Prague (2 nd part)

1. Prague (2ndpart) Gabriela Jamnická, 4.B Prague (2.part)

2. Museums • Prague is the cultural centre of the Czech Republic. There are many museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas and other cultural institutions. Now, here are a few museums I would like to say something about. Museum of the City of Prague National museum

3. National museum • The National Museum is the largest museum institution in the Czech Republic. The museum was founded in 1818 under the name of the Patriotic Museum in Bohemia. Since 1848 it was called Czech Museum, in the period (1854-1919) the Museum of Czech Kingdom. Historical development of the museum is closely tied to private collections and donations that people gave the National Museum. Today, we can see thousands of exhibits, tracing the evolution of virtually all scientific sectors.

4. Museum of the City of Prague • Museum of the City of Prague is a Czech museum institution founded in 1881. Its main building is located on Florence. The reason for the establishment of the institution was to prevent the sale and to balance of sights abroad. The main task of the museum has been collection and acquisition of objects related to the history of Prague and Prague citizens living in the past.

5. Prague Aviation Museum, Kbely • Aviation Museum Kbely is a museum of civil and military aviation Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic in Prague. Officially,the museum was founded in 1968. The task of the museum is to focus on one spot collections that were previously scattered across the country. The museum is located at the military airport in Prague-Kbely, which was the first air base built after the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia.

6. Antonín Dvořák Museum • Antonin Dvorak Museum in Prague is an institution that documents the life stories and artistic and educational activities of the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. The museum contains a variety of documents and monuments (musical instruments, written material, artwork, historical photographs, programs, posters, etc.) related to Antonín Dvořák. Visitors can listen to excerpts from the author's most famous works.

7. Other museums • There are many other museums in Prague, for example: Alfons Mucha Museum, Franz Kafka Museum, the Army Museum Žižkov, National Technical Museum, the Czech Museum of Music, Museum of Communism, ........ Alfons Mucha Museum Czech Museum of Music Army Museum Zizkov

8. History • Prague has been the capital of the country since 1918. • The city was founded by Slavs who built a market on a crossroads of trade routes near a ford over the Vltava river. It became a seat of Premyslid Princes and Czech kings and later Roman Emperors. In 973 the bishopric was founded here. With the king Charles IV. the Golden Age of the city came. • The Thirty Years´War started in Prague in 1618. The town was plundered and many valuable art collections were robbed by the Swedes.

9. In 1942 the Reichprotektor Reinhard Heydrich was assassinated in the town, which led to huge and cruel prosecution in the Czech lands. The end of Wold War II. came on the 8th May 1945 with the liberation of Prague. “The Prague spring“ in 1968 was a year of political relief, which was soon interrupted by the Soviet invasion. The Velvet Revolution in 1989 ended the communism.

10. Transport • Prague is an important transport junction where railways from all directions meet. The motorway by-pass crosses actually through the city centre. There is an airport-Václav Havel-too. To avoid frequent traffic jams in the city you´d better use the public transport system which is quite good and not expensive. There is a net of buses and trams. Prague has also had an underground since 1974.

11. Metro • The Prague Metro network is the most important public transport in Prague. It's the fastest way to daily transport throughout the city. • Metro consists of three routes: Route A-green, Route B-yellowand Route C-red. Theyconsist of 54 stations and 3 of them are transfer (Muzeum, Můstek, Florenc). The metro system continues trams and buses.

12. Cable car • The funicular to Petřín hill is a carriage forpassengers. • The construction began in 1891. The track is 510,4 m long. • The cable car is a part of the public transport system. • The funicular starts near tramway stop in Újezd and continues to Nebozízek and Petřín.

13. Parks,Gardens • Prague's historic gardens and parks are one of the treasures which the capital city can be proud of. Their total number is more than two hundred and their foundation dates back to the Middle Ages. • Now I’d like to introduce some of Prague's parks/gardens.

14. Letenské gardens • One of the nicest sitting on the summer terrace with views of the city is located in the eastern part of the park. There are grassy areas and a colourful mixture of mature trees planted on slopes. This long plane tree lined avenue is called “the summer”, or otherwise also Letenská plain.

15. Franciscan Garden • In the very centre of Prague, between Wenceslas square and Jungmann square, hides one of the most pleasant gardens open to public. A public gardenopened again after an extensive renovation in 1992 and since then visitors and Prague residentsthemselves visit it frequently.

16. Other parks, gardens • In Prague there are many parks that are parts of settlements, or are located in remote parts of the city. • Prague also boasts many natural parks: Smetanka, Rokytka, Klánovice,… • In Prague are also many other beautiful gardens: Vyšehrad, Petřín, Kampa, Riegr‘s gardens,… Kampa Vyšehrad

17. Others(music clubs, pubs, restaurant,…) • In Prague, there is a lot of businesses, such as Restaurants that offer both Czech (“U růžového sadu“) and foreign (“Babylon“) food. There's also a number of fast-foods (“McDonald's“), tea rooms (“U dvou šálků“), bars (“Zanzibar“), pubs (“Hostinec u Vrány“), cafes (“Starbucks“), candy stores (“Pralinka“), discos (“Caramba“), pizzerias (“di Carlo“), wine bars (“Vinárna u Vávrů“), beerhouses (“U Rudolfína“),…

18. My experiences from my visit to Prague • In Prague, I really liked it, what was really charming was for example a romantic walk on Petřín observation tower, Petřín beautiful gardens and also a mirror maze, which is on Petřín hill as well. • I liked Prague also because I love shopping, so I really liked Paris street, which boasts numerous world top luxury stores. (Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari,….). Petřín Paris street

19. My opinions of Prague • Prague is a city I really like, but I would not certainly stay there. It's a nice place for trips, but the housing would not do it for me. It's a very chaotic place where people still just rush in order to quickly get to the next part of town. • There are often traffic jams, shortage of parking place and the crime rate is the highest in the country. Tourists must be aware of pickpockets who are everywhere, especially in overcrowded places or at railway stations. The city is quite polluted as well.

20. Questions for the class • Name individually at least 5 historical monuments of Prague. • What do you know about the Charles Bridge? • What do you know about the Prague Castle? • Name individually at least three museums in Prague. • What do you know about transport in Prague? • What are your opinions of Prague?