Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/82

62 Mary’s de Nive, St. Henry’s and the famous Abbey Emaus whose monks used the Slavonic liturgy, became with her sisters one of the largest cities, conspicuous on account of the prosperity and wealth afforded by her high degree of civilization, and was able to develop within her own borders for about five centuries.

Prague gained also great importance on the election of king Charles to the royal crown of Germany, whereby Prague became also the capital of the Roman Empire, and therefore the centre of diplomatic negotiations and the abode of many foreign legations. The concentration of such a great mass of foreigners caused of course a considerable rise of prices but at the same time it gave a great impulse to art and trade. The court was a liberal patron of eminent artists, employing many of them in its services, and a distinct school of painters arose, whose works are excellent, their correctness rendering true reproductions of lively colours and soft tones. The most renowned architects were called to Prague to build the new cathedral planned of splendid dimensions, to construct the castle of Karlův Týn as an impregnable stronghold for keeping the state archives and treasures, to span the river by a new bridge instead of Judith’s, destroyed in 1342 by a flood. This new bridge is, although it has up to the present time suffered much by various vicissitudes, a unique and worldfamed monument and ornament of Prague. Prague was fortified according to the best methods of that time and, helped by good administration, claimed a foremost position among other seats of culture and civilization in Europe.

During the reign of Wenceslaus IV., Charles’ son, many of the buildings, begun by Charles, were finished; also the townhall of the old town, for which a house was bought in 1338, was completed in that part which forms the south-east corner of the present building and contains the interesting chapel, consecrated in 1381. It was also under Wenceslaus IV. that religious and national questions began to agitate the minds of the people and during his reign the great strife originated culminating in the long remarkable Hussite wars. In these, many ideas brought from England in Wicliffe’s Works and defended by Hus gave rise to the ferment which took place in some thinking minds, discon-