On this date in 1989 the Velvet Revolution began in Prague. The revolution ushered in democracy in the country. Here are 10 facts about Prague:
It’s the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic (Czechia), and has a population of about 1.4 million.
The Czech name for the city, Praha, is derived from an old Slavic word, práh, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava river. It also has several nicknames: “The City of a Hundred Spires” (Prague has 500-1,000, of them, and that’s not counting the smaller ones), the Golden City, the Mother of Cities and the Heart of Europe.
18 bridges cross the Vltava River, 11 of which are road bridges, four railway Bridges, two pedestrian bridges, and one tram bridge. The shortest is the Čechův at 169m and the longest is is the Negrelli viaduct at 1110m. The oldest (being the only crossing until the 19th century) and most famous is Charles Bridge. The official inauguration of Charles Bridge took place on 9 July 1357, at 5:31am, a time specifically chosen by King Charles IV because it was a palindrome (1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1) which represented cosmic harmony. The bridge is said to be haunted by the ghosts of people who were executed nearby and whose heads were displayed on spikes.
The tallest building in Prague is The Žižkov Television Tower at 216 metres (709 ft) high. There’s another building, which despite being much smaller at 60m high, also offers great views of the city. That is the Petrin Tower, which is situated on top of a hill and resembled the Eiffel Tower. Because of its position atop the hill, it is at the same altitude as the Parisian landmark.
There’s a street in Prague which is so narrow they’ve installed Traffic Lights to avoid embarrassing encounters with other pedestrians going the other way. The street doesn’t have a name but you can find it between “U Lužického semináře” Street and the garden of the Čertovka restaurant. It is just 50cm (20in) wide. On a similar theme, there is a house which is 2 and a quarter meters (88 inches) wide, which was once a brothel. Now, the area has been expanded behind the original facade, so once you get past the front door it’s not that cramped.
Another tourist attraction is Prague’s Astronomical Clock Tower, created by Hanus Carolinum in 1410. Every hour from 9am – 11pm, the twelve apostles appear on the clock. According to legend, the town council had Carolinum blinded with a hot poker so that he would never create a similar clock anywhere else. There is, however, an exact replica of the Astronomical Clock in Seoul, South Korea.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest castle complex in the world, covering nearly 70,000 square meters. It encompasses St. Vitus Cathedral, the largest church in the country as well as palaces and other buildings. It has started in the 10th century and has been added to throughout the centuries up to a recent high-tech orangery by architect Eva Jiřičná in the Royal Garden.
There’s a thriving Jewish community and the city is home to Europe’s oldest active synagogue. There’s also a legend that Rabbi Loew created a Golem out of clay to protect the Jewish community of Prague to protect them, which became a symbol of hope and resilience.
One of Prague’s more unusual museums is a museum of torture instruments, located in cellars under Celetná Street.
Exhausted after taking in all the sights and culture? You can relax in a Beer spa. This involves soaking in a tub filled with a warm mixture of mineral water, hops, malt, and yeast – the key ingredients in beer.
Beta
(Combat Team Series #2)
Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?
Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.
Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream.
Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.
Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.
Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.
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