Prague is also sometimes called the Golden City. Since 2008, this city has entered the top five of the most beautiful European cities. The historical museum has even been added to the UNESCO list and offers a lot of diversity in terms of museums, theaters, churches and culinary options. Prague is a city that introduced the Eastern Bloc to the west and south of Europe. Prague was not bombed by Germany in World War II, unlike other cities in Eastern Europe. Modern buildings are almost impossible to find in Prague. Source: RichardLey, Pixabay
History
The history of Praha covers a period of more than 1,100 years, during which the city grew from a small settlement to what it is today: the Capital of the Czech Republic. Prague is located on an area that has been occupied since 200 BC. was inhabited. Since then, Prague has experienced different times, such as the Middle Ages and the early modern period.
In October 1918, Prague was declared the capital. The reason for this was the proclaimed independence of Czechoslovakia. In 1992, suburbs and suburbs were merged to create
Greater Prague . During the Second World War, Prague was spared from bombing. Their loss was mainly the hundreds of thousands of Jews who were transported from the Czech Republic to Auschwitz, among others.
After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, communist influences came to an end. Prague was able to take advantage of this, which resulted in major economic growth. Ultimately, Czechoslovakia became the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This made Prague the capital of the Czech Republic in 1993.
In 2002, Prague experienced a disaster. Together with large parts of Central Europe, Prague was hit by floods. For a long time the Vltava continued to overflow its banks. The metro network was seriously affected by the high water. A similar flood occurred in June 2013. Because it should be dry around that time, everyone was surprised by the flooding. Not only Prague suffered from flooding. Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the rest of the Czech Republic also suffered from flooding. In Germany the army was even deployed to evacuate villages. In the Netherlands, rivers such as the Maas, Rhine and Ijssel rose about one and a half meters.
On June 2, 2013, a hospital was evacuated. Ten people were killed when several buildings on the shore collapsed. They probably ended up underwater due to the current and were washed away by the strong current.
In the evening of June 3, the water reached a height of 10.95 meters. This puts the Danube River at its highest point ever measured. The same day, some metro stations were also flooded and some low-lying bridges were completely submerged. Houses on the banks were evacuated.
If the river reaches a height of 12.30 meters, the historic center will be flooded. This height will be reached in the evening of June 5 if the water continues to rise at this rate. For this reason, concrete and metal plates are placed to build a kind of wall around the old city center.
In the same year, April 29, 2013, an explosion occurred near the National Theater. This happened shortly after the Boston attacks. It was thought that this was also an attack, but a gas leak was the cause. 36 people were slightly injured, two seriously injured and two were in critical condition. No one was killed.
Source: Jakub Hruska, Pixabay
Sights in Prague
There are few cities in Europe that have so much to offer in terms of museums, theaters and other attractions. In terms of culture, it is indeed The Golden City. Below are a number of important sights in Prague that are definitely worth visiting.
- Prague Castle . Prague Castle is by far one of the most beautifully situated castles in the world. The castle stands on a hill that lies close to the bank of the Vltava river. In the evening, when the castle is lit up and the bridges are illuminated, it seems as if you have ended up in a fairytale land. The castle has been worked on for more than 600 years. The three towers of over 99 meters high are characteristic of the castle. The interior is beautiful. No words can describe the ruby decoration. This is something you have to experience for yourself.
- Charles Bridge . Charles Bridge is a famous bridge that connects the Old Town with the more modern Malà Strana district . The bridge is characterized by the two towers at the beginning and end of the bridge. There are also 30 statues, most of them in Baroque style and made in the sixteenth century. The 516 meter long bridge was the first bridge in Prague
- Old Town Square . On this old square, where the trade center of Prague used to be, there are now many terraces and restaurants that serve the tastiest food from Prague. But next to that are some of Prague’s most impressive sights. The famous Astronomical Clock is one of them. This clock shows what month it is, what day and what time it is. You can also see where the sun and moon are located. Every hour the clock strikes, two small doors open and Jesus emerges with his twelve apostles. In addition to this world-famous clock, a visit to the Old Council House is also worthwhile. This Council House is characterized by its characteristic pointed towers.
