ABC for tourists

Prague has always played an important role in the history of the nation, the country and the whole of Europe. She has cherished the reputation of one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has been paid tribute by outstanding personalities. During centuries she had been given various attributes:

Prague, the City of One Hundred Spires - this attribute was probably given to Prague for the first time by writer Josef Hormayer at the beginning of the 19th century. Prague towers were first counted by mathematician and philosopher Bernardo Bolzano and he got to the number of 103, without counting water towers and private houses. Right now Prague has around 500 spires.

Prague, the Heart of Europe - Prague is situated in the center of Europe, it is 600 km away from the Baltic Sea, over 700 km away from the Northern Sea, as well as from the Adriatic Sea.

Golden Prague - this attribute may date back to the period of Charles IV, the Czech King and German Emperor, when the towers of the Prague Castle were gilded. Another theory says that Prague got this attribute during the reign of Rudolf II who supported alchemists in their quest for gold. Then in 1882 Prague Mayor Tomas Cerny depicted Prague in his speech at the Town Hall as "Golden and Slavic". Since 1884 a magazine called Golden Prague had been published and in its opening poem Adolf Heyduk, a well-known Czech poet, used this expression.

Stony Prague - this attribute was given to Prague by merchant Ibrahím ibn Jakúb, a member of a delegation to the German emperor in the 10th century, in his book of travels in which he depicted Prague admiringly as a "town built of stone and lime".

Praga tocius Bohemiae domina - Prague, the Lady of the Czechlands - this expression was used by Kosmas, the renowned Czech chronicler in 1119. Another similar attribute is Praga mater urbium - Prague, the Mother of Towns.

Praga caput regni - Prague, the Head of the Kingdom - this expression was used during the Middle Ages, but the first person who speaked it out, according to the chronicle, was Jan Pasek of Vrat, who became the Prague Mayor and reigned over both the Old Town and the New Town. In 1518 he had this slogan written on the building of the Old Town Hall, where it can be still seen today, though its author died in oblivion.

Prague, the Rome of the North - if Rome was built on seven hills, then Prague was built on nine hills: Letna, Vitkov, Opys, Vetrov, Skalka, Emauzy, Vysehrad, Karlov and the highest of them - Petrin.