It doesn't take a visitor long to understand why the historic centre of Prague was listed
as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1992.
This stunning city was fortunately one of few European cities to largely escape the
destruction of the Second World War.
While the area was inhabited as far back as 200 BC, the history of the city is generally
dated from the laying of the first masonry under Prague castle in the year 885.
For most of the time since and through many turbulent periods, it has been an important
centre of trade, commerce, art and culture in central Europe.
Prague caters to millions of tourists each year, with one of its major attractions being
the Charles Bridge, built by the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV in
1357.
The bridge is over 500 metres long and is adorned with a series of striking statues
that span the length of the bridge between the historic old town and Prague Castle.
The historic, almost fairytale quality of its architecture belies the fact that modern
Prague is a dynamic, thriving European capital, considered to be among the most innovative
in the world and home to the European headquarters of many major companies.