Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is situated in the heart of Europe – approximately 600km from the Baltic, 700km from the North Sea and 700km from the Adriatic. Prague is not a huge distance from other central European cities. Vienna is 300km away, Bratislava 320km, Berlin 350km, Budapest 550km, Warsaw 630km and Copenhagen 750km.

It has an area of 496 km2 and is home to 1,200,000 people.

The year 870, when Prague castle was established, is regarded as the beginning of the city’s existence. However, people inhabited the area in the early Stone Age. In 1918, at the end of World War I, Prague was declared the capital of a new country – the Czechoslovak Republic. In 1993 it became the capital of an independent Czech Republic.

Prague’s historical centre has an area of 866ha (Hradcany and Prague Castle, Mala Strana, the Old Town – Stare Mesto including Charles Bridge – Karluv most and Josefov, the New Town – Nove Mesto and Vysehrad).

Since 1992 it has been listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.

Typical for Prague city centre are its winding lanes and buildings in every possible architectural style: Romanesque rotundas, Gothic cathedrals, Baroque and Renaissance palaces, art nouveau, neo-classical, cubist and functionalist houses and contemporary structures.

Undulating topography gives Prague its inimitable beauty and its stunning panoramic views. Prague’s many hills provide some stunning vistas. The River Vltava flows through Prague for 31km, and at its widest measures 330m. The Vltava has created some interesting places in Prague – islands and meanders, providing many idyllic scenes.

Prague is one of nine European cities to hold the prestigious title European city of culture 2000 which it gained thanks to its numerous museums and galleries housing unique collections, tens of theatres and important concert halls which host performances by world famous artists.