Prague is the capital as well as the largest city of the Czech Republic. It is situated in the northwest region of the country on the Vltava River. Founded in the sixth century, Prague served as the official residence of Holy Roman emperors, notably King Charles IV. The city was the historical capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia, and it played important roles in the protestant and Bohemian reformations. The city was chosen as a capital because at one time it was the cultural and economic capital of central European nations.

As of 2017, Prague has a population of about 1,280,508 people while the larger metropolitan area of Prague had 2,156,097 people. These statistics make Prague the largest city in the Czech Republic. A population census of 2016 revealed that 14% of the capital’s dwellers were foreigners with Ukrainians composing the majority of foreign nationals. The city’s low cost of living encourages expats from other major cities in Europe to relocate.

Prague is the fifth most visited city in Europe after London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul. This fact explains the high number of foreign nationals residing in the city. The city’s ancient buildings, culture, and climate are the core tourist attractions in Prague. The United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, Slovakia, South Korea, and France are among the top tourist sources countries for Prague. Other tourist attractions include the Milunic’s and Gehry’s Dancing House. Prague suffered little destruction in WWII, allowing for most of its historic architecture to remain intact and in true form. Prague boasts of having some of the world’s most pristine architecture with varied collections ranging from gothic, baroque, rococo, and neo-gothic designs.

The climate of the city lies between a humid continental climate and an oceanic climate. Winters in the city are relatively cold with the average temperatures dropping to freezing point levels. During this season, the city experiences very little sunshine. Snow cover is common between November and late March. Although snow accumulations are frequent, rarely do they rise above 8 inches. Summers consist of high temperatures with highs of around 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Nights are cool in the summer season. Rainfall in Prague is relatively low compared to other cities in the country, with 20 inches per year on average. Winters are also the driest season while spring and summer are always characterized by heavy temperature inversions and heavy rainfall in the form of thundershowers.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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