The city has more than ten major museums, along with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas, and other historical exhibits. An extensive modern public transportation system connects the city. It is home to a wide range of public and private schools, includingCharles University in Prague, the oldest university inCentral Europe.
Prague is classified as a "Beta+"global city according toGaWC studies.[11] In 2019, the PICSA Index ranked the city as 13th most livable city in the world.[12] Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, and as of 2017, the city receives more than 8.5 million international visitors annually. In 2017, Prague was listed as the fifth most visited European city afterLondon,Paris,Rome, andIstanbul.[13]
The Czech namePraha is derived from an oldSlavic word,práh, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava river.[14]
Another view to the origin of the name is also related to the Czech wordpráh (with the meaning of athreshold) and a legendary etymology connects the name of the city with princessLibuše, prophetess and a wife of the mythical founder of thePřemyslid dynasty. She is said to have ordered the city "to be built where a man hews a threshold of his house". The Czechpráh might thus be understood to refer to rapids or fords in the river, the edge of which could have acted as a means of fording the river , thus providing a "threshold" to the castle.
Another derivation of the namePraha is suggested fromna prazě, the original term for theshale hillside rock upon which the original castle was built. At that time, the castle was surrounded by forests, covering the nine hills of the future city – theOld Town on the opposite side of the river, as well as theLesser Town beneath the existing castle, appeared only later.[15]
Prague is also called the"City of a HundredSpires," based on a count by 19th-century mathematicianBernard Bolzano; today's count is estimated by the Prague Information Service at 500.[17] Nicknames for Prague have also included: the Golden City, the Mother of Cities and the Heart of Europe.[18]
The local Jewish community, which belongs to one of the oldest continuously existing in the world, has described the city asעיר ואם בישראלIr va-em be-yisrael, "The city and mother in Israel".[19][20]
Prague has grown from a settlement stretching fromPrague Castle in the north to the fort ofVyšehrad in the south, to become the capital of a modern European country. With archaeological deposits over 10m deep, the city serves as a model for the implementation of comprehensive regulations for the protection of archaeological heritage throughout the Czech Republic.[21]
Around the fifth and fourth century BC, aCeltic tribe appeared in the area, later establishing settlements, including the largest Celticoppidum inBohemia, Závist, in a present-day south suburbZbraslav in Prague, and naming the region of Bohemia, which means "home of the Boii people".[22][24] In the last century BC, the Celts were slowly driven away byGermanic tribes (Marcomanni,Quadi,Lombards and possibly theSuebi), leading some to place the seat of theMarcomanni king,Maroboduus, in Závist.[25][23] Around the area where present-day Prague stands, the 2nd century map drawn by Roman geographerPtolemaios mentioned a Germanic city calledCasurgis.[26]
In the late 5th century AD, during the greatMigration Period following the collapse of theWestern Roman Empire, the Germanic tribes living in Bohemia moved westwards and, probably in the 6th century, theSlavic tribes settled the Central Bohemian Region. In the following three centuries, theCzech tribes built several fortified settlements in the area, most notably in theŠárka valley,Butovice, andLevý Hradec.[22]
A model representingPrague Castle and its surroundings in the 10th century
The construction of what came to be known asPrague Castle began near the end of the 9th century, expanding a fortified settlement that had existed on the site since the year 800.[27] The first masonry under Prague Castle dates from the year 885 at the latest.[28] The other prominent Prague fort, the Přemyslid fortVyšehrad, was founded in the 10th century, some 70 years later than Prague Castle.[29] Prague Castle is dominated by thecathedral, which began construction in 1344, but was not completed until the 20th century.[30]
The legendary origins of Prague attribute its foundation to the 8th-century Czech duchess and prophetessLibuše and her husband,Přemysl, founder of thePřemyslid dynasty. Legend says that Libuše, prophesied from her castle at Vyšehrad, came out on a rocky cliff high above the Vltava and prophesied: "I see a great city whose glory will touch the stars". She ordered a castle and a town called Praha to be built on the site.[22]
Prague was an important seat for trading where merchants from across Europe settled, including many Jews, as recalled in 965 by theHispano-Jewish merchant and travelerAbraham ben Jacob.[33] TheOld New Synagogue of 1270 still stands in the city. Prague was also once home to aslave market.[34]
At the site of the ford in the Vltava river, KingVladislaus I had the first bridge built in 1170, the Judith Bridge (Juditin most), named in honor of his wifeJudith of Thuringia.[35] This bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1342, but some of the original foundation stones of that bridge remain in the river. It was rebuilt and named the Charles Bridge.[35]
In 1257, under KingOttokar II,Malá Strana ("Lesser Quarter") was founded in Prague on the site of an older village in what would become theHradčany (Prague Castle) area.[36] This was the district of the German people, who had the right to administer the law autonomously, pursuant toMagdeburg rights.[37] The new district was on the bank opposite of theStaré Město ("Old Town"), which hadborough status and was bordered by a line of walls and fortifications.
