City Introduction

Prague is the capital and the largest city of Czech Republic, and is located in Bohemia and the Vltava River basin of the country. The city is located in the center of the European continent, and always holds an important position in transportation, and keeps in close contact with neighboring countries (especially, geographically it’s exactly in the middle of the capitals of Berlin and Vienna, two German-speaking countries).

 

 

 

 

History and Culture

Prague is a city full of mystery and romance. Even if sniffing spells and magic, you can’t help admiring the graceful ambience of those buildings surviving from the Middle Ages. More than one thousand years of continuous architecture development, is a symbol of cultural reproduction in the city, which also makes Prague particularly splendid in music, art, literature and other spiritual aspects. The charm of Prague is never limited to its numerous historical sites, but also lies in its unique urban atmosphere. More than one thousand years of continuous architecture development, adds a lot of mystery and romance to the city, contributing to the brilliance of music, art and literature. Walking down the streets, you may feel as if a stroll through time and space, where historic and modern times perfectly blend together. However you spend your days in Prague, you will have a feeling before departure: only traveling there once is far enough. This is Prague, the world's first city that is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Prague is a famous historic city in Europe, and was initially built in the 9th century AD. In the 14th century, Prague reached its peak under the ruling of Charles IV Luxembourg Dynasty in the Holy Roman Empire. At the time, Charles University- the first university in Central and Northern and Eastern Europe, was established, which is the oldest university in the Czech Republic. The Prague New Town near the Old Town was also built in this period, and the Charles Bridge links them together. At that time, Prague was the third largest city in Europe, with numerous churches and a mint, where German and Italian businessmen and bankers gathered. In the 15th century and 17th century, due to religious reasons, Prague undergone two “defenestrations", thus leading to the Hussite Wars and the far-reaching European Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648). In 1689, Prague was destroyed by a fire but then was rebuilt. In the 18th century, Prague's economy was very prosperous and accommodated 80,000 inhabitants, of which some were aristocrats and wealthy merchants. The city also began construction of many palaces, churches and gardens which generally adopted the ornate Baroque style, winning the worldwide reputation. Subsequently, Prague experienced many wars and political events, including two world wars, the "Prague Spring" and "Velvet Revolution". Fortunately, the city's most historic buildings survive the wars, and are well preserved.

 

 

 

 

Natural Environment

Prague is located in central Europe, standing close to such major cities of other countries as Berlin and Vienna. It is generally 100-200 km away from the border of most neighboring countries.

 

 

 

 

Climate

Prague enjoys a typical temperate continental climate, with cold and dry winter, and warm and humid summer. It has the annual precipitation of about 500 mm, with the annual average temperature of 7.9℃.

 

 

 

 

Useful Information

The social order in Prague is in good condition, with a low crime rate, but with the recent rapid development of tourism in the Czech Republic, the number of thefts targeting at tourists is on the increase. Tourists must keep vigilant in the tourism process, and should watch over portable items while taking a bus or walking in crowded areas; when a stranger asks for directions or starts a conversation, it is best to ignore him or her; when the police checks certificates or items by claiming to investigate the drug trade or exchange swap, you must ask them to show their work certificates; you can refuse their request to search your packages or body, and please contact the embassy in case of any unexpected events.

Information of Embassy and Consulate

Embassy Contact Information

Tel: 00420-233028898，233028888

Fax: 00420-233028845

Address: Pelléova 18, 16000 Praha 6, Czech Republic

E-mail: konzularniodd@seznam.cz

 

 

 

 

Visa Information

1. Czech is one of Schengen Agreement countries, and tourists holding a valid visa for any Schengen country can enter Czech, and similarly, people holding a Czech visa can also enter other Schengen countries.

2. Prior appointment is not needed for a Czech visa with the valid period of less than 90 days, and you may submit relevant materials to the visa office of the Czech consulate/embassy.

3. Materials needed to apply for a Czech visa:

1) Air ticket (round trip) and accommodation bookings;

2) overseas travel insurance; this insurance policy must cover the following during their stay in Schengen countries: for the cost of returning home due to health reasons, emergency medical care costs or hospitalization costs; this insurance policy has the minimum insured amount of 30,000 euros;

3) the work proof issued by Chinese company must include: A copy of business license of the company affixed with the seal, a letter of proof issued by the employer (an English document, or a Chinese document with English translation); official company letterhead paper is required with official seal, signature and date; the following information should be confirmed: The address, telephone and fax numbers of the served company; the name and position of the signer from the served company; the name, position, salary, service years and leave of absence of the applicant;

4) The applicant’s bank account records for last three or six months, without needing proof of deposit;

5) in the case of minors, proof of financial source and authorization certificate by their parents or guardians;

6) household register (original and copy);

7) two recent color photos of 3.5cmX4.5cm with white background; 8) the completed application form.

4. The visa application takes 5 working days.

 

 

 

 

Currency Exchange

The official currency of Czech is Czech Koruna, but euros are also accepted in most shopping supermarkets, shopping malls, electronics and electrical appliance stores, gas stations or restaurants in the Czech Republic.

 

 

 

 

Tourism Service Number

Police Tel: 158

Fire Tel: 150

Ambulance: 155

Domestic directory assistance: 120/121

International directory assistance: 149

 

 

 

 

Notes

1. Czechs’ taboo is to talk about topics such as politics and private life, especially with strangers. They prefer to talk about sports, arts and other popular topics.

2. Czechs’ taboos include the use of red triangle patterns. So you should not wear those clothes with similar patterns in public places of the Czech Republic.

 

 

 

 

Festivals(Important/Historical/Folks Ones)

Prague Spring Music Festival

Time: May 12

In the second year after the victory of "World War II", the Czech Republic began to organize the annual Prague Spring music festival, and it’s often very difficult to get a ticket from Rudolfinum at this time. After it starts with the song "My Motherland", musicians from many countries compete to perform their works on stage, and international music competitions on various instruments are also started like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Thus Prague has become a major city to scout the world's best music performers.