Searching for the best fun facts about Prague? From iconic architecture to delicious beer, let’s discover what makes Prague such an inspiring city!
Along the banks of the Vltava River lies the Czech Republic capital of Prague. A city filled with diverse architecture, enduring history, and the world’s largest castle.
Prague is the fifth most visited city in Europe behind Istanbul, Paris, Rome, and London, and sees 2.5 million tourists each year visiting their most enchanting landmarks like the Prague astronomical clock, the Charles Bridge and the Dancing House.
We’ll dive into each of these unique tourist attractions a little further down in our fun facts about Prague, but we also want to highlight the delicious food and drink that Prague is known for.
First, look out for street vendors selling Halusky, a warm dumpling dish. Or for the sweet tooth, a Trdlnik, a sugary pastry with cream.
And when you need to wash all these delectable Prague delicacies down, of course, there is pilsner! Praguers drink 161 liters of beer per person on average every year. To say they love beer in Prague would be a HUGE understatement.
So let’s explore the narrowest street, the 550-pound fiberglass babies, the skeleton statue, and all the other quirky and amazing Prague facts that will have you booking your next vacation to the City of a Hundred Spires.
Contents:
21 Fun Facts About Prague
1. Is Prague the capital city of the Czech Republic?
Yes! Prague officially became the capital in 1918 when the Czech Republic separated from the Austro-Hungarian empire and became an independent country.
Today, Prague is the largest city and cultural center of the Czech Republic. Prague’s population is 1.3 million, meaning that about 12% of Czechs live in the capital.
2. Does Prague have a lot of castles?
Absolutely. In fact, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. The castle complex was built in the 9th century and was home of Bohemian kings, Roman emperors and Czech presidents.
It’s also one of Prague’s most visited tourist attractions with over 1.8 million visitors every year!
3. Prague is the anglicized name for the city
Did you know that the Czechs don’t call Prague, Prague? The Czech name for Prague is Praha which is derived from a Slavic word which means threshold.
The threshold refers to the Vltava river that runs through the city. The Vltava was an important waterway for the shipment of goods and building materials to different parts of the region.
4. The citizens of Prague love beer!
If you have ‘Czech-ed’ out our fun facts about beer, you’d know that the Czechs love a cold brew! And especially in Prague!
Home to over 50 breweries in the city alone, the home of pilsner will not leave you thirsty. Make sure to visit Staropramen Brewery, the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic.
5. What the heck is an astronomical clock?
Prague Orloj is one of the most iconic landmarks and coolest fun facts about Prague we discovered. The clock features colorful astronomical and calendar dials, the twelve apostles, and a skeleton statue to remind people of the passing of time.
It can’t even be described in words. You’ll have to travel to Prague to see how incredible this clock is!
6. What’s Prague’s most celebrated bridge?
The Charles Bridge, completed by Holy Roman Emperor King Charles IV in the early 1400s, is an enduring example of Gothic architecture. It measures 516 meters (1,693 feet) and boasts 16 Gothic arches.
It also features 30 religious-themed statues, including Saint John of Nepomuk, which people rub for good luck.
7. What are some of the nicknames of Prague?
Being one of the most important cultural, commercial, and population centers in Central Europe, Prague has acquired many nicknames over the years.
Some of the most enduring include; City of a Hundred Spires, The Golden City, The Heart of Europe, The Mother of Cities, and The Magic City.
8. Prague’s most famous sons
As the center of culture in Central Europe it comes as no surprise that so many influential writers, thinkers, and inventors were citizens of Prague.
Some examples include the The Metamorphosis writer Franz Kafka, composer Antonín Dvorák, poet Rainer Maria Rilke, and the ‘Czech Thomas Edison’, František Križík.
9. Where in Prague are the walls closing in?
Don’t head to this alleyway in Prague if you’re claustrophobic! Known as the narrowest street in Prague, U Lužického semináre is actually a staircase that leads down to a tavern on the Vltava River.