Prague flourished during the 14th-century reign (1346–1378) ofCharles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and the king ofBohemia of the newLuxembourg dynasty. As King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, he transformed Prague into an imperial capital. In the 1470s, Prague had around 70,000 inhabitants and with an area of 360 ha (~1.4 square miles) it was the third-largest city in the Holy Roman Empire.[38]
Charles IV ordered the building of theNew Town (Nové Město) adjacent to theOld Town and laid out the design himself. The Charles Bridge, replacing the Judith Bridge destroyed in the flood just before his reign, was erected to connect the east bank districts to the Malá Strana and castle area. In 1347, he foundedCharles University, theoldest university in Central Europe.[39]
His fatherJohn of Bohemia began construction of theGothicSaint Vitus Cathedral, within the largest of the Prague Castle courtyards, on the site of the Romanesque rotunda. Prague was elevated to an archbishopric in 1344,[40] the year the cathedral was begun.
The city had amint and was a center of trade for German and Italian bankers and merchants. The social order, however, became more turbulent due to the rising power of thecraftsmen'sguilds (themselves often torn by internal conflicts), and the increasing number of poor.[41][42]
The Hunger Wall, a substantial fortification wall south of Malá Strana and the castle area, was built during a famine in the 1360s. The work is reputed to have been ordered by Charles IV as a means of providing employment and food to the workers and their families.[43][44]
Charles IV died in 1378. During the reign of his son, KingWenceslaus IV (1378–1419), a period of intense turmoil ensued. During Easter 1389, members of the Prague clergy announced that Jews had desecrated the host (Eucharistic wafer), and the clergy encouraged mobs to pillage, ransack, and burn the Jewish quarter. Nearly the entire Jewish population of Prague (ca 750 people) was murdered.[45][46]
ThePrague astronomical clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still working.
Jan Hus, a theologian andrector at Charles University, preached in Prague. In 1402, he began giving sermons in theBethlehem Chapel. Inspired byJohn Wycliffe, these sermons focused on what were seen as radical reforms of a corrupt Church. Having become too dangerous for the political and religious establishment, Hus was summoned to theCouncil of Constance, put on trial forheresy, and burned at the stake inKonstanz in 1415.
During theHussite Wars, when Prague was attacked by "Crusader" and mercenary forces, the city militia fought bravely under the Prague Banner. This swallow-tailed banner is approximately 4 by 6 ft (1.2 by 1.8 m), with a red field sprinkled with small white fleurs-de-lis, and a silver old Town Coat-of-Arms in the center. The words "PÁN BŮH POMOC NAŠE" (The Lord is our Relief/Help) appeared above the coat-of-arms, with a Hussite chalice centered on the top. Near the swallow-tails is a crescent-shaped golden sun with rays protruding.
One of these banners was captured by Swedish troops during theBattle of Prague (1648) when they captured the western bank of theVltava river and were repulsed from the eastern bank; it was placed in theRoyal Military Museum inStockholm. Although this flag still exists, it is in very poor condition. They also took theCodex Gigas and theCodex Argenteus. The earliest evidence indicates that agonfalon with a municipal charge painted on it was used for the Old Town as early as 1419. Since this city militia flag was in use before 1477 and during the Hussite Wars, it is the oldest still preserved municipal flag of Bohemia.
In the following two centuries, Prague strengthened its role as a merchant city. Many noteworthy Gothic buildings[47][48] were erected andVladislav Hall of the Prague Castle was added.
In 1526, the Bohemian estates electedFerdinand I of theHouse of Habsburg. The fervent Catholicism of its members brought them into conflict in Bohemia, and then in Prague, where Protestant ideas were gaining popularity.[50] These problems were not preeminent under Holy Roman EmperorRudolf II, elected King of Bohemia in 1576, who chose Prague as his home. He lived in Prague Castle, where his court welcomed not only astrologers and magicians but also scientists, musicians, and artists. Rudolf was an art lover as well, and Prague became the capital of European culture. This was a prosperous period for the city: famous people living there in that age include the astronomersTycho Brahe andJohannes Kepler, the painterArcimboldo, the alchemistsEdward Kelley andJohn Dee, the poetElizabeth Jane Weston, and others.
