Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. According to legend, Prague was founded by the Princess Libuše and her husband, Premysl, founder of the dynasty with the same name. Whether this legend is true or not, Prague's first nucleus was founded in the latter part of the 9th century as a castle on a hill commanding the right bank of the Vltava.
In 1989, after the Berlin Wall had fallen, and the Velvet Revolution crowded the streets of Prague, Czechoslovakia could finally restart this program, and Prague benefited deeply from the new mood. In 1993, after the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague became capital city of the new Czech Republic.
Today Prague is a popular tourist destination with over 2.5 million visitors each year.

	Country:	Czech Republic
	Location:	Central
	Country Code:	+420
	Population:	1,172,975
	Language:	Czech
	Currency:	Czech Koruna (CZK)
	Time Zone:	GMT+1
	Train Station:	Hlavní Nádraží
	Tourism:	Prague Tourism

By Car The main routes to Prague are the D1/D2 to Brno. From Belgium, the best route is the E40 to Cologne, then the E31 to Heidelberg and the E50, crossing the German Czech border at Waidhaus Rozvadov. From Vienna, the E59 leads to the D1 motorway, the E55 from Dresden and Berlin, the E67 from Wroclaw and Warsaw and the E50 from Paris.

By Bus International buses depart either from the Florenc coach station, or from the coach park at Želivského station. Kingscourt Express is the main bus service provider to Western Europe and the UK. For many destinations within the Czech Republic, coaches are far quicker than trains, which tend to stop at every station. Regional services are provided by the state-run company, CSAD. Buses depart from a number of stations and the most convenient place for travellers to get information and purchase bus tickets is at Cedok

By Train Direct rail links connect Prague with more than 20 European cities, including Munich (journey time – 5 hours), Vienna (journey time – 4 hours 30 minutes), Berlin (journey time – 5 hours 30 minutes) and Paris (journey time – 10 hours). Seat reservations are strongly recommended on all services.

By Air Ruzyne airport is situated approximately 12.5 miles northwest of Prague. Praha Ruzyne International provides an ever-increasing amount of direct links with airports all over Europe and further afield, with 94 destinations covered by the end of 2004.

• Charles Bridge
• Prague Castle
• Old Town Square
• Municipal House
• Jewish Quarter

The construction of Charles Bridge - Prague’s most famous and most photographed location was begun in 1357, as part of Charles IV’s monumental building programme that included the Castle. The bridge itself is rather drab and it is the later statues (Jesuit additions during the Counter-Reformation), which flank the bridge, that have made it so visually stunning. From almost any part of Prague, the Castle, perched on the ridge in Hradcany, dominates the skyline. Entering under the Battling Titan statues, the sheer size of the complex (with three courtyards, fortifications and gardens, almost a small town in its own right) is most striking. The 12th-century Old Town Square is the focal point for tourists. Stalls selling crafts line the perimeter and horse-drawn carriages await those wishing to take a tour of the historic centre. In summer, tables spill out from the restaurants, while in December, the square hosts the city’s largest Christmas Market. The gem of Art Nouveau in Prague, Municipal House, has been fully restored, after decades of neglect. Designed by A Balsánek and Osvald Polívka, all the major Czech artists made contributions during its construction. Until the end of the 19th century, the area north of the Old Town Square constituted the Jewish Ghetto. Much of the area was cleared to make way for Art Nouveau buildings, but some of the flavour still remains.