotel Corintia Tower in the centre of Prague photo May 2005 File links The following pages link to this file: Prague ... PÅ™emyslid coat of arms. ... Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia (852/853 - 888/889) The head of the Premyslid Czechs who dominated the environs of Prague, Borivoj in c. ... St. ... Saint Methodius (Greek: Μεθόδιος; Church Slavonic Мефодии) (b. ... Saint Cyril (Greek: Κύριλλος , Church Slavonic: Кирилъ) (827 - February 14, 869) was a Byzantine Greek monk, scholar, theologian, and linguist. ... Bořivoj's grandson, Prince Wenceslas, initiated friendly relations with the Saxon dynasty. Wenceslas wanted Bohemia to become an equal partner in the larger empire. (In a similar way, Bohemia had belonged to Great Moravia in the 9th century and to Samo's empire in the 7th century; both of these empires had been founded to resist the attacks of the Avars). Orientation towards the Saxons was not favoured by his brother Boleslav, and it was the main reason why Prince Wenceslas was assassinated on September 28, 929. He was buried in St. Vitus' Rotunda, the church which he founded. (It stood on the ground where St. Wenceslas' Chapel in St. Vitus Cathedral now is). A few years later Wenceslas was canonised and he became Bohemia's most beloved patron saint. He is "Good King Wenceslas" from the Christmas carol. In 962, Boleslav changed his mind and Bohemia became part of the newly instituted Roman Empire when Otto I the Great from the Saxon dynasty became the emperor. (It was the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire, the exact term being adapted in the 12th century). Statue of Saint Wenceslaus in Olomouc (Czech Republic). ... ... Great Moravia was an empire existing in Central Europe between 833 and the early 10th century. ... Look up Saxon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Boleslav (or Boleslaus) I the Cruel (? - 972), was the Duke of Bohemia from 929 or 935 to July 15, 972. ... St. ... Good King Wenceslas is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on St. ... For others with the same name, see Otto I (disambiguation). ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... By the early 10th century, the area around and below Prague Castle had developed into an important trading centre, where merchants from all over Europe gathered. In 965, a Jewish merchant and traveller, called Ibrahim ibn Ya'qub wrote: "Prague is built from stone and lime, and it has the biggest trade centre. Slavs are on the whole courageous and brave... They occupy the lands which are the most fertile and abundant with a good food supply." In 973, a bishopric was founded in Bohemia with the bishop's palace located on the Prague castle grounds. The first Czech bishop was Adalbert who became a Czech, Polish and Hungarian patron saint after he was canonised in 999. Adalbert (Czech: Vojtěch, Polish: Wojciech, Germanic equivalent Adalbert - the joy of warrior) was a 10th century bishop of Prague who was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. ... Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes. ... Next to the Romanesque fortified settlement of Prague, another Romanesque fortified settlement was built across the river Vltava at Vyšehrad in the 11th century. During the reign of Prince Vratislav II, who rose to the title of King of Bohemia Vratislav I in 1085, Vyšehrad became the temporary seat of Czech rulers. VyÅ¡ehrad is a castle located in the Czech Republic, built in the 10th century, on a hill over the Vltava River. ... Vratislaus II or Wratislaus II (Czech: Vratislav II; died January 14, 1092) was the first King of Bohemia. ... Prince Vladislav II rose to the title of King of Bohemia Vladislav I in 1158. Many monasteries and many churches were built under the rule of Vladislav I. The Strahov Monastery, built after the Romanesque style, was founded in 1142. The first bridge over the river Vltava — the Judith Bridge — was built in 1170. (It collapsed in 1342 and a new bridge, later called the Charles Bridge was built in its place in 1357). Vladislav II (c. ... Charles Bridge and Prague Old Town Charles Bridge as viewed from Petřínská rozhledna - lookout tower Charles Bridge (Czech:  ) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. ... In 1212, Bohemia became a kingdom when Prince Přemysl Otakar I rose to the title of King by inheritance from Frederick II (Emperor from 1215), which was legalised in the document called the "Golden Bull of Sicily". The king's daughter, Agnes, became another Bohemian saint. Agnes preferred to enter a