Prague

Prague is the capital city of the Czech republic, seat of the President, government, and parliament and the political, economic and industrial  centre of the country. It spreads on both banks of the river Vltava in the centre of Bohemia. It has 1.2 million inhabitants and it covers an area of almost 500 km^2. The oldest parts of the town are the Lesser Town, the New Town, Josefov, Hradšany and Vyšehrad. In the Prague we can find the well-known Charles University, the oldest in Central and Eastern Europe.
    Dominant of the city is the Prague Castle, the seat of president. From the square outside the castle tourists can admire the city below. They can see Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses, palaces and hundreds of church spires. The complex of the castle includes late Gothic Vladislav Hall, Spanish Hall and Rudolph Gallery. The most impressive building of the Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral completed in 1929. Other beautiful places are the Convent and Basilica of St. George, and the well-known Golden Lane with tiny houses from 16th century. There are some palaces too, for example Schwarzenberg P., Archibishop's P., Sternberg P., Černín P.
    From the Castle I can go along the Neruda street to the Lesser Town. It is the romantic place with  stylish taverns, ancient houses and palaces and romantic gardens and with the St. Nicholas Church in the Lesser town square. From the square I can easily get to Charles Bridge over the river Vltava. It is 520 m long and it is decorated with 30 sculptures and groups of statues mainly of Baroque origin (some of them made by M.B.Brown and J.M.Brokoff).
Next to the bridge is the Charles street which leads to the Old Town square, the centre of Old Town. It is surrounded by beautifully decorated houses. The best known building in the square is the Old Town Hall. Tourists come here to see a horologe with the statues of the Apostles. The dominant of the square is the Týn Church and the John Huss Monument. Now I can go along the Celetna street to the Powder tower and this is the end of the Royal Route which lead from the Castle.