Prague

Prague, (pronounced Praha) is the ancient capital of Charles IV's Bohemian Kingdom, and the city has played a pivotal role in the development of Central Europe since the Middle Ages. Its epic history has made Prague one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities", "city of a hundred spires", or "the golden city". Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic center of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. For many decades during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Since 1992, the extensive historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually, as of 2009.