Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/404

* PRAGUE. 3i2 PRAGUE. of the Bohemian kings; the Chapel of Saint Wenccslas, cmbcllishod with precious stones and faded frescoes; and the silver monument to Saint John Xepomuk. In the western part of the Hradschin is the Premonstratensian Abbey of Straliow (founded in the twelfth century), with its Cliurcli of the Assumption, eontaininj; the tomb of Saint Xor- bcrt, tlie founder of the Order, a valuable pic- ture irallcry. a line library, and a good natural history collection. Among other prominent fea- tures "of the Hradschin mention should be made of the barracks, formerly the palace of Count Czernin; the Capuchin monastery: the Renais- sance palace called the Belvedere, erected b}' King Ferdinand I. in 1.5.38: the archiepiscopal palace; and the Schwarzenberg Palace. The Kleinseite, altlinugh inferior in interest to the Altstadt and the Ilradscliin, possesses some buildings of histori- cal and architectural interest. Chief among them are the churches of Saint Nicholas and Saint Thomas: the interesting palace built by Wal- lenstein in 162.3-30, with a fine garden and many valued relics of the great general, and a chapel containing a number of paintings by Diirer and others: the palace of Nositz, with a notable pic- ture gallery; the Lobkowitz Palace, with an ex- tensive library; the hall of the Provincial Diet; and the Supreme Court. The Xeustadt, the largest part of Prague, with its fine streets, its modern public buildings, and the general air and stir of a modern city, presents an impressive contrast to old Prague. It contains the imposing Czech National Theatre, completed in the Renaissance style in 1S83; the Bohemian National Museum, with its various col- lections and library: the new German theatre; the courts of justice, formerly a Rathaus; a num- ber of fine banks and hospitals: an exchange, etc. Among its churches may be mentioned the jMaria Schnee-Kirche and the churches of Saint Peter and the Karlshof. In the quarter of Wischehrad is situated the modern citadel built on the site of the old fortress destroyed by the Hussites. During the latter part of the nineteenth cen- tury Prague greatly improved in appearance. It also considerably extended its municipal activity, so that at present it owns the water-works, the gas and electric plants, the markets, etc. The sanitary conditions have improved, and the park area has been enlarged. The administration is in the hands of a burgomaster and two deputies. an assembly, and a council. The municipal budcet exceeds $4,000,000 and the indebtedness .$8,000,000. The fame of Prague as an educa- tional centre dates from the Middle Ages, when its university was the leading institution of higher learning in Germany. During the latter half of the nineteenth century the struggle for supremacy between the Germans and the Czechs, and the development of a national consciousness among the latter, have given a strong stimulus to the intellectual life of the people. This found its expression in the establishment of many national educational institutions in this, the centre of Czech culture. In 1882-83 was es- tablished the Czech university, whose attendance is nearly three times that of the German uni- versity here. Many of the secondary schools have also since been duplicated, and show a steady increase in their attendance. Besides the two universities and the twelve German and six Czech secondary schools, Prague has a German and a Czech polytechnic, seminaries for teachers, a school of art. a noted conservatory of music, and many special schools. The most prominent scientific organizations are the Bohemian Acad- emy of Science. Literature, and Art, founded in ISIIO; the Roval Bohemian Scientific Associa- tion, founded about 1770; and the Society for Literature in Bohemia, founded in 1891. Situated on one of the chief waterways of Bohemia and at the junction of seven railway lines, Prague is naturally the economic centre of the crownland. Its industries are of a wide range, including the manufacture of various metal products, railway cars, leather, cotton goods, gloves, chemicals, beer, and flour. Prague is a great sugar market, and trades extensively in local manufactures and raw products. The population of Prague proper was 170..521 in 1880, 182,530 in ISOO. and 204.478 in 1000. The last figure could have been increased to 385,238 by adding the population of the adjacent suburbs economically connected with the citv. A sig- nificant fact between 1890 and 1900 was the increase of the Czech element. The Czech popu- lation is estimated at 87 per cent, of the total. Over 90 per cent, of the population is Roman Catholic. History. Nothing definite is known about the foundation of Prague. As the residence of the kings the town played a prominent part in the early histor_y of IJohemia. The