MANCAMONDO

Eastern
Europe

Czech Republic

PRAHA

Prague (Czech: Praha Latin: Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic,
the 13th largest city in the European Union and the historical capital of Bohemia.

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).

Prague Bohemia Czech Republic september 2021

Bohemia (Czech: Čechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech lands. Pic: The Gothic Powder Tower.

Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

The Church of Mother of God before Týn (in Czech Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem, also Týnský chrám (Týn Church) or just Týn),
often translated as Church of Our Lady before Týn, is a Gothic church and a dominant feature of the Old Town of Prague.

It has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century.

The church's two towers are 80 m high, and each tower's spire is topped by eight smaller spires in two layers of four.

In the 11th century, this area was occupied by a Romanesque church, which was built there for foreign merchants coming to the nearby
Týn Courtyard. Later it was replaced by an early Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn in 1256.

Construction of the present church began in the 14th century in the late Gothic style under the influence of Matthias of Arras and later Peter Parler.

Old Town Square, Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

The Old Town of Prague (Czech: Staré Město pražské) is a medieval settlement of Prague.

It was separated from the outside by a semi-circular moat and wall, connected to the Vltava river at both of its ends.

The Old Town of Prague (Czech: Staré Město pražské) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

The Old Town Hall in Prague, is one of the city's most visited monuments. It is located in Old Town Square.

The horologe consists of three independent units: the moving figures, the astronomical dial, and the
calendar dial. The figures are set in motion on the stroke of every hour by a complex mechanism.
The horologe is the most famous feature of the Town Hall, first built in the 1400s.

The first extensive reconstruction was possibly carried out in 1490 by the clockmaster Jan Růže (also called Hanuš),
an old town locksmith, who produced a timepiece based on the pendulum system, though the historical accuracy of
Růže's contributions is disputed. The architectural decoration is also from this time,
and consists of a system of slender late-Gothic columns framing the clock
and rich plastic decorations of both figural and floral motifs.

The Old Town of Prague (Czech: Staré Město pražské) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

The architectural development of the Old Town Hall in the Middle Ages was far from completed after the completion of the tower.

The Old Town of Prague (Czech: Staré Město pražské) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Karlův most Prague Czech Republic september 2021

Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava (Moldau) river in Prague.

Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.

As the only means of crossing the river Vltava until 1841, Charles Bridge was the most important
connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town and adjacent areas.

This land connection made Prague important as a trade route between Eastern and Western Europe.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the bridge is 516 metres long and nearly 10 metres wide.

View from Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

view from Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

View from Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

The Malá Strana Bridge Tower, Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Malá Strana Prague Bohemia Czech Republic september 2021

Malá Strana Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Church of Saint Nicolas, Malá Strana Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

The name Malá Strana literally means "Little Side", though it is frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Quarter", or "Lesser Side".
It is on the left (west) bank of the river Vltava, on the slopes just below Prague Castle.

Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad) is a castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century.

It 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.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert (Czech: metropolitní katedrála
svatého Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha) is a Roman Catholic metropolitan 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 of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert, Praha, Czech Republic, september 2021.

St. George's Basilica (Czech: Bazilika Sv. Jiří) is the oldest surviving church building within Prague Castle.
The basilica was founded by Vratislaus I of Bohemia in 920. Primarily Romanesque in style, it is part of
the collection of buildings that comprise the castle, the political capital
of the nation, and the spiritual center of the Czech state.

The Church of Mother of God before Týn, Praha Prague Praga, Bohemia, Czech Republic, september 2021.

Prague Czech Republic 2003

Prague, is situated on the Vltava River in central
Bohemia. Prague is the capital and largest
city of the Czech Republic.

For centuries, during the Gothic and Renaissance eras,
Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman
Emperors and thus was also the capital
of the Holy Roman Empire.

The city played roles in the Protestant Reformation,
the Thirty Years' War, and in 20th-century history,
both during the two World Wars and during
the post-war Communist era.

During the thousand years of its existence, the city
grew from a settlement stretching from Prague
Castle in the north to the fort of Vyšehrad in the
south, becoming a multicultural capital.

The city became the seat of the dukes, and later kings,
of Bohemia. Under Emperor Otto II the city became a
bishopric in 973. Until Prague was elevated
to archbishopric in 1344.

It was an important seat for trading
where merchants from all of Europe settled,
including many Jews, as recalled in 965 by
the Jewish merchant and traveller Ibrahim ibn Ya'qub.

King Vladislaus II had the first bridge built in 1170 in
the Vltava River, the Judith Bridge, which was destroyed
by a flood in 1342. Some of the original foundation stones
of that bridge remain. The Charles Bridge, replacing the
Judith Bridge destroyed just prior to his reign, was
erected to connect the right bank districts
to the Mala Strana and castle area.

Prague flourished during the 14th century reign
of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and the king of
Bohemia of the new Luxembourg dynasty.

He began construction of the Gothic Saint Vitus
Cathedral, within the largest of the Prague Castle
courtyards, on the site of the Romanesque rotunda.

Prague Castle is a castle complex built in the 9th
century. It 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.

The city had a mint and was a center of trade
for German and Italian bankers and merchants.

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become
one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.

The city has more than ten major museums, along
with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas and
other historical exhibits.

The Czech name Praha is derived from an old Slavic
word, prah, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring
to the city's origin at a crossing
point of the Vltava river.

Prague is situated on the Vltava river,
in the centre of the Bohemian Basin.

The city is traditionally one of the cultural
centres of Europe, hosting many cultural events.

The Prague tram (streetcar) system is the largest
tram system in the Czech Republic, consisting of
140 kilometres of track, over 900 tram cars, and
33 lines with a total route length of 540 km.

The Dancing House is the nickname given to the
Nationale-Nederlanden building in downtown.
It was designed by Croatian-Czech architect
Vlado Miluni. Pic: Me in PRAHA 2003.

The Prague Metro is the underground public transportation
network in Prague. It is the fastest means of
transportation around the city and serves about
one and a half million passengers a day.

The deepest station is Namesti Miru, located
52 meters under the ground. PRAHA 2003.

Torture Museum Prague. The exhibition contains over
60 torture instruments with explanations
of the torture practices.

If you have ever wandered how a chastity belt
(for Her or for He) looked like, just pay
a visit to this museum.

Heretics, witches, state enemies, all tortured
or burned at the stake. Or both. It might
sound morbid, but the Inquisition and
torture is part of European history.
Prague PRAHA 2003.

The Czech Republic also called by its short-form name, Czechia,
is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered
by Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the east,
Austria to the south, Germany to the west.