EXPERIENCE PRAGUE

Prague

Located on the Vltava River in the heart of Central Europe, Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. With a population of approximately 1.4 million, it is the twelfth-largest city in the European Union, and its metropolitan area is home to around 2.3 million people. Traditionally known as the "City of a Hundred Spires," the "Golden City," and the "Heart of Europe," Prague has served as a political, cultural, and economic hub for over a millennium. Its remarkably well-preserved architectural heritage, including but not limited to the spanning Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau styles, earned the historic city centre a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.

Prague is also a major university city. Charles University, founded in 1348, is one of the oldest universities in Central Europe and remains one of the most prestigious institutions in the region. Today, the city is home to numerous public and private universities, drawing students and researchers from across Europe and beyond. This tradition of intellectual life makes it a natural home for ESSLLI.

 

History

The area that is now Prague has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of human settlement stretching back to the Paleolithic era. Celtic tribes, the Boii, who gave Bohemia its name, were among the early inhabitants. By the ninth century, Slavic tribes had established themselves in the region, and the Přemyslid dynasty had begun consolidating political power centred on the site of what would become Prague Castle. The city grew steadily as a trading hub; in 965, the Jewish merchant and traveller Ibrāhīm ibn Yaʿqūb described it as a "busy trading centre," and in 973 the bishopric of Prague was founded.

Prague's first golden age came under the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (1346–1378), who made it his imperial capital and oversaw a period of extraordinary growth. Charles founded Central Europe's first university in 1348, commissioned Charles Bridge, and laid out the New Town (Nové Město), transforming Prague into one of the largest and most important cities in Europe. A second cultural flourishing followed under Emperor Rudolf II (1576–1612), whose court at Prague Castle drew astronomers, artists, and scholars from across Europe, including Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler.

The 17th century brought upheaval. The Second Defenestration of Prague in 1618, when Protestant nobles threw Catholic royal governors from the windows of Prague Castle, helped ignite the Thirty Years' War. The subsequent Battle of White Mountain (1620) marked the beginning of Habsburg dominance and a long period of enforced re-Catholicisation and cultural suppression of Czech language and identity. Prague's recovery came gradually, accelerating in the 18th century under Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Joseph II, who in 1784 unified the four historic towns of Hradčany, Malá Strana, Staré Město, and Nové Město into a single city.

The 19th century was a time of industrial growth and national awakening. The Czech National Revival movement reasserted Czech language and culture, producing a generation of writers, composers, and intellectuals who shaped the modern Czech identity. With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I, Czechoslovakia was declared an independent state in 1918, with Prague as its capital.

The 20th century tested Prague profoundly. The city endured Nazi occupation during World War II and four decades of communist party rule following 1948. In November 1989, peaceful student demonstrations on the streets of Prague sparked the Velvet Revolution, bringing the communist era to a swift and non-violent end. In 1993, following the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, known as the Velvet Divorce, Prague became the capital of the newly independent Czech Republic. The city has since flourished as a vibrant European capital, while carefully preserving the architectural and cultural heritage that makes it unique.

 

 

Culture

Prague's cultural life is extraordinarily rich, shaped by the confluence of Czech, German, and Jewish traditions over many centuries, and by its long role as an imperial and intellectual capital. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had a special relationship with the city, his Prague Symphony and Don Giovanni received their premieres here, and he famously remarked that "my Praguers understand me." The city was also home to Franz Kafka, whose labyrinthine imagination was inseparable from Prague's streets and atmosphere, and to composer Bedřich Smetana, whose symphonic cycle Má vlast ("My Homeland") remains a defining expression of Czech national identity.

Prague has long been a city of theatre, music, and literature. The National Theatre, opened in 1868 as a symbol of Czech cultural revival, continues to stage opera, ballet, and drama to the highest standard. The city hosts numerous festivals throughout the year, including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, one of Europe's most prestigious classical music events, and the Prague Fringe Festival. A lively contemporary arts scene coexists with this classical heritage, with galleries, independent cinemas, and experimental performance venues concentrated particularly in the neighbourhoods of Žižkov, Vinohrady, and Holešovice.

Czech cuisine is hearty and distinctive, with dishes such as svíčková (beef sirloin with creamy sauce and bread dumplings) and vepřo-knedlo-zelo (roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut) rooted in Central European tradition. Czech beer culture is world-renowned: Bohemia is the birthplace of Pilsner lager, and Prague's pub scene ranges from historic establishments dating back centuries to a thriving modern craft brewery movement.

 

Geography

Prague lies in the Bohemian basin at the centre of Bohemia, in the westernmost part of the Czech Republic. The city sits on the Vltava River, which winds through it in a broad S-shaped curve for about 30 kilometres before joining the Elbe (Labe) near Mělník to the north. The surrounding landscape is characterised by gentle hills and shallow valleys; the city's varied topography, with its river islands, terraced hillsides, and elevated castle districts, is a key part of what gives Prague its distinctively dramatic skyline.

The city covers an area of approximately 496 square kilometres and is administratively divided into 22 municipal districts. The historic core, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encompasses the interconnected historic towns of Hradčany, Malá Strana, Staré Město (Old Town), Nové Město (New Town), and the former Jewish Quarter of Josefov. Beyond the historic centre, a diverse mosaic of 19th-century residential neighbourhoods, industrial-era districts, and more recent suburbs extends in every direction.

Prague has a temperate oceanic climate. Summers are warm and pleasant, with average daytime temperatures of around 22 to 25 °C in July and August, ideal for outdoor exploration. Winters are cold but not severe, with temperatures typically ranging from -2 to 4 °C in January. ESSLLI 2026 takes place in August, when the city is at its most lively and the long daylight hours offer ample time to explore after the day's lectures.

Prague is exceptionally well connected. Václav Havel Airport, renamed in 2012 in honour of Czechoslovakia's first post-communist president, serves direct flights from across Europe and beyond. The city lies within easy reach by train of Vienna (about 4 hours), Berlin (about 4.5 hours), and Budapest (about 6.5 hours), making it a natural base for broader regional exploration.