Old Town, Prague
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The Old Town of Prague ( cs, Staré Město pražské, german: Prager Altstadt) is a medieval settlement of
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
,
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. It was separated from the outside by a semi-circular moat and wall, connected to the
Vltava Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at M ...
river at both of its ends. The moat is now covered up by the streets (from north to south-west) Revoluční,
Na Příkopě Na příkopě (literally "On the moat"), informally also ''Na Příkopě'', ''Na Příkopech'' or ''Příkopy'', is a street in the center of Prague, Czech Republic, connecting Wenceslas Square with the Republic Square. It separates the Old Town ...
, and Národní—which remain the official boundary of the
cadastral community A cadastral community or cadastral municipality, is a cadastral subdivision of municipalities in the nations of Austria,Cadastral Template for Austria, web-pageCT-AT Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, ...
of Old Town. It is now part of Prague 1. Notable places in the Old Town include
Old Town Square Old Town Square ( cs, Staroměstské náměstí or colloquially ) is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. It is located between Wenceslas Square and Charles Bridge. Buildings The square fe ...
and
Astronomical Clock An astronomical clock, horologium, or orloj is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets. Definition ...
. The Old Town is surrounded by the New Town of Prague. Across the river
Vltava Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at M ...
connected by the
Charles Bridge Charles Bridge ( cs, Karlův most ) is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.; The ...
is the
Lesser Town of Prague Lesser, from Eliezer (, "Help/Court of my God"), is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adolf Lesser (1851–1926), German physician * Aleksander Lesser (1814–1884), Polish painter and art critic * Anton Lesser (born 1952), Bri ...
( cs, Malá Strana). The former Jewish Town (
Josefov Josefov (also Jewish Quarter; german: Josefstadt) is a town quarter and the smallest cadastral area of Prague, Czech Republic, formerly the Jewish ghetto of the town. It is surrounded by the Old Town. The quarter is often represented by the flag ...
) is located in the northwest corner of Old Town heading towards the Vltava.


History

From its early existence, around the 9th century, Staré Město was laid out of settlements which appeared from the spacious marketplace on the bank of Vltava. Records dating back to 1100 AD indicate that every Saturday a market was held on the marketplace, and large military gatherings also took place there. Thanks to trade the merchants of the area became rich, and when King
Wenceslaus I of Bohemia Wenceslaus I ( cs, Václav I.; c. 1205 – 23 September 1253), called One-Eyed, was King of Bohemia from 1230 to 1253. Wenceslaus was a son of Ottokar I of Bohemia and his second wife Constance of Hungary. Marriage and children In 1224, Wencesl ...
gave them the privileges of township, the Town of Prague (''Město pražské'') was formed. According to ancient records, the city had around 13 gates, and a huge moat, providing strong defenses. In 1338, the councilors of the Old Town of Prague were granted a permission by
John of Luxembourg John the Blind or John of Luxembourg ( lb, Jang de Blannen; german: link=no, Johann der Blinde; cz, Jan Lucemburský; 10 August 1296 – 26 August 1346), was the Count of Luxembourg from 1313 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of ...
, King of Bohemia, to buy a magnificent patrician house from the family Volfin od Kamene (german: Wolfin von Stein) and rebuild it into their town hall – the still existing
Old Town Hall Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, ...
. In the mid-14th century the importance of the Old Town of Prague increased rapidly. The city was prospering thanks to the development of trade and craftsmanship and became one of the most important
Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...
an metropoles. Its brilliance and fame still further increased when the Bohemian king Charles IV became the Roman Emperor in 1355. Quite suddenly the attention of all medieval Europe was turned towards Prague, the residence of the head of the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
. The original town hall was extended by a mighty square stone tower, a symbol of the power and pride of the town council of the first city in the Kingdom and Empire. In 1364 when it was completed the tower was the highest in the city. After the city was expanded in the 14th century by Charles IV with the founding of the New Town of Prague, the moat and wall were dismantled. In 1348, the University of Prague was founded by Charles IV. Since the late 14th century its main seat has been in Carolinum located in the Old Town of Prague. In 1357, Charles IV commenced building of a new bridge over the
Vltava Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at M ...
river connecting the Old Town with the
Lesser Town of Prague Lesser, from Eliezer (, "Help/Court of my God"), is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adolf Lesser (1851–1926), German physician * Aleksander Lesser (1814–1884), Polish painter and art critic * Anton Lesser (born 1952), Bri ...
. In 1391, the
Bethlehem Chapel The Bethlehem Chapel ('' cs, Betlémská kaple, link=no'') is a medieval religious building in the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, notable for its connection with the origins of the Bohemian Reformation, especially with the Czech reformer ...
was built in the Old Town for sermons in Czech. The chapel played an important role in the
Bohemian Reformation The Bohemian Reformation (also known as the Czech Reformation or Hussite Reformation), preceding the Reformation of the 16th century, was a Christian movement in the late medieval and early modern Kingdom and Crown of Bohemia (mostly what is no ...
and
Hussite movement The Hussites ( cs, Husité or ''Kališníci''; "Chalice People") were a Czech proto-Protestant Christian movement that followed the teachings of reformer Jan Hus, who became the best known representative of the Bohemian Reformation. The Hussi ...
. In 1402–1413 the church reformer Jan Hus preached there. In 1689, a great fire (called ''the French fire'') damaged a big part of the Old Town, including the Jewish Town. In 1784, the four towns of Prague were united into the ''Royal Capital City of Prague'' with a common administration.


Gallery

File:13-03-30-praha-by-RalfR-046.jpg, Coat of arms of the Old Town of Prague at the Old Town Hall File:StareMesto1995.JPG, Narrow streets File:Staré Město houses.jpg, Houses in the Old Town File:Prague 07-2016 View from Old Town Hall Tower img7.jpg, Jan Hus Monument on the Old Town Square File:LudekMaroldVajecnyTrh.jpg, Egg market in the late 19th century


References


See also


Connected articles

*
Malé náměstí Malé náměstí is a square in Old Town, Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the ...
, a square in the old town {{Authority control Districts of Prague