In 1618, the famoussecond defenestration of Prague provoked theThirty Years' War, a particularly harsh period for Prague and Bohemia.Ferdinand II of Habsburg was deposed, and his place as King of Bohemia taken byFrederick V, Elector Palatine; however, his army was crushed in theBattle of White Mountain (1620) not far from the city. Following this, in 1621, was the execution of 27 Czech Protestant leaders (involved in the uprising) in Old Town Square and the exile of many others. Prague was forcibly converted back toRoman Catholicism, followed by the rest of the Czech lands. The city suffered subsequently during the war under an attack byElectorate of Saxony (1631) and during theBattle of Prague (1648).[51] Prague began a steady decline, which reduced the population from the 60,000 it had had in the years before the war to 20,000. In the second half of the 17th century, Prague's population began to grow again.Jews had been in Prague since the end of the 10th century and, by 1708, they accounted for about a quarter of Prague's population.[52]
In 1689, a great fire devastated Prague, which spurred a renovation and a rebuilding of the city. In 1713–14, a major outbreak ofplague hit Prague one last time, killing 12,000 to 13,000 people.[53]
In 1744,Frederick the Great of Prussia invaded Bohemia. He took Prague after a severe and prolonged siege in the course of which a large part of the town was destroyed.[55]Empress Maria Theresa expelled the Jews from Prague in 1745; though she rescinded the expulsion in 1748, the proportion of Jewish residents in the city never recovered.[56] In 1757, thePrussian bombardment[55] destroyed more than one-quarter of the city and heavily damaged St. Vitus Cathedral. However, a month later, Frederick the Great was defeated and forced to retreat from Bohemia.
The economy of Prague continued to improve during the 18th century. The population increased to 80,000 inhabitants by 1771. Many rich merchants and nobles enhanced the city with a host of palaces, churches, and gardens full of art and music, creating aBaroque city renowned throughout the world to this day.
In 1784, underJoseph II, the four municipalities of Malá Strana, Nové Město, Staré Město, and Hradčany were merged into a single entity. The Jewish district, calledJosefov, was included only in 1850. TheIndustrial Revolution produced great changes and developments in Prague, as new factories could take advantage of the coal mines and ironworks of the nearby regions. The first suburb,Karlín, was created in 1817, and twenty years later the population exceeded 100,000.
The revolutions in Europe in 1848 also touched Prague, but they were fiercely suppressed. In the following years, theCzech National Revival began its rise, until it gained the majority in the town council in 1861. Prague had a large number of German speakers in 1848, but by 1880 the number of German speakers had decreased to 14% (42,000), and by 1910 to 6.7% (37,000), due to a massive increase in the city's overall population caused by the influx ofCzechs from the rest of Bohemia andMoravia and the increasing prestige and importance of the Czech language as part of the Czech National Revival. In 1891, the city council ordered that all German inscriptions be removed in Prague, while Czechs at the same time demanded equal status for the Czech and German languages in Bohemia and Moravia.[57]
Panorama of Prague from the Schönborn Garden, circa 1835. The drawing by Czech vedutistVincenc Morstadt was engraved by Friedrich Geissler.
World War I ended with the defeat of theAustro-Hungarian Empire and the creation of Czechoslovakia. Prague was chosen as its capital and Prague Castle as the seat of the presidentTomáš Garrigue Masaryk. At this time, Prague was a true European capital with a highly developed industry. By 1930, the population had risen to 850,000.
In February 1945,Prague suffered several bombing raids by theUS Army Air Forces. 701 people were killed, more than 1,000 people were injured and some buildings, factories and historic landmarks (Emmaus Monastery,Faust House,Vinohrady Synagogue) were destroyed.[61] Many historic structures in Prague, however, escaped the destruction of the war and the damage was small compared to the destruction of many other cities in that time. According to American pilots, it was the result of a navigational mistake. In March, a deliberate raid targeted military factories in Prague, killing about 370 people.[62]
On 5 May 1945, two days before Germany capitulated, anuprising against Germany occurred. Several thousand Czechs were killed in four days of bloody street fighting, with many atrocities committed by both sides. Fought concurrently with the Prague uprising, thePrague offensive significantly helped theliberation of Czechoslovakia. At daybreak on 9 May, the3rd Shock Army of theRed Army took the capital city almost unopposed. The majority (about 50,000 people) of the German population of Prague either fled or wereexpelled by theBeneš decrees in the aftermath of the war.
Prague was a city in a country under the military, economic, and political control of theSoviet Union (seeIron Curtain andCOMECON). The world's largestStalin Monument was unveiled onLetná hill in 1955 and destroyed in 1962. The 4th Czechoslovak Writers' Congress, held in the city in June 1967, took a strong position against the regime.[63] On 31 October 1967 students demonstrated atStrahov. This spurred the new secretary of theCzechoslovak Communist Party,Alexander Dubček, to proclaim a new deal in his city's and country's life, starting the short-lived season of the "socialism with a human face". It was thePrague Spring, which aimed at the renovation of political institutions in a democratic way. The otherWarsaw Pact member countries, exceptRomania andAlbania, were led by theSoviet Union to repress these reforms through theinvasion of Czechoslovakia and the capital, Prague, on 21 August 1968. The invasion, chiefly by infantry and tanks, effectively suppressed any further attempts at reform. The military occupation of Czechoslovakia by theRed Army would end only in 1991.[citation needed]Jan Palach andJan Zajíc committed suicide byself-immolation in January and February 1969 to protest against the "normalization" of the country.
