PRAGUE CZECH REPUBLIC Puok, Cambodia February 2012

Where do we come from? Czech Republic Cambodia 9000 km

1918 – declaration of independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire Czechs, Slovaks, Jews and Germans live in peace along Modern history of Czechoslovakia T. G. Masaryk 1 st president of Czechoslovakia

1939 – German occupation → World War II 1945 – end of war, liberation by Soviet and American Armies 1948 – communistic putsch Stalinism, oppression, normalisation, secret police, censorship Modern history of Czechoslovakia Iron Curtain border between East and West

1989 – Velvet Revolution peaceful comeback to democracy, Charter 77 Modern history of Czechoslovakia Václav Havel ( ) 1 st president of Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic after the fall of communism

the capital of the Czech Repulbic “Heart of Europe” one of the most beautiful cities in the world with ancient history and dynamic presence the extensive historic centre of Prague was included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1992 historic melting pot of European civilisation and religions Prague Praha (in Czech)

Old Jewish Cemetery in use from 15 th to 18 th century

baroque interior of St. Catharina catholic church

Panorama of the Prague Castle with the main cathedral of the country, St. Vitus Cathedral

River Vltava, with its numerous bridges, forms a natural axis of the city of Prague