Prague is one of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities and is visited by millions of tourists each and every year.
The Czech capital is famous for its stunning architecture and its stunning views and is undoubtedly one of the most historically interesting cities in the world.
Let’s take a look at interesting Prague facts!
10 Fascinating facts about Prague
1. Prague is the biggest and most populated city in the Czech Republic
Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic and is also the biggest and most populated city in the country. Prague has a population of roughly 1.3 million, if its larger metropolitan area is included then this figure reaches around 2.6 million. The total population of the entire country is around 10 million.
Prague, as one of Europe’s biggest capitals, is a multi-cultural city. The population is made up of roughly 68% Czech People and 32% immigrants, with large populations of English, Slovakian Ukrainian, Russian, Vietnamese and Americans living in the city.
2. Prague is home to the largest castle in the world
The crown jewel of Prague’s city center is Prague Castle. The castle complex is located in the city’s Hradcany district and is spans 70,000 square meters, making it the largest castle in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records, an interesting fact about Prague!
The castle is one of the site’s most popular attractions, with St Vitus Cathedral being the center point. It receives over 1.8 million visitors per year.
3. It is home to the largest river in the Czech Republic
The largest river in the Czech Republic, the Vltava runs right through the center of Prague. The city may be famous for its spires but it also has several iconic bridges, including Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) which run over the river.
The river banks are also incredibly popular spots in the city. There are several farmer’s markets that run along the banks as well as various other attractions and events throughout the year.
4. More beer is drunk in Prague than anywhere in the world
The Czech Republic is famous for a great many reasons but their most popular export is undeniably their beer. The country is home to several popular brands and due to its famously low prices, there is more beer drunk in the country than anywhere else in the world, which is a fun fact about Prague!
Per capita, the country drinks 150 liters drank every year and the Zizkov neighborhood in Prague, a popular destination for expats and students, is said to have more beers per square km than any other neighborhood in the world.
5. The Astronomical Clock
The Prague Astronomical Clock, located in the city’s famous Old Town Square, is one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. Bult in 1410 by local clockmakers Mikuláš of Kadaň and Jan Šindel, the clock is the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and is the oldest one that is still ticking. It has undergone several changes and renovations over its 600+ years, with the most recent one taking place in 2018.
The clock is a major attraction in the city and tourists will routinely gather it around in on the hour to watch two little figures come out representing death and strike the time.
6. The Zizkov Tower
While Prague is known as being one of the most beautiful cities in central Europe, it is also home to one of the continent’s ugliest landmarks. The television tower, also known as the Zizkov Tower is a piece of communist architecture that, like a lot of architecture built during that time period, is incredibly unpopular with locals.
As its name may suggest, it is located in the middle of the city’s popular Zizkov district and is seen as being a major disruption in Prague’s otherwise beautiful skyline.
Local artist David Cerny has attempted to make the tower more appealing in recent years, with the addition of his famous barcode baby statues crawling up the tower.
7. Prague is on Unesco’s World Heritage list
A well known fact about Prague is that Prague’s city center is one of the most beautiful spots in Europe, if not the entire world and this was recognized in 1992 when the city’s historic center (Stare Mesto) was added to Unesco’s World Heritage List. There are several other sites in the Czech Republic that have been added to that list included Kutna Hora and Cesky Krumlov.
8. Prague is home to many famous authors, artists, and film-makers
Prague has a fine history of producing excellent artists, authors and film-makers. The famous Czech author Franz Kafka was born in the city and there are several landmarks, including a museum, dedicated to him around the city. Milan Kundera is another famous Czech author, though, he wrote the majority of his most famous works in French.
In terms of artists, the contemporary street artist and sculptor David Cerny is from the city and his work can be found hidden all over the city.
Milos Forman, the director of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is also a Czech native.
9. John Lennon Wall
One of the most iconic spots in Prague is the John Lennon Wall, which is located across the French Embassy between Charles Bridge and Kampa Park.
After John Lennon was assassinated, an unknown artist decorated the wall with a single picture of Lennon’s face and some lyrics. The wall has since become a symbol of freedom in the city and tourists and locals are free to go and write on the wall themselves, forever leaving their mark in the city.
10. Not Eastern Europe
One thing that really grinds the gears of a lot of locals in the Czech Republic is when the city is referred to as being in Eastern Europe. This largely stems back to the fact that the city was a part of the old Soviet Union and as such, is considered Eastern.
In fact, Prague is actually to the west of Vienna, which is often viewed as a Western Capital. The Czech Republic is actually in the center of Europe, or as the locals like to say, it is the heart of Europe, which is not a well-known fact about Prague.
Conclusion
Prague is one of the most fascinating cities in Europe. Its beautiful streets and winding alleys tell many stories and it is a city that everybody should try to visit at least once in their lifetime.
I hope that this article on Facts about Prague was helpful! If you are interested, visit the City Facts Page!