Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. Situated in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. The magical city of Prague has always attracted visitors even when it was on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Prague is best explored on foot: from the Europe's largest medieval majestic Prague Castle on one side of the city to Wenceslas Square on the other, passing over Charles Bridge is just a 25 minute stroll. Many important buildings and historic monuments are situated on both banks of the River Vltava running through the city; St. Agnes Monastery, the Rudolfinum, the National Theatre, Vysehrad and more. Throughout centuries, prominent personalities paid homage to it. W. A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven, F. M. Dostoyevsky, A. Rodin, G. Apollinaire, P. I. Tchaikovsky, O. Kokoschka. Also, one of the most beautiful symphonies by Bedrich Smetana, was dedicated to the River Vltava.
Franz Kafka, who was born in Prague, rarely left his home town and when he was only 19 he declared that there was something magic about the town which
made one unwilling to leave it: "Prague doesn't let go. This little mother has claws", he wrote. In 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague was included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.