Magic is in the air. And not the Disney-type where forest creatures sing in unison. No, Prague is magical in its own way. The city seems to be torn right from a picture book and fairy dust constantly rains as (somehow) beer is sold for cheaper than water.
- There are four dominant types of architecture in Prague including: Art Nouveau, Baroque, Gothic and Romanesque.
- Prague has an extremely well preserved Old Town as it was untouched by both World Wars.
- Czech food is a must. It’s hardy and usually consists of dumplings, goulash and meats.
- Prague is a mystical land in which beer is cheaper than water. This could also be why the Czech Republic consumes more beer per capita than any other country.
- This extremely high alcohol consumption rate may also play a hand in the Czech Republic’s extremely high divorce rate. It has the second highest of all European Union members.
- Prague is home to the Lennon Wall, a form of political protest started by young Czechs in the 1980’s as a symbolic middle finger to authority. Under a communist regime, much of Western culture was banned and as resistance, the wall was graffitied with John Lennon inspired art and Beatles lyrics.
- The national anthem of the Czech Republic, “Kde Domov muj” (or “Where is My Home?”) has a jokingly flexible meaning. On one hand, it could mean that because of constant political unrest, citizens are unsure of which state to pledge their allegiance. On the other, because of the country’s high beer consumption citizens could be honestly and drunkenly asking for directions home.
- Prague’s Old Town Square is home to the world’s oldest functioning astronomical clock, installed in 1410.
- The Velvet Revolution in the late 1980’s marked the end of the reign of the Communist Party Czechoslovakia and the start of a parliamentary republic. The revolution is famously civil.
- The Czech Republic is also home to Bohemia, a historic country that once served as kingdom of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire.
