Prague Infos

New Year in Prague

2012-01-01T05:43:00.000-08:00

One of the best opportunities to see the beauty of Prague is the New Year's celebrations. Every year thousands of Czechs celebrate in the streets, in the clubs and homes. To celebrate New Year in Prague is experience of the lifetime.

Josefov - Jewish history you can witness

2005-11-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

Josefov is an area of central Prague, formerly the Jewish ghetto. Originally dating back to the 13th century, most radical changes were made after the former Jewish quarter in Prague was incorporated into the city in 1850 and was named Josefstadt (Joseph's city) in honor of Emperor Joseph II.
When the wealthy Jews moved out of the former ghetto, it soon became a slum as other poor people moved in. By 1890 the former Jewish quarter had a population of 186,000 people, but only 20% of them were Jewish. In 1893 the city decided to completely demolish the whole Josefstadt quarter, leaving only 6 synagogues, the old Jewish cemetery, the Ceremonial Hall and the Old Jewish Town Hall, which are collectively known as the Jewish Museum.

Important sightseeings and places in Josefov.

Franz Kafka's birthplace.
High Synagogue: 16th century synagogue.
Jewish Town Hall: 18th century Rococo town hall.
Klaus Synagogue: 17th century baroque synagogue.
Maisel Synagogue: 16th century synagogue destroyed by fire, now used as a museum.
Pinkas Synagogue: 16th century synagogue, now a memorial to Holocaust martyrs.
Spanish Synagogue: 19th century synagogue with Moorish interior.
Old Jewish Cemetery: 15th-18th century cemetery. Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery.
Old New Synagogue: 13th century gothic synagogue.

Josefov Image Tour

Orloj - Astronomical clock on Old Town Square

2005-10-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

A number of fictitious legends relate to this Clock. For a long time it was believed that it was built sometime around 1490 by a clockmaster Hanus - Jan Ruze. Even old town legends speak about it, but it has only been possible in recent times to prove convincingly that the Prague Astronomical Clock is considerably older and that it was made in the year 1410.

Through its life the clock has undergone several renovations and repairs. In 1490, a calendar dial was added to the clock under the astrolabe on the clock face. During this renovation the entire clock was ornamented with Vladislav Gothic sculptures made of stone.

Links
Architecture - Astronomical clock of Prague
Orloj detail photo
Astronomical clock sculptures

Prague Castle and Hradcany

2005-10-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

Prague Castle is, according Guinness, the biggest ancient castle) at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide. Its history stretches back to the 9th century. The castle contains the St Vitus Cathedral. The neighbourhood of the Prague Castle is called Hradcany.

The Prague Castle is place where crown jewels of Bohemian Kingdom are kept and where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia have had their offices.

Links:
Hitory of the castle
Prague Castle photo
Prague Castle and President's official website

Mala strana - Lesser quarter of Prague

2005-10-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

Mala strana founded Premysl Otakar II. in the 1257. In the Middle Ages, it was a dominant centre of the German settlement of Prague. To taday's size was enlarged by Charles IV. who built also so called Hunger Wall. There was a large number of noble palaces in Lesser Quarter, while the right-bank cities were comparatively more bourgeois and more Czech.

Its one of Prague's historical and oldest quarters. Jan Neruda lived and wrote there.

The Petrinska rozhledna is a 60 metre high steel framework tower which is actually a 1:5 copy of Eiffel tower in Paris. It is located on Petrin hill on Mala strana and it was built in 1891 and was used as an observation tower as well as a transmission tower. Today the tower is a major tourist attraction.

Links:
Mala strana sign and flag
More info on Mala strana

Some important dates

2005-10-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

As a start, I'll post some important dates in Prague history

870 -Prague Castle founded
1085 - Prague became the seat of kings
1346 - the rule of Charles IV. - Prague capital of Holy Roman Empire
1583 - rule of Rudolf II - city for the 2nd time the capital of Holy Roman Empire
1618 - 2nd Prague defenestration sparked off the Thirty Years' War
1848 - revolutionary uprising crushed by imperial army
1918 - after the World War I Prague became the capital of Czechoslovakia
1938 - after political betrayal of allied (France and Britain at Munich) Germany occupied Sudetenland and in 1939 whole country
1945 - uprising against the Nazis during the last days of World War II, ended with the arrival of the Red Army
1948 - communist takeover of power
1968 - Soviet army invasion to repress the Prague Spring
1989 - Prague is the main center of Velvet Revolution (the fall of communist regime)

Prague Infos Launched

2005-10-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

I decided to launch this blog about Prague. I love this amazing city and you'll find some useful info here if you want to visit Prague or just want some information or download pictures.