In 1989, after riot police beat back a peaceful student demonstration, theVelvet Revolution crowded the streets of Prague, and the capital ofCzechoslovakia benefited greatly from the new mood. In 1992, theHistoric Centre of Prague and its monuments were inscribed as a culturalUNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1993, after theVelvet Divorce, Prague became the capital city of the new Czech Republic. Since the 1990s, high-rise buildings have been built in Prague in large quantities. In the late 1990s, Prague again became an important cultural center of Europe and was notably influenced byglobalisation.[64] In 2000, theIMF andWorld Bank summits took place in Prague andanti-globalization riots took place here. In 2002, Prague suffered fromwidespread floods that damaged buildings and its underground transport system.
On 21 December 2023,a mass shooting took place atCharles University in central Prague. Fifteen people were killed and 25 were injured. It was the deadliest mass murder in the history of the Czech Republic.[67]
Prague is situated on theVltava River. TheBerounka flows into the Vltava in the suburbs ofLahovice. There are 99 watercourses in Prague with a total length of 360 km (220 mi). The longest streams are Rokytka and Botič.[68]
There are 4 reservoirs, 47 fishponds, 33 retention reservoirs, and dry polders in the city. The largest pond is Velký Počernický rybník with 41.76 ha (103.2 acres).[68] The largest body of water is Hostivař Reservoir with 42 hectares (103.8 acres).[69]
In terms of geomorphological division, most of Prague is located in thePrague Plateau. In the south, the city's territory extends into theHořovice Uplands, in the north it extends into theCentral Elbe Table lowland. The highest point is the top of the hill Teleček on the western border of Prague, at 399 m (1,309 ft) above sea level. Notable hills in the centre of Prague are Petřín with 327 m (1,073 ft) and Vítkov with 270 m (890 ft). The lowest point is the Vltava inSuchdol at the place where it leaves the city, at 172 m (564 ft).[70]
Prague has anoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb;Trewartha:Dobk)[75][76] bordering on ahumid continental climate (Dfb), defined as such by the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm.[77] The winters are relatively cold with average temperatures at about freezing point (0 °C), and with very little sunshine. Snow cover can be common between mid-November and late March, although snow accumulations of more than 200 mm (8 in) are infrequent. There are also a few periods of mild temperatures in winter. Summers usually bring plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 25 °C (77 °F), but there has been a considerable increase in days with over 30 °C (86 °F) in later years. Nights can be quite cool even in summer, though. Precipitation in Prague is low by Czech standards (about 500 mm per year) since it is located in therain shadow of theSudetes and other mountain ranges. The driest season is usually winter, while late spring and summer can bring quite heavy rain, especially in the form of thundershowers. The number of hours of average sunshine has increased over time.Temperature inversions are relatively common between mid-October and mid-March, bringing foggy, cold days and sometimes moderate air pollution. Prague is also a windy city with common sustained western winds and an average wind speed of 16 km/h (10 mph) that often helps break temperature inversions and clear the air in cold months.
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and, as such, is the regular seat of its central authorities. Since 24 November 1990, it isde facto again a statutory city, but has a specific status of the municipality and the region at the same time. Prague also houses the administrative institutions of theCentral Bohemian Region.
Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda
Until 1949, all administrative districts of Prague were formed by the whole one or more cadastral units, municipalities, or towns. Since 1949, there has been a fundamental change in the administrative division. Since then, the boundaries of many urban districts, administrative districts, and city districts are independent of the boundaries of cadastral territories, and some cadastral territories are thus divided into administrative and self-governing parts of the city.Cadastral area (for example,Vinohrady andSmíchov) are still relevant, especially for the registration of land and real estate and house numbering.
Prague is divided into 10 municipal districts (1–10), 22 administrative districts (1–22), 57 municipal parts, and 112 cadastral areas.
Prague is administered by the autonomousPrague City Assembly, which consists of 65 members and is elected through municipal elections. As of Dec. 20, 18 members of the council were from the centre-rightTogether Prague group, which governs the city in conjunction with 12 members of thePirates (centre to centre-left) and 5 members of theMayors and Independents group (centre to centre-right).[84][85] Thus, the governing coalition has a comfortable majority in the assembly with 35 of 65 seats. Opposition parties includeANO 2011 (right-wing populist) with 14 members,Prague Together (centre) with 11 votes,Freedom and Direct Democracy (right-wing to far-right) with 3 members, and 2 unaffiliated Independents.[85]
Even though the official population of Prague hovers around 1.3 million as of the2011 census, the city's real population is much higher due to only 65% of its residents having registered in the city.[87] Data taken from mobile phone movements around the city suggest that the real population of Prague is closer to 1.9 or 2.0 million, with an additional 300,000 to 400,000 commuters coming to the city on weekdays for work, education, or commerce.[88]
About 14% of the city's residents were born outside the Czech Republic, the highest ratio anywhere in the country.[citation needed] However, 64.8% of the city's population self-identified as ethnicallyCzech, which is slightly higher than the national average of 63.7%. Almost 29% of respondents declined to answer the question on ethnicity at all, so it may be assumed that the real percentage of ethnic Czechs in Prague is considerably higher. The largest ethnic minority areSlovaks, followed by Ukrainians and Russians.[89]
Prague's population is the oldest and best-educated in the country. It has the lowest proportion of children. Only 10.8% of census respondents claimed adherence to a religion; the majority of these wereRoman Catholics.[89]
As of 31 March 2025, there were 351,734 foreign residents in Prague, of whom 132,170 had permanent residence in Prague. The following nationalities are the most numerous:[93]
With the growth of low-cost airlines in Europe, Prague has become a weekend city destination, allowing tourists to visit its museums and cultural sites as well as try its Czech beers and cuisine.