- St. Nicholas Church . One of the three Nicoos churches is located on Kleine Zijdeplein, but this one is the most beautiful. The church is known for its breathtaking interior. Jan Lukáš Kracker painted the largest fresco in Europe on the ceiling in 1703.
- Jewish City District . Jews had been settling in Prague since the end of the eighth century. In the thirteenth century they were forced to move to the district that then became known as the Jewish ghetto. During World War II, more than 95% of Jews were taken to concentration camps. As a result, the district was uninhabited for almost ten years. The reason to visit the neighborhood is the many synagogues. One of the oldest synagogues in Europe, the Staronová Synagoga , dates from the thirteenth century. This synagogue is a memorial to the more than 23,000 Prague Jews who died during the Holocaust.
- Petřín Hill . This hill is located in the west of Prague. The hill is about 250 meters high. There is a replica of the Eiffel Tower on the hill. To get here you can take the cable car or climb the steep route on foot. The top of the tower can only be reached by climbing the 229 steps. But this is definitely worth it, as all of Prague can be seen from this observation tower.
All these sights can be visited for less than sixty crowns.
climate
Prague has a special climate: transitional climate from maritime to continental climate. This means that winters can be icy cold and summers can be quite mild and mild. The average temperature in July is around 25 degrees. Thirty degrees is only achieved in August, but even then this is special. The best time to visit Prague is in April and May.
Public transport
Public transport in Prague is well available. You can use one of the three metro lines or a well-organized bus and tram network. The big advantage of this network is that buses and trams continue to run every half hour, even at night. A three-day ticket costs 13.50. A day ticket or evening ticket costs less than 1.50.
Food and drink
Many tourists usually eat at the tempting tourist places and neighborhoods. This is a shame, because the best restaurants can be found outside the popular neighborhoods.
In general, Czech cuisine is rich in fat, salt and sugar. This does not alter the fact that it is one of the tastiest cuisine in Europe. Some typical Czech dishes are described below.
- it is very easy to knead as it is. This is pork, sauerkraut and small kneaded dough balls
- Vepřové kolínko. Pork knuckle
- Svíčková na smetaně. Marinated roast beef with cranberries and homemade sour cream
In addition to these dishes, they are masters in preparing duck in the Czech Republic. Don’t miss this dish when visiting Prague.
General information
Official name: Praha
Country: Czech Republic Continent: Europe Area: 496 km² Population: 1,198,094 inhabitants (2011) Form of government: Republic Flight time: approximately 1.5 hours
Language
Czech is the official language in the Czech Republic. The second language is West Slavic. This language is almost only spoken in the Czech Republic. This language is the oldest in Europe and descends from German and Latin. Many residents of Prague speak German or English in addition to their native language.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport. A visa is not required.
Money
In the Czech Republic payment is made with Krona. This is a fairly stable and strong coin. Usually the exchange rate is 1.00 = 25 Czech Krona.
Time difference
There is no time difference. Winter and summer time also coincide.
Electricity
Most Dutch plugs fit without any problem in the sockets they have in Prague.
Emergency services
If help is needed from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the same emergency number as in the Netherlands: 112.
Telephony
The dialing number for the Czech Republic is 00420. The dialing number for the Netherlands from Prague/Czech Republic is 0031.
Source: USA Reiseblogger, Pixabay
Nice to know
- Tap water can be drunk without risk. However, there may be an aftertaste
- Most museums are closed on Mondays. Some are even closed completely during the winter months
- When visiting Prague you will probably notice how clean the streets are. Not a cigarette butt to be found, no stuck chewing gum, no dog poop or cans on the floor. Due to the rise of tourism, Prague has significantly increased the fines for throwing waste on the ground. Throwing a cigarette butt on the ground can easily cost 300.00.
- You are not allowed to take photos everywhere.
- Many catering establishments automatically give you a large soft drink. So when you order a Coke you often immediately get the largest size and therefore also the most expensive. Please indicate if you want a medium or small
- Pickpockets strike as hundreds of tourists stand looking at the twelve apostles at the Astronomical Clock
- A ten percent tip in restaurants is normal