PRAGUEWhat can you say about …?

WHERE IS PRAGUE?

VIEWS OF PRAGUE

CAPITAL AND LARGEST CITY

Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic. It is located in central Bohemia, the western half of the country, on both banks of the Vltava River.

About 1.2 million people live here and they come from all over the Czech Republic, as well as abroad.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE CITY?

Prague’s history goes back 11 centuries. Legends describe how the city was founded by Přemysl and Libuše.

THE PRAGUE CASTLE COMPLEX AT HRADČANY, INCLUDES THE ST.VITUS CATHEDRAL.

PRAGUE CASTLE

The seat of the Czech president is located in Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Also at Prague Castle is one of the country’s most important churches, St. Vitus Cathedral, which holds the nation’s crown jewels.

THE VYŠEHRAD FORTRESS DATES FROM THE 10TH CENTURY

PRAGUE AS THE ROYAL SEAT OF KINGS In the past, it used to be the seat of

Czech kings and for some time even the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The St. Vitus cathedral was founded

in 1344, but completed in the 20th century.

KING CHARLES IV ALSO FOUNDED THE CHARLES UNIVERSITRY AND THE CHARLES BRIDGE.

CZECHS, GERMANS AND JEWS LIVED HERE. THE OLD-NEW SYNAGOGUE DATES FROM 1270.

PRAGUE WAS A CENTRE OF EUROPEAN CULTURE IN THE LATE 16TH CENTURY DURING THE REIGN OF KING RUDOLF II

THIS IS HOW PRAGUE LOOKED IN 1650.

WHAT CAN WE FIND IN PRAGUE?

Prague is known for its beautiful architecture with many styles. Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Cubism and more can all be found here.

Today it is still an important political, cultural and economic centre.

There are many educational institutions in Prague, including Charles University, as well as international companies, the government and the parliament, and many tourist attractions.

THE LESSER QUARTER, BETWEEN THE RIVER AND THE CASTLE, WAS FOUNDED IN 1257.

THE NEW TOWN, INCLUDING WENCESLAS SQUARE WAS FOUNDED IN THE 14TH CENTURY.

THE FUNCTIONAL ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK ON OLD TOWN SQUARE DATES FROM 1410

PRAGUE – CITY OF CULTURE

The city is very cultural. Some of the most important institutions for theatre, ballet and opera include the National Theatre, the State Opera House and the Estates Theatre.

There are also many museums such as the National Museum, the Czech Museum of Music, the Mucha Museum and the Jewish Museum.

RUDOLFINUM, CONCERT HALL, 1885

THE NATIONAL THEATRE, WAS BUILT FROM PUBLIC DONATIONS AND OPENED IN 1881

THE NATIONAL GALLERY HAS LARGE COLLECTIONS IN THE VELETRŽNÍ PALÁC AND ST. AGNES MONASTERY.

THE DANCING HOUSE, BUILT IN THE 1990S, AND THE CUBIST HOUSE AT THE BLACK MADONNA ARE FINE EXAMPLES OF MODERNARCHITECTURE.

IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, NEW SCYSCRAPERS AND THE GINGER AND FRED BUILDING HAVE BEEN BUILT.

MODERN FACILITIES IN THE CITY INCLUDE THE CONGRESS CENTRE AND SAZKA ARENA.

THE MONUMENTS INCLUDE THOSE TO JAN ŽIŽKA ON VÍTKOV HILL AND TO FRANZ KAFKA AND JAROSLAV HAŠEK.

TO SEE THE CITY FROM ABOVE, TRY FLYING IN THE AIR.

YOU CAN WATCH SPARTA, SLAVIA, BOHEMIANS OR LEV PLAY FOOTBALL OR ICE HOCKEY.

YOU CAN FLY INTO VACLAV HAVEL AIRPORT IN PRAGUE, AND TAKE THE METRO IN THE CITY.

HOW TO GET AROUND THE CITY

You can get around the city using a dense network of public transport including the underground, buses, trams and even a funicular railway going up Petřín hill.

PRAGUE AS A EUROPEAN CAPITAL CITY. Now you can say much more about the

capital city of the Czech Republic in English.

Read the text in the worksheet. Use information from this presentation

and from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague To complete the gaps. GOOD LUCK!