Travel Guide - Prague, Czech Republic

Our comprehensive Prague Guide helps you to orientate in Prague city. In our guide of  Prague you find basic information about Prague history, about most interesting Prague sights, list of the best Prague restaurants, theatres, shopping opportunities and many other practical informations for visitors of Prague.

 

Generally

Czech Republic in general

The Czech Republic (Česká republika or Česko), a member state of the European Union (since May 1, 2004), is a landlocked country in Central Europe.

The country is composed of two entire historic regions, Bohemia and Moravia, parts of Silesia and small sections of historic Lower Austria

Religion in the Czech Republic (2002):

  • atheist (59.8%)
  • Roman Catholic (19.2%)
  • Protestant (4.6%)
  • Orthodox (3%)
  • other (13.4%)

Flag of the Czech Republic:

Motto:

Pravda vítězí
(English: "Truth prevails")

National Anthem of the Czech Republic:

Kde domov můj (Where is my home?) was written by the composer František Škroup and the dramatist Josef Kajetán Tyl as a part of the comedy Fidlovačka aneb žádný hněv a žádná rvačka (Fidlovačka, or no anger and no brawl). It was performed for the first time in the Stavovské Divadlo (Estates Theatre) in Prague on December 21, 1834. The song originally had more stanzas, but only the first is officially the anthem and the rest is forgotten.

1.
Kde domov můj, kde domov můj?
Voda hučí po lučinách,
bory šumí po skalinách,
v sadě skví se jara květ,
zemský ráj to na pohled,
A to je ta krásná země,
země česká, domov můj,
země česká, domov můj.
2.
Kde domov můj kde domov můj?
V kraji znáš-li bohumilém
duše útlé v těle čilém
mysl jasnou vznik a zdar
a tu sílu vzdoru zmar
to je Čechů slavné plémě
mezi Čechy domov můj
mezi Čechy domov můj!

(text of national anthem is only first strophe)

English translation

1
Where is my home, where is my home?
Water roars across the meadows,
Pinewoods rustle among crags,
The garden is glorious with spring blossom,
Paradise on earth it is to see.
And this is that beautiful land,
The Czech land, my home,
The Czech land, my home.
2
Where is my home, where is my home?
If, in a heavenly land, you have met
Tender souls in agile frames,
Of clear mind, vigorous and prospering,
And with a strength that frustrates all defiance,
That is the glorious race of Czechs,
Among Czechs (is) my home,
Among Czechs, my home.

Here you can listen to the National Anthemn by Castle Guard and Police of the Czech republic

Area of the Czech Republic:

  • Total: 78,866 km² 
  • Water: 2.0%

Population in the Czech Republic:

  • 10 220 000 inhabitants (2005)
  • density: 130/km² 

Contemporary president of the Czech Republic:

         Václav Klaus

 

Geography of the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic, as a part of Middle Europe, is squeezed between Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland. The country is bordered by the mountains. Its area is almost 79.000 sq. km (30.000 sq. miles), as same size as the island of Ireland. The highest point is Snezka, 1602 m (5222 ft).

 

Geography of Prague

The capital Prague (Praha) is just in the middle of the western part of the country, 300 m above sea level. It is not only the capital but also the largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Vltava river in central Bohemia, it is home to approximately 1.2 million people.

Nicknames for Prague have included "city of a hundred spires", "the golden city", "the Left Bank of the Ninties", the "mother of cities", "the Paris of Eastern Europe", and "the heart of Europe". Since 1992, the historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Population of Prague: 1 172 975 (31. 3. 2005)

Area of Prague: 496 km²

Founded: 9th century


People in the Czech Republic

There are about  10 million people in the Czech Republic (1.3 million in Prague). Most of them are Czechs and they speak Czech language. They tend to be polite, mild-mannered with a good sense of humor, not incline to argue or fight. They are intelligent, creative, well educated and can be quite conservative. If you are invited into home, you will find them friendly and very hospitable (do bring flowers for your host and remember to remove your shoes when you enter the house). The largest Church is Roman Catholic one but Czechs are mostly atheists, because of the systematic oppression of religion during Communism.

Climate in the Czech Republic

Czech is four seasoned country with a continental climate. The summers tend to be sunny and quite hot, the winters cold, spring and fall mild but changeable. Weather forecast is available at CNN or BBC! There is a nice weather from May through September.

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temperature [C] -5 0 8 12 19 22 25 24 19 12 5 0
Temperature [F] 28 37 46 54 66 72 77 75 66 54 41 32
Rainfall [mm] 20 20 25 40 60 70 65 55 40 25 25 20
Humidity [%] 70 63 57 49 49 48 51 49 57 63 78 81
 

Time Zone in the Czech Republic

Czech Republic included Prague is on Central European Time (GMT +1) as well as Berlin, Bonn, Budapest, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Warsaw and the others. It is:
· 1 hour ahead of England
· 6 hours ahead of New York
· 9 hours ahead of Los Angeles
· 7 hours behind Singapore
· 8 hours behind Tokyo
· 10 hours behind Sydney
 

Crime in Prague, Czech Republic

Violent crime is rare by the standards of western Europe or the United States, but there is a great deal of theft. Lock your car and put your valuables in the hotel. Be alert to the danger of pickpockets in crowded places, particularly on trams and metro. Prague is plagued with unscrupulous cabbies. Hailing a taxi on the street is inviting trouble. It is better to use underground, trams or buses which are the quickest and safest to use.
 

Public Holidays in Prague, Czech Republic

1. 1. New Year and Restitution of independent Czech republic (separation from the union with Slovak country)
1. 5. Labor Day
1. 8. Day of the Victory (End of 2nd World War)
5. 7. Day of St. Ciryl and St. Method (translated Bible into the Old Slavonic language)
6. 7. Burning of Master Jah Hus (John Huss) - religious thinker, philosopher and reformer, master at the Charles University. The Roman Catholic Church considered his teachings heractical so they let him to be burnt.
28. 9. Day of the Czech Nationhood (St. Wencel´s Day = patron the saint of the Czech Republic)
28. 10. Estabilishment of Independent Czechoslovakian country (1918)
17. 11. Day of Student´s Fights for the Freedom and Democracy (the beginning of Velvet Revolution)
24. 12. Christmas Eve
25. 12. Christmas Day
26. 12. Boxing Day (St. Stephen´s Day)
Easter holidays are non-stationary (beginning by 1st Sunday after the 1st spring full moon)
We have also significant days but there are not silent hours.