convent rather than marry Emperor Frederick II. During the reign of King Premysl Otakar I, peaceful colonisation started. The German colonists were invited both to Bohemia and Moravia. For hundreds of years this duality of population did not cause any problem - before nationalism had become a world force. Image:Plat p20 lic 20l. ... Frederick II (December 26, 1194 – December 13, 1250), of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. ... An emperorrefers to Nick Herringshaw, a title, empress may only indicate the wife of an emperor (empress consort. ... The so-called Golden Bull of Sicily was a decree issued by the Roman king and emperor Frederick II in Basel on 26 September 1212 that certified hereditary royal title for PÅ™emysl I Otakar and his successors and determined the rights and the duties of the Bohemian monarchs (the... Agnes of Bohemia Saint Agnes of Bohemia (Czech ) (or Agnes of Prague) was the first saint from a Central European country to be canonized by Pope John Paul II before the 1989 Velvet Revolution. ... For the historic phenomenon of colonization and imperialism, see main article colonialism (and also decolonization). ... In the 13th century, towns started to increase in size. Three settlements around the Prague Castle gained the privilege of a town. The settlement below Prague Castle became the New Town of Prague in 1257 under King Otakar II, and it was later renamed Little Quarter of Prague Kleinseite. The town of Hradčany which was built around its square, just outside Prague Castle, dates from 1320. Across the river Vltava, the Old Town of Prague Staré Město had already gained the privilege of a town in 1230. Ottokar II of Bohemia Areas ruled by Ottokar II Otakar II (also spelled Ottokar or PÅ™emysl Otakar/Ottokar) (c. ... Malá Strana in Prague Malá Strana  listen? (in English literally Little Side, though more frequently described as Lesser Quarter or Lesser Side) is originally a popular and nowadays also official name for former Menší mÄ›sto pražské (The Lesser Town of Prague), one of Pragues historical and oldest... In the 13th century, King Premysl Otakar II was the most powerful king in the Holy Roman Empire during his reign, known as the King of Iron and Gold. He ruled in seven other countries, and his reign stretched from Silesia to the Adriatic coast. This article is about the medieval empire. ... The Přemyslid dynasty ruled until 1306 when the male line died out. The inheriting dynasty was the Luxembourg dynasty when Eliška, sister of the last Přemyslid ruler, married John of Luxembourg. PÅ™emyslid coat of arms. ... PÅ™emyslid coat of arms. ... [edit] Renaissance The city flourished during the 14th century during the reign of Charles IV, of the Luxembourg dynasty. Charles was the oldest son of Czech Princess Eliska Premyslovna and John of Luxembourg. He was born in Prague in 1316 and became King of Bohemia upon the death of his father in 1346. Due to Charles's efforts, the bishopric of Prague was raised to an archbishopric in 1344. On April 7, 1348 he founded the first university in central, northern and eastern Europe, called today the Charles University, the oldest Czech university. In the same year he also founded New Town (Nové Město) adjacent to the Old Town. Charles rebuilt Prague Castle and Vysehrad, and a new bridge was erected, now called the Charles Bridge. The construction of St. Vitus' Cathedral had also begun. Many new churches were founded. In 1355, Charles was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in Rome. Prague became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Charles wanted Prague to become one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He wanted Prague to be the dominant city of the whole empire, with Prague Castle as the dominant site in the city and the stately Gothic Cathedral to be more dominant than Prague Castle. Everything was built in a grandiose Gothic style and decorated with an independent art style, called the Bohemian school. During the reign of Emperor Charles IV, the Czech Lands were among the most powerful in Europe. Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor. ... The House of Luxembourg was a medieval Holy Roman Empire noble family. ... The Charles University of Prague (also simply University of Prague; Czech: Univerzita Karlova; Latin: Universitas Carolina) is the oldest and most prestigious Czech university and among the oldest universities in Europe, being founded in 1340s (for the exact year, see below). ... The New Town (Czech: Nové mÄ›sto) is a quarter in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. ... Charles Bridge and Prague Old Town Charles Bridge as viewed from Petřínská rozhledna - lookout tower Charles Bridge (Czech:  ) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... All that changed during the reign of weak King Wenceslas IV, son of Charles IV. During the reign of King Wenceslas IV — Václav IV — (1378–1419), Master Jan Hus, a preacher and the university's rector, held his sermons in Prague in the Bethlehem Chapel, speaking in Czech to enlarge as much as possible the diffusion of his ideas about the reformation of the church. His execution in 1415 in Constance (of accused heresy) led four years later to the Hussite wars (following the defenestration, when the people rebelled under the command of the Prague priest Jan Želivský and threw the city's councillors from the New Town Hall). King Wenceslas IV died 16 days later. His younger stepbrother Sigismund was the legitimate heir to the throne. But the Hussites opposed Sigismund and so he came to Prague with an army of 30,000 crusaders. He planned to make Prague capitulate and to take the crown. (It was Sigismund, who invited Jan Hus to Constance to defend himself from heresy and he promised him immunity, but he didn't keep his word). In 1420, peasant rebels, led by the famous general Jan Žižka, along with Hussite troops, defeated Sigismund (Zikmund, son of Charles IV) in the Battle of Vítkov Mountain. There were more crusades, all of which ended in failure. But after Zizka died, the Hussite lost their focus. Eventually they split into groups. The most radical Hussites were finally defeated at the battle of Lipany in 1434 when the moderate Hussites got together with the Czech Catholics. Sigismund became King of Bohemia. Wenceslaus (German: Wenzel; sometimes known as the Drunkard, Czech: Václav IV) of the house of Luxembourg (born February 26, 1361, died August 16, 1419) succeeded his father Charles IV as Holy Roman Emperor (ruled 1378 - 1400) and as king of Bohemia (ruled 1378 - 1419). ... Jan Hus ( ) (IPA: , alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c. ... Two incidents in the history of Bohemia are known as the Defenestrations of Prague. ... Jan Želivský (1380 - 9 March 1422) was a Czech priest and a radical representative of the Hussite reformation. ... Jan Žižka (or John Zizka of Trocnov or Johann Ziska Czech: Jan Žižka z Trocnova) (c. ... Sigismund, aged approximately 50, depicted by unknown artist in the 1420s — the only contemporary portrait. ... ... In 1437, Sigismund died. The male line of the Luxembourg dynasty died out. The husband of Sigismund's daughter Elizabeth, Albert II, Duke of Austria , became the Bohemian king for two years (until his death). Then, the next in line for Bohemian crown was the grandson of Sigismund, born after his father's death, and thus called Ladislaw Posthumous. When he died 17 years old, the nobleman George of Podebrady, former adviser of Ladislaus, was chosen as the Bohemian king both by the Catholics and by the Utraquist Hussites. He was called the Hussite king. During his reign, the Pope called for a crusade against the Czech heretics. The crusade was led by the King of Hungary Matthius Corvinus who, after the crusade, became also the King of Bohemia. George did not abdicate. Bohemia had two kings. George, before his death, made an arrangement with the Polish King Casimir IV that the next Bohemian king would come from the Jagellon dynasty. (The wife of King Casimir IV was the sister of late Ladislaus Posthumous and so her son Vladislav was related to the Luxembourg dynasty and also to the original Bohemian Premyslovec dynasty). The Jagellon dynasty ruled only until 1526 when it died out with Ludwig Jagellon, son of Vladislav Jagellon. The next Bohemian king was Ferdinand Habsburg, husband of Ann Jagellon, who was the sister of Ludwig Jagellon. It was the beginning of the Habsburg dynasty. After Ferdinand's brother Charles V resigned in 1556 as Emperor, Ferdinand was elected Emperor in 1558. After he died, his son Maximilian II inherited all his titles and then upon his death, his son Rudolf II inherited them in turn. It was during the reign of Emperor Rudolf II, when there was another glorious time for Prague. Prague became the cultural centre of the Holy Roman Empire again. Rudolf was related to the Jagellon dynasty, to the Luxemburg dynasty and to the Premyslovec dynasty. But he was also related to Spanish Joan the Mad (the daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon); Joan was the mother of Rudolf's grandfather. Although Rudolf