U Medvídků (A.D. 1466), one of the oldest pubs in Europe
In 2008, theAllegro restaurant received the firstMichelin star in the whole of the post-Communist part of Central Europe. It retained its star until 2011. As of 2018[update], there were just two Michelin-starred restaurants in Prague:La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise and Field. Another six have been awarded Michelin's Bib Gourmand: Bistrøt 104, Divinis, Eska, Maso a Kobliha, Na Kopci, and Sansho.
Czech beer has a long history, with brewing taking place inBřevnov Monastery in 993. InOld Town,Žižkov andVinohrady there are hundreds of restaurants, bars and pubs, especially with Czech beer. Prague also hosts several microbrewery festivals throughout the year. The city is home to historicalbreweriesStaropramen (Praha 5),U Fleků,U Medvídků, U Tří růží,Strahov Monastery Brewery (Praha 1) andBřevnov Monastery Brewery (Praha 6). Among many microbreweries are: Novoměstský, Pražský most u Valšů, Národní, Boršov, Loď pivovar, U Dobřenských, U Dvou koček, U Supa (Praha 1), Pivovarský dům (Praha 2), Sousedský pivovar Bašta (Praha 4), Suchdolský Jeník, Libocký pivovar (Praha 6), Marina (Praha 7), U Bulovky (Praha 8), Beznoska, Kolčavka (Praha 9), Vinohradský pivovar, Zubatý pes, Malešický mikropivovar (Praha 10), Jihoměstský pivovar (Praha 11), Lužiny (Praha 13), Počernický pivovar (Praha 14) and Hostivar (Praha 15).
In an October 2024 article, Prague was ranked 7th on "Europe's 10 most beautiful cities to visit in autumn". The ranking was done by Travelbag and based on analysing Google search and Instagram hashtags.[104]
Prague's economy accounts for 25% of the Czech GDP[105], making it the highest performing regional economy of the country. As of 2021, its GDP per capita inpurchasing power standard is €58,216, making it thethird best performing region in the EU at 203 per cent of the EU-27 average in 2021.[106]
Prague employs almost a fifth of the entire Czech workforce, and its wages are significantly above average (≈+20%). In 4Q/2020, during the pandemic, average salaries available in Prague reached CZK 45.944 (≈€1,800) per month, an annual increase of 4%, which was nevertheless lower than the national increase of 6.5% both in nominal and real terms. (Inflation in the Czech Republic was 3.2% in 4Q/2020.)[107][108] Since 1990, the city's economic structure has shifted from industrial to service-oriented. Industry is present in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, printing, food processing, the manufacture of transport equipment, computer technology, and electrical engineering. In the service sector, financial and commercial services, trade, restaurants, hospitality, and public administration are the most significant.Services account for around 80 per cent of employment. There are 800,000 employees in Prague, including 120,000 commuters.[105] The number of (legally registered) foreign residents in Prague has been increasing despite the country's economic downturn. As of March 2010, 148,035 foreign workers were reported to be living in the city, making up about 18 per cent of the workforce, up from 131,132 in 2008.[109] Approximately one-fifth of all investment in the Czech Republic takes place in the city.
Na příkopě, the most expensive street among the states of V4Tourism is a significant part of the city's economy.
Almost one-half of the national income from tourism is spent in Prague. The city offers approximately 73,000 beds in accommodation facilities, most of which were built after 1990, including almost 51,000 beds in hotels and boarding houses.
From the late 1990s to the late 2000s, the city was a common filming location for international productions such as Hollywood and Bollywood motion pictures. A combination of architecture, low costs, and the existing motion picture infrastructure has proven attractive to international film production companies.
The modern economy of Prague is largely service and export-based, and, in a 2010 survey, the city was named the best city in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) for business.[110]
In 2005, Prague was deemed among the three best cities in Central and Eastern Europe according toThe Economist's livability rankings.[111] The city was named as a top-tier nexus city for innovation across multiple sectors of the global innovation economy, placing 29th globally out of 289 cities, ahead ofBrussels andHelsinki for innovation in 2010.[112]
Na příkopě is the most expensive street among all the states of theV4.[113] In 2017, with the amount of rent €2,640 (CZK 67,480) per square meter per year, ranked on 22nd place among the most expensive streets in the world.[114] The second most expensive is Pařížská street.
In the Eurostat research, Prague ranked fifth among Europe's 271 regions in terms of gross domestic product per inhabitant, achieving 172 per cent of the EU average. It ranked just above Paris and well above the country as a whole, which achieved 80 per cent of the EU average.[115][116]
Companies with highest turnover in the region in 2014:[117]
Prague is classified as a "Beta+"global city according toGaWC studies, comparable toVienna,Manila andWashington, D.C.[118] Prague ranked sixth in theTripadvisor world list of best destinations in 2016.[119] Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, and the city receives more than 8.4 million international visitors annually, as of 2017[update]. Furthermore, the city was ranked 7th in the worldICCA Destination Performance Index, measuring performance of conference tourism in 2021.[120] As of December 2024 the city is ranked 3rd among the best places to visit during Christmas.[121]
An iconic part of the city that made a comeback in 2025 is Prague's Matějská pouť (St. Matthew's fun fair)Cyclone roller coaster. Originally constructed in 1963 it was an attraction at the Výstaviště fairgrounds. In 2018, it was removed due to urban revitalization plans. The Štaubert family, custodians of the ride, undertook an extensive restoration, dismantling and refurbishing the structure in Chotouchov nearKolín. The renovated Cyclone will be featured starting this year's Matějská pouť, scheduled from February 22 to April 15, 2025.[122]
Prague is also home toKlementinum, the oldest meteorological station in the Czech Republic with a continuous series of daily temperature measurements since 1775, although occasional measurements began another 20 years earlier. Klementinum is most likely the second-oldest meteorological station in Europe at which temperatures have been measured continuously to this day.
Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) with gothic and baroque architectural styles
The Art NouveauMunicipal House, a major civic landmark and concert hall known for itsArt Nouveau architectural style and political history in the Czech Republic.
Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, with an extensive collection including glass, furniture, textiles, toys, Art Nouveau, Cubism, and Art Deco
Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace, with elements of HighBaroque and the laterRococo and Second-Rococo adaptations. Known today for its well-preserved dance hall[124][125]
The neo-renaissanceNational Museum with large scientific and historical collections at the head of Wenceslas Square. It is the largest museum in the Czech Republic, covering disciplines from the natural sciences to specialized areas of the social sciences. The staircase of the building offers a nice view of the New Town.
TheNational Theatre, a neo-Renaissance building with a golden roof, alongside the banks of the Vltava river
TheVinohrady grand Neo-Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Pseudo Baroque, and Neo-Gothic buildings in the area between Míru Square,Jiřího z Poděbrad Square, and Havlíčkovy sady park[126]
Prague is by far the most visited Czech city. In 2023, Prague was visited by 7,442,614 guests who stayed overnight, of which 78.8% were from abroad. The average number of overnight stays of non-residents was 2.3. Most non-residents arriving to Prague and staying overnight were from the following countries:[129]
The Prague metropolitan area is an important centre of research. It is the seat of 39 out of 54 institutes of theCzech Academy of Sciences, including the largest ones, the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Microbiology, and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry. It is also a seat of 10 public research institutes, fourbusiness incubators and large hospitals performingresearch and development activities such as theMotol University Hospital orInstitute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, which was the largest transplant center inEurope as of 2019.[132] Universities seated in Prague (see sectionColleges and Universities) also represent important centres of science and research activities.
As of 2008[update], there were 13,000 researchers (out of 30,000 in the country, counted in full-time equivalents), representing a 3% share of Prague's economically active population. Gross expenditure on research and development accounted for €901.3 million (41.5% of the country's total).[133]
Some well-known multinational companies have established research and development facilities in Prague, among themSiemens,Honeywell,Oracle,Microsoft, andBroadcom.
Prague was selected to host the administration of the EU satellite navigation systemGalileo. It started to provide its first services in December 2016, and full completion is expected by 2020.
As of 2017[update], Prague's transportmodal share by journey was 52% public transport, 24.5% by car, 22.4% on foot, 0.4% by bicycle and 0.5% by aeroplane.[134]
Prague has about 300 bus lines (numbers 100–960) and 34 regular tram lines (numbers 1–26 and 91–99). As of 2022, the bus lines are being extended withtrolley bus lines.
SOR NB 18 of the Prague bus service next to the Prague Zoo
The Prague tram system now operates various types of trams, including theTatra T3, newerTatra KT8D5,Škoda 14 T (designed byPorsche), newer modernŠkoda 15 T and nostalgic tram lines 23 and 41. Around 400 vehicles are the modernizedT3 class, which are typically operated coupled together in pairs.
