My name is Prague
My name is Prague. They call me Golden Prague from the time, when the King Charles IV ordered to golden the roofs of my towers. I was born right in the heart of Europe. I boast hundreds of towers. I’m the city of legends and myths, each of my buildings can tell you stories and I belong to the most splendid and attractive places on the Earth.
According to legends, Princess Libuše, the sovereign of the Czech tribe, married a humble ploughman by the name of Přemysl and founded the dynasty carring the same name. The legendary Princess saw many prophecies from her castle Libusin, which was located in central Bohemia. In one prophecy, it is told, she foresaw my glory, the glory of Prague. One day she had a vision: "I see a vast city, whose glory will touch the stars! I see a place in the middle of a forest where a steep cliff rises above the Vltava River. There is a man, who is chiselling the threshold (prah) for the house. A castle named Prague (Praha) will be built there. Just as the princes and the dukes stoop in front of a threshold, they will bow to the castle and to the city around it. It will be honoured, favoured with great repute, and praise will be bestowed upon it by the entire world."
I‘ve been settled already for 15 centuries, it’s been a long time, so nobody reminds the extact date of my birth. As you all know, I’ve been the seat of many kings and emperors, which ruled from the Prague Castle over European countries.
The Prague Castle has always been my greatest jewel and an attractive destination for the foreign tourists. The history of the castle stretches back to the 9th century. Under the reign of the Premyslovci dynasty the castle became the center of the Czech land due to the perfect location high over the Vltava river. The castle has been rebuilt several times, especially during the reign of Charles IV and Ladislaus II Jagello. The emperor Charles IV did a lot for my beauty, he also started the construction of the St.Vitus Cathedral that has been completed almost six centuries later. The castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium. The Prague Castle includes gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, Romanesque Basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and defense towers.
I have to admit, I haven’t been always the center of joy and prosperity as under the reign of Rudolf II. Sometimes I was a center of Czech losses and misery. The tragic chapter of the recent times was the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia in the years 1939-1945 and the Soviet occupation in the year 1968. Currently I’m a free city and I live very full life. Each year thousands of tourists come to explore me and to admire my architectual treasures, historical sights and special mystic atmosphere.
I’ll tell you stories about my life when you come to visit me. As I told already, almost each building was a part of a rich, very interesting story of my life. You can visit Prague Castle, Hradčany, Old Town, Charles Bridge or Jewish Quarter. Splendid walks and views are awaiting you on the Petrin hill, along the riverbank or across the New Town. 