II was very talented, he was eccentric and he suffered from depression. Emperor Rudolf II lived in Prague Castle, where he held his bizarre courts of astrologers, magicians and other strange figures. But it was a prosperous period for the city; famous people living there included the astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johann Kepler, the painters Giuseppe Arcimboldo, B. Spranger, Hans von Aachen, J. Heintz and others. In 1609, under the influence of the Protestant Estates, Rudolf II (a devout Catholic), issued an "Imperial Charter of the Emperor" in which he legalised extensive religious freedoms unparalleled in the Europe of that period. Many German Protestants (both Lutherans and Calvinists) immigrated to Bohemia. (One of them was Count J.M. Thurn, a German Lutheran; under his leadership the Third Defenestration of Prague happened in 1618, leading to the Thirty Years War). Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Rudolf II Habsburg was an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, king of Bohemia, and king of Hungary. ... Monument of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler in Prague Tycho Brahe, born Tyge Ottesen Brahe (December 14, 1546 – October 24, 1601), was a Danish nobleman from the region of Scania (in modern-day Sweden), best known today as an early astronomer, though in his lifetime he was also well known... Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler (December 27, 1571 – November 15, 1630), a key figure in the scientific revolution, was a German astronomer, mathematician and astrologer. ... Vertumnus, a portrait of Rudolf II. The Librarian, 1566, oil on canvas, Skoklosters Slott, Sweden Giuseppe Arcimboldo (also spelled Arcimboldi; 1527 - July 11, 1593) was an Italian painter best known for creating imaginative portrait heads made entirely of such objects as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books -- that is, he... Next in line for Bohemian crown was Rudolf's brother Matthias, but since Matthias was childless, his cousin, the archduke Ferdinand of Styria (related also to Jagellon, Luxemburg and Premyslovec Dynasties), was initially accepted by the Bohemian Diet as heir presumptive when Matthias became ill. The Protestant Estates of Bohemia didn't like this decision. Tension between the Protestants and the pro-Habsburg Catholics led to the Third Defenestration of Prague, when the Catholic governors were thrown from the windows of Prague Castle on May 23, 1618. They survived, but the Protestants replaced the Catholic governors. This incident led to the Thirty Years War. When Matthias died, Ferdinand of Styria was elected Emperor as Emperor Ferdinand II, but was not accepted as King of Bohemia by the Protestant directors. The Calvinist Frederick V of Pfalz was elected King of Bohemia. The Battle on the White Mountain followed on November 8, 1620. Emperor Ferdinand II was helped not only by Catholic Spain, Catholic Poland, and Catholic Bavaria, but also by Lutheran Saxony (which disliked the Calvinists). The Protestant army, led by the warrior Count J.M. Thurn, was formed mostly from Lutheran Silesia, Lusatia, and Moravia. It was mainly a battle between Protestants and Catholics. The Catholics won and Emperor Ferdinand II became King of Bohemia. He proclaimed the re-Catholicisation of the Czech Lands. Twenty-seven Protestant leaders were executed in theOld Town Square in Prague on June 21, 1621. (Three noblemen, seven knights and seventeen burghers were executed, including Dr. Jan Jesenius, the Rector of Prague University). Most Protestant leaders fled, including Count J.M. Thurn; those who stayed didn't expect harsh punishment. The Protestants had to return all the seized Catholic property to the Church. No faith other than Catholicism was permitted. The upper classes were given the option either to emigrate or to convert to Catholicism. The German language was given equal rights with the Czech language. After the Peace of Westphalia, Ferdinand II moved the court to Vienna, and Prague began a steady decline which reduced the population from the 60,000 it had had in the years before the war to 20,000. Frederick is also called the Winter King of Bohemia because he reigned for less than three winter months in 1620 after he was installed by a rebellious Protestant faction. ... Old Town Square in Prague, Týn Cathedral in background Jan Hus statue Old Town Square (Czech: StaromÄ›stské námÄ›stí) is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague in the Czech Republic. ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... [edit] The Jewish Quarter of Prague The 17th century is considered the Golden Age of Jewish Prague. The Jewish community of Prague numbered some 15,000 people (approx. 30 per cent of the entire population), making it the largest Ashkenazic community in the world and the second largest Jewish community in Europe after Thessaloniki. In the years 1597 to 1609, the Maharal (Judah Loew ben Bezalel) served as Prague's chief rabbi. He is considered the greatest of Jewish scholars in Prague's history, his tomb in the Old Jewish Cemetery eventually becoming a pilgrimage site. The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Ashkenazi (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי, Standard Hebrew Aškanazi, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAškănāzî) Jews or Ashkenazic Jews, also called Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי&#1501... Thessaloniki or Salonica (Greek: ) is Greeces second-largest city and the capital of Macedonia, the largest Region of Greece. ... Judah Lew ben Bezalel (Judah Loew son of Bezalel, also written as Yehudah ben Bezalel Levai [or Loew, Löw], 1525 – 17 September 1609 or 18 Elul 5369 according to the Hebrew calendar) was an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher who served as a leading rabbi in Prague... The expulsion of Jews from Prague by Maria Theresa of Austria in 1745 based on their alleged collaboration with the Prussian army was a severe blow to the flourishing Jewish community. The Queen allowed the Jews to return to the city in 1748. In 1848 the gates of the Prague ghetto were opened. The former Jewish quarter, renamed Josefov in 1850, was demolished during the "ghetto clearance" (Czech: asanace) at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Not to be confused with Maria Theresa of Austria (1816-1867). ... For the rapper, see Ghetto (rapper). ... [edit] 18th century In 1689 a great fire started by French agents[citation needed] devastated Prague, but this spurred a renovation and a rebuilding of the city. The economic rise continued through the following century, and in 1771 the city had 80,000 inhabitants. Many of these were rich merchants who, together with noblemen, enriched the city with a host of palaces, churches and gardens, creating a Baroque style renowned throughout the world. In 1784, under Joseph II, the four municipalities of Malá Strana, Nové Město, Staré Město and Hradčany were merged into a single entity. The Jewish district, called Josefov, was included only in 1850. The Industrial Revolution had a strong effect in Prague, as factories could take advantage of the coal mines and ironworks of the nearby region. A first suburb, Karlín, was created in 1817, and twenty years later the population exceeded 100,000. The first railway connection was built in 1842. For other uses, see Baroque (disambiguation). ... Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (March 13, 1741 – February 20, 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... [edit] 19th century In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire ended when Napoleon dictated its dissolution. Holy Roman Emperor Francis II abdicated his title. He became Francis I, Emperor of Austria. At the same time as the Industrial Revolution was developing, the Czechs were also going through the Czech National Revival movement: political and cultural changes demanded greater autonomy. Since the late 18th century, Czech literature occupied an important position in the Czech culture. The revolutions that shocked all of Europe around 1848 touched Prague too, but they were fiercely suppressed. In the following years the Czech nationalist movement (opposed to another nationalist party, the German one) began its rise, until it gained the majority in the Town Council in 1861. In 1867, Emperor Francis Joseph I established the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy of the Austrian Empire and Kingdom of Hungary. [edit] 20th century The next in succession to the Austro-Hungarian throne was Francis Ferdinand d'Este after Crown Prince Rudolf (son of the emperor Francis Joseph I) had committed suicide and after the Emperor's brother (Ferdinand's father) had died. Ferdinand (related also to Jagellon, Luxemburg and Premyslovec Dynasties) was married to Sophie von Chotek from a Czech aristocratic family. They lived in Bohemia at the Konopiste Castle, not far from Prague. He was in favour of a Triple Monarchy, expanding an Austro-Hungary Dualism into Austro-Hungary-Czech Triple Monarchy, but on June 28,