Prague is situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia. Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. The city proper is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million. Prague has been a political, cultural and economic center of Europe and particularly central Europe for the over 1,100 years of its existence. For centuries, during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The city played roles in the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War, and in 20th-century history, both during the two World Wars and during the post-war Communist era.
Prague is home to a number of famous cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of twentieth century Europe. Since 1992, the extensive historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually, as of 2009. Prague is classified as a global city. The modern economy of Prague is largely service and export-based and, in an 2010 survey, the city was named the best city in East Europe for business
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of Europe’s (and the world’s) most popular tourist destinations. It is the sixth most-visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin. Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than some other major cities in the region, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form. It contains one of the world’s most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and ultra-modern. There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. Prague hosts Music Festivals including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Prague Autumn International Music Festival and the Prague International Organ Festival. Film festivals include the Febiofest, the One World and Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Prague also hosts the Prague Writers’ Festival, the Prague Folklore Days, Prague Advent Choral Meeting, the Summer Shakespeare Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, the World Roma Festival as well as hundreds of Vernissages and fashion shows.