The Prague tram system is thetwelfth longest in the world (144 km) and its rolling stock consists of 786 individual cars,[136] which is the largest in the world. The system carries more than 360 million passengers annually, the highest tram patronage in the world afterBudapest. On a per capita basis, Prague has the second-highest tram patronage afterZürich.
All services (metro, tramways, city buses, funiculars, and ferries) have a common ticketing system that operates on aproof-of-payment system. Basic transfer tickets can be bought for 30 and 90-minute rides, short-term tourist passes are available for periods of 24 hours or 3 days, and longer-term tickets can be bought on the smart ticketing systemLítačka, for periods of one month, three months, or one year.[137] Since August 2021, people up to the age of 14 and over 65 can use Prague's public transport free of charge (proof of age is required). Persons between 15 and 18 years and between 60 and 64 years pay half price for single tickets and day tickets.
Services are run by the Prague Public Transport Company and several other companies. Since 2005, theRegional Organiser of Prague Integrated Transport (ROPID) has franchised the operation of ferries on theVltava river, which are also a part of the public transport system with common fares.Taxi services make pick-ups on the streets or operate from regulated taxi stands. Prague has the second-best public transport system in the world, according to TimeOut magazine’s 2023 survey.
TheMetro has three major lines extending throughout the city:A (green),B (yellow) andC (red). A fourth Metroline D is under construction, which will connect the city centre to southern parts of the city (as of 2025, the completion is expected in 2031).[138][139] The Prague Metro system served 589.2 million passengers in 2012,[140] making it thefifth busiest metro system in Europe and the most-patronised in the world on a per capita basis. The first section of the Prague metro was put into operation in 1974. It was the stretch between stationsKačerov andFlorenc on the currentline C. The first part ofLine A was opened in 1978 (Dejvická –Náměstí Míru), the first part ofline B in 1985 (Anděl –Florenc).
In April 2015, construction finished to extend the green line A further into the northwest corner of Prague, closer to the airport.[141] A new interchange station for the bus in the direction of the airport is the stationNádraží Veleslavín. The final station of the green line isNemocnice Motol (Motol Hospital), giving people direct public transportation access to the largest medical facility in the Czech Republic and one of the largest in Europe. A railway connection to the airport is planned.
In operation there are two kinds of units: "81-71M" which is modernized variant of the SovietMetrovagonmash 81-71 (completely modernized between 1995 and 2003) and new "Metro M1" trains (since 2000), manufactured by consortium consisting ofSiemens,ČKD Praha andADtranz. The minimum interval between two trains is 90 seconds.
The original Soviet "Ečs" vehicles were excluded in 1997, but one vehicle is placed in public transport museum in depotStřešovice.[142] TheNáměstí Míru metro station is the deepest station and is equipped with the longestescalator inEuropean Union. ThePrague metro is generally considered very safe.
The main flow of traffic leads through the centre of the city and through inner and outer ring roads (partially in operation).
Inner Ring Road (The City Ring "MO"): surrounds central Prague. It is the longest citytunnel inEurope with a length of 5.5 km (3.4 mi), and five interchanges have been completed to relieve congestion in the north-western part of Prague. CalledBlanka tunnel complex and part of the City Ring Road, it was estimated to eventually cost (after several increases)CZK 43 billion. Construction started in 2007 and, after repeated delays, the tunnel officially opened in September 2015. This tunnel complex completes a major part of the inner ring road.
Outer Ring Road (The Prague Ring "D0"): this ring road will connect all major motorways and speedways that meet each other in the Prague region and provide faster transit without the necessity to drive through the city. So far 39 km (24 mi), out of a total planned 83 km (52 mi), is in operation. Most recently, the southern part of this road (with a length of more than 20 km (12 mi)) was opened on 22 September 2010.[143] As of 2021, the next 12 km (7 mi) section betweenModletice andBěchovice is planned to be completed in 2025.[144]
Prague's main international railway station isHlavní nádraží,[146] rail services are also available from other main stations:Masarykovo nádraží,Holešovice andSmíchov, in addition to suburban stations. Commuter rail services operate under the nameEsko Praha, which is part ofPID (Prague Integrated Transport).
Václav Havel Airport Prague is one of the busiest airports incentral Europe, carrying 16.8 million passengers in 2018.
Prague is served byVáclav Havel Airport Prague, the largest airport in the Czech Republic and one of the largest and busiest airports in central and easternEurope. The airport is the hub of carriersSmartwings operating throughout Europe. Other airports in Prague include the city'soriginal airport in the north-eastern district ofKbely, which is serviced by theCzech Air Force, also internationally. It also houses thePrague Aviation Museum. The nearby Letňany Airport is mainly used for private aviation and aeroclub aviation. Anotherairport in the proximity isAero Vodochody aircraft factory to the north, used for testing purposes, as well as for aeroclub aviation. There are a few aeroclubs around Prague, such as theTočná airfield.
