Overview

From Bohemia to Prague

Unraveling the Golden City

“Bohemian” was once a life style attributed exclusively to rebellious artists, painters, performers and flashy socialites; “Boho-Chic” was born out of this and Fashionistas, artists, creative people, wannabe creative people all across the world want to be ‘tainted’ with this word at least once in their lifestyle. The reason for this aspiration is that for centuries the word “Bohemian” has painted the picture of blissful and careless abandon; it is a vivid picture of something that grows unfettered and unchallenged and all of that is so welcome to a free thinking, radical mind. And to think this contribution to the dictionary came from a city that got pummeled by communism for forty years!

Sitting right in the middle of Bohemia, Prague was founded on the banks of the River Vltava in the later part of the 9th century and served for a long time as the seat of Bohemian Kings. It is regarded by many as one of Europe’s most charming and addictive cities; one that seduces slowly and never lets you forget it completely. Spared the vagaries of WWII, the cityscape today looks like a stunning socialite with a devil-may-care attitude, making an entry at the red carpet.

A perplexing crisscross of cobbled lanes, dark passages and innumerable churches, Prague today is one of Europe’s most popular destinations playing host to millions of tourists every year. Prague’s 1100 year old castle (Below), its unique cuisine and the marvel of its swan filled Vltava River – all make up a picture postcard vacation that lingers on in your memories.

Prague is also a vibrant city; gregarious, welcoming and fun with its swinging night culture, its energetic music, its arts and its beautiful festivals. One of its many attractions is that it is affordable and easily accessible to anyone who is looking. If you are planning to go to this mesmerizing city, pat your back for a good decision and read on to equip yourself with updated information on Prague.

Discover its roots

The Coat of Arms of the King and the Kingdom of Bohemia Human beings have occupied the Prague valley area ever since 6000BC but it was not before 4000 BC that it saw civilization in the form of farming communities established by Germanic and Celtic tribes. The Celtic tribe Boii were the predominant settlers in the area they named Bohemia. Slavs settled around both banks of the River Vltava by 600AD and defended their fertile land from attacks by neighboring settlements and tribes. However by the 9th century the control of the land had passed (briefly) to the Great Moravian Empire that introduced Christianity to Bohemia. King Wecnceslas made Christianity the state religion in the 930s and earned the permanent post of the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic. However, it was not till Charles IV came on to the scene that Prague became a city of reckoning, stature and prosperity. This was the time when Prague acquired its evocative Gothic structures like Charles University, Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral.

The 14th and 15th centuries saw a spate of outspoken radicals like Master Jan Hus, a preacher and the rector of the Charles University, pushing for church-reforms and subsequently getting burned at the stakes. The centuries also saw the rise of the pre-dominantly Catholic Hapsburg family to power in the region with several changes taking place subsequently. The change of guard at the top slowed down the reformist movement but more trouble brewed in 1618 when the reformist movement, once again, turned violent and in the process brought about the Thirty Years War which raged across the continent decimating everything in its maw. Most of Bohemia lay victim to this war and this defeat cast a black shadow on Czech independence for three centuries.

Monument to Jan Hus

However, the 17th century was a good time for the Jewish community in Prague and is called the Golden Age of Jewish Prague. The glory was short-lived as the community was persecuted again in 1745 when Maria Theresa of Austria expelled them from the kingdom on allegations of having collaborated with the Prussian army against Prague.

In 1689, a great fire, supposedly started by French agents, destroyed large sections of the city. The event actually turned out to be in the city’s favor as it spurred a renovation and re-building drive. By the 19th century Prague, now unified by the imperial decree of 1784, had become the centre of the Czech National Revival which celebrated Czech literature, architecture and journalism.

Nationalist sentiment acted as a catalyst for pro-democracy protests and even led to an uprising in 1848 which was sadly routed. However in 1861 the Czech majority defeated German candidates in the Prague council elections making the event a watershed in the fight for Czech independence.

By the beginning of the 20th, the Czech nationalist movement was had gained enough strength to be able to decide that they did not wish to fight in WWII for their Austrian masters in WWI. The neighboring Slovakia felt the same way about their German occupiers and therefore leaders from both independence movements approached US President Wilson, who was actively trying to build the League of Nations, asking for his help in achieving their dream. With Allied support, Czechoslovakia became an independent nation in 1918; Prague became its first capital.

The young nation was still in the throes of the Great Depression when Nazi Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939 - Bohemia and Moravia became ‘protectorates’ while Slovakia was reduced to being a puppet state. The worst hit, however were Prague’s 120,000 Jews who were almost annihilated by starvation or in Nazi concentration camps. On May 5, 1945, Prague joined hands with the approaching Red Army to overthrow Nazi occupation and their power was so overwhelming that most of Prague was liberated before the Soviets arrived – that date was May 8th and is still celebrated as Liberation Day.

In the 1946 elections, the communists became the young republic's dominant party, and in 1948 did away with the inefficiencies of a multi-party system with a Soviet-backed coup d'état. In 1968, after years of gradual liberalization under General Secretary Dubcek, the 'Prague Spring' came into full bloom but was soon blown away by Russian domination that established a new and more stringent communist leadership that stayed in place till the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall.

Free elections were held in 1990, and the Czech and Slovakian separatist movements subsequently inspired the smooth 1993 split into the Czech and Slovak Republics, remembered as the 'Velvet Divorce'. Prague quickly became one of the top tourist destinations in the world during the 1990s, and the ringing of cash registers combined with a solid industrial base has left its citizens in better economic shape than those in the rest of the country. Much of this spare change has been reinvested in the city itself, making for an even more pleasant visit.

Summers or winters?

When to go to Prague

Czech painted Easter Eggs or “Kraslice”

While winters make most tourist attractions shut shop across much of the Czech Republic, Prague bucks the trend by playing happy host to visitors all twelve months. Easter and Christmas see a flood of tourists emptying into the city as do the New Year Holidays. May and June have more sunlight hours and are therefore warm enough was tourists to walk around The Golden City soaking in its fairytale atmosphere.

July and August may not be very good months to visit Prague as most city inhabitants are themselves on vacations and a lot of businesses are shut down. However, it is easier to find cheap accommodation like student hostels during this time. If you can put up with the cold and the periodic smog alerts during weather inversions, hotel space is plentiful in winter (outside Christmas/New Year), and Prague looks good enough to eat, sitting pretty like an iced cake.