The street only measures 70 cm across and has become so popular among tourists that it has a traffic signal installed to let you know if it’s safe to walk through!
10. What is Prague’s strangest art installation?
Czech sculptor David Černy is known for some very odd pieces of street art, but none may be more infamous than the giant babies of Prague.
The art piece, called Miminka, consists of ten 550-pound fiberglass babies crawling along the sides of the Žižkov Television Tower. The naked babies have barcodes for faces and are definitely a little creepy!
11. The non-violent uprising of the Czech people
Some may forget that the Czech Republic was under a Communist regime until the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
Centered in Prague, Czech citizens led by future president Václav Havel organized mass protests that forced the Communist government to topple and led the Czech Republic to democracy.
12. The coolest piece of living art in Prague
If you’re traveling in Prague you must take a stroll by the ever-changing Lennon Wall. The Lennon Wall features portraits of John Lennon as well as other graffiti that often includes Lennon’s most enduring lyrics.
The wall started as a peaceful protest against Communism and now is a living piece of art that’s still being added to today.
13. Prague is a healthy and fit city
Despite their love for beer, the citizens of Prague are some of the fittest in the world. In fact, a 2021 Reebok study found Prague to be the 11th fittest city in the world.
The most loved activities in Prague include jogging in Stromovka Park, swimming in Podolí, and playing tennis at one of the hundreds of outdoor courts.
14. The puppetry of Prague
Did you know that Prague is famous for its love of puppetry? This was one of the Prague facts we had no idea about!
Prague is especially known for their marionette puppetry and is home to the National Marionette Theater. Check out a performance of a Czech fairy tale while you’re in Prague, you won’t be disappointed!
15. Make your way to the old town square
Staroměstské náměstí is the town square located in the center of Prague’s old town and has been a traditional gathering place for citizens since the 12th century.
Today it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations with shops, restaurants, and taverns, as well as street performances and merchants.
16. The wandering ghosts of Prague
While visiting the old town square, you can’t miss the imposing and impressive Gothic marvel, the Church of Our Lady before Tyn. But did you know that it may be haunted?
One legend says that the church towers are haunted by the wandering ghosts of two soldiers who were executed for falling asleep on duty while guarding the church.
17. What kind of music is Prague known for?
Prague is renowned worldwide for their music scene, especially the Prague Symphony and the Czech Philharmonic.
Also keep an eye out for the talented buskers and street performers performing everything from jazz, pop, rock and traditional Czech folk music. Or take in a concert at the Spring International Music Festival.
18. The impressive buildings of Prague
We’ve talked a lot about Prague’s breathtaking architecture, but did you know that there are over 2,000 officially recognized artistic and architectural monuments in the city?
Baroque, Rococo, Classical, Neo-Classical and of course, Gothic – you won’t know what to photograph next in Prague!
19. Visit the famous Dancing House
Developed in partnership with architects Canadian-American Frank Gehry and Croatian-Czech Vlado Milunić, the Dancing House is one of the most visually striking buildings in Prague.
The twisting curvature of the structure’s exterior is meant to symbolize the famous dancing duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
20. What’s the best view in Prague?
There are probably two options for the best view in Prague. One would be the Charles Bridge where you can see both sides of the city all with the beautiful Vltava River as a backdrop.
The second option is to climb the 300 stairs of the Petrín Lookout Tower, so you can get a 360 bird’s eye view of the city.
21. Does Prague have any sister cities?
A sister city is a partnership between two world cities with similar ambitions and a common bond of friendship. Prague is quite a popular choice with cities all around the world.
Some of Prague’s sisters include; Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Kyoto, Miami and Taipei.
Who wants more fun facts?
If you’re looking for some recommendations, these are a few of our favorite fact books to buy. We use these when planning fun trivia nights with family and friends!
We really hope you enjoyed all our fun facts about Prague! Did you learn something new?
If there’s any Prague facts we missed, you can let us know in the comments below and we’ll add them to this article!