In 2018, 1–2.5 % of people commute bybike in Prague, depending on the season. Cycling is very common as a sport or recreation.[147] As of 2019, there were 194 km (121 mi) of protected cycle paths and routes. Also, there were 50 km (31 mi) ofbike lanes and 26 km (16 mi) of specially marked bus lanes that are free to be used by cyclists.[148] As of 2024, there are four companiesproviding bicycle sharing in Prague:Rekola (1,000 bikes),Nextbike (1,000 bikes),Bolt andLime. Bikesharing is partially connected to the public transportation network and subsidised by the city.[149]
Gutovka– sport area with a large concreteskatepark, the highest outdoorclimbing wall in Central Europe, fourbeach volleyball courts and children's playground;[151] Central European Beach Volleyball Championship 2018 took place here.
The city of Prague maintains its own EU delegation inBrussels called Prague House.[153]
Prague was the location ofU.S. PresidentBarack Obama's speech on 5 April 2009, which led to theNew START treaty with Russia, signed in Prague on 8 April 2010.[154]
The annual conferenceForum 2000, which was founded by former Czech PresidentVáclav Havel, Japanese philanthropistYōhei Sasakawa, and Nobel Peace Prize laureateElie Wiesel in 1996, is held in Prague. Its main objective is "to identify the key issues facing civilization and to explore ways to prevent the escalation of conflicts that have religion, culture, or ethnicity as their primary components", and also intends to promote democracy in non-democratic countries and to support civil society. Conferences have attracted several prominent thinkers, Nobel laureates, former and acting politicians, business leaders, and other individuals like:Frederik Willem de Klerk,Bill Clinton,Nicholas Winton,Oscar Arias Sánchez,Dalai Lama,Hans Küng,Shimon Peres andMadeleine Albright.
Several other settlements are derived from or similar to the name of Prague. In many of these cases, Czech emigration has left several namesake cities scattered over the globe, with a notable concentration in theNew World.
Additionally,Kłodzko is sometimes referred to as "Little Prague" (German:Klein-Prag). Although now inPoland, it had been traditionally a part ofBohemia until 1763 when it became part ofSilesia.[169]
^Dudák, Vladislav (2010).Praha: Průvodce magickým centrem Evropy [Prague: A Guide to the Magical Center of Europe]. Praha: Práh. p. 184.ISBN978-80-7252-302-3.
^Kenety, Brian (19 November 2005)."Atlantis české archeologie" (in Czech). Czech Radio.Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved9 August 2016.
^"Praha byla Casurgis" [Prague was Casurgis] (in Czech). cs-magazin.com. February 2011.Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved7 April 2016.
^This swallow-tailed banner is approximately 4 by 6 ft (1.2 by 1.8 m), with a red field sprinkled with small white fleurs-de-lis, and a silver old Town Coat-of-Arms in the centre. The wordsPÁN BŮH POMOC NAŠE (The Lord God is our Help) appeared above the coat-of-arms, with a Hussite "host with chalice" centered on the top. Near the swallow-tails is a crescent-shaped golden sun with rays protruding. One of these banners was captured by Swedish troops inBattle of Prague (1648), when they captured the western bank of the Vltava River, and were repulsed from the eastern bank. They placed it in the Royal Military Museum inStockholm; although this flag still exists, it is in very poor condition. They also took theCodex Gigas and theCodex Argenteus. The earliest evidence indicates that a gonfalon with a municipal charge painted on it was used for Old Town as early as 1419. Since this city militia flag was in use before 1477 and during the Hussite Wars, it is the oldest still preserved municipal flag of Bohemia.[citation needed]
^Helmut Slapnicka (1960). "Stellungnahme des Deutschtums er Sudetnländer zum "Historischen Staatsrecht"". In Kurt Oberdorffer (ed.).Das böhmische Staatsrecht in den deutsch-tschechischen Auseinandersetzungen des 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Elwert. p. 38.
^Administrator."Jüdische Gemeinde - Prag".www.xn--jdische-gemeinden-22b.de (in German). Archived fromthe original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved3 October 2025.
^Bryant, Chad (2007).Prague in Black: Nazi Rule and Czech Nationalism. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, p. 167ff.ISBN978-0674024519
^"Jízdné na území Prahy" [Public transport fares within Prague] (in Czech). Dopravní podnik hlavnívo města Prahy.Archived from the original on 19 January 2010. Retrieved24 October 2013.
^Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, akciová společnost (25 February 2025)."Metro D".Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, akciová společnost (in Czech). Retrieved13 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Annual Report 2012"(PDF). Public Transport Company of the Capital City of Prague. 2012. p. 66. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 21 September 2013. Retrieved7 April 2016.
^"Potenciál cyklodopravy v Praze" [The potential of bicycle transport in Prague].Prahou na kole (in Czech). 4 August 2014.Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved3 December 2018.
^Ratification of the START treaty is a step towards Obama's goal of a nuclear weapons-free world. (Official White House Photo) by Pete SouzaDec. 2010Archived 31 December 2010 at theWayback Machine.
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