Prague Streets

During the 6th century eastern Slavonic tribes started to settle fertile valleys - the Prague bay can be listen as an example. First villages and settlements were established.

The Frankish Empire and Great Moravia influenced the development of the country in 9th century.

During the reign of the Czech king Vratislav I. (1061-1092) Vyšehrad with its St. Peter and Paul's Basilica became the seat of the kings. A very skillful and clever ruler Přemysl Otakar I. came to his power in 1197. He restored the hereditary rule, later certified in the Golden Bull of Sicily in 1212 and introduced a new national emblem - the two-tailed lion.

One of the first Prague's gothic buildings was the Old New synagogue completed in 1270. John of Luxembourg started to build the Old Town Town Hall in 1338. When the "Father of the Country" King Charles IV. accessed to the throne in 1346 Prague became the the political and economical centre of the whole Empire as well as the Holy Roman Empire.

The University of Technology was founded in 1348 in Prague, today known as the Charles University in Prague (Universitas Carolina). King Charles IV. greatly influenced the development of the city. He rebuilt the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and started to build the Charles Bridge instead of the old Judith Bridge.

A great battle over Prague called The Battle of Vítkov (today Žižkov) took place near Prague in 1420. The Crusaders were defeated, Prague was saved. Hussism organized itself during the years 1415-19 and lasted up to 1436. It was not only a religious but also a greatest revolutionary movement in the Czech country.

The Jagiellon Dynasty reigned in the kingdom for nearly one hundred years. In 1526 Archduke Ferdinand of Austria became the King of Bohemia and the country became a constituent state of the Habsburg Monarchy. Rudolf II. moved the Habsburg capital from Vienna to Prague in 1583. Lots of works of art were established and collected in Prague. therefore his time is often called the Rudolphin Prague. He collected over 3000 artworks, supported alchemy, astrology and magic.

Twenty-seven rebellion leaders were executed at Old Town Square in 1621.

St. Nicolas' cathedral was founded in 1701 in Malá Strana. It is the most important architecture of Prague barocco.

Charles VI. came to the throne in 1711, his daughter Maria Theresa in 1740. Her son Joseph II. abrogated serfdom and the inhabitants of Prague became lawful people. All the four Prague Towns were brought together (Old Town, New Town, Malá Strana and Hradčany).

The National Museum was founded in 1818.

The foundation-stone of the National Theatre was laid in 1868 during the reign of Franz Joseph I. of Austria. The theatre was opened with the opera Libuše from Bedřich Smetana.

In 1918 Prague became the capital of the Czechoslovak Republic with Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk as the first democratic president. In 1922 Prague expanded - 37 villages in its neighborhood were attached to Prague.

1938 - Munich Agreement and subsequent Nazi occupation of Prague.

1945 - capitulation of Germany, Klement Gottvald took over the control over the republic and introduced communist regime.

1960 - Prague became the capital of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.

In 1968 the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact invaded Prague and the whole republic. Tanks defaced Prague. Jan Palach burnt to death on Wenceslas square a year later.

1977 - Charter 77 was established, the people of Prague fight for freedom.

Agnes of Prague was canonized in 1989 - old Czech legend was confirmed. Miracles followed the canonization - it was the velvet revolution.

On 1st January 1993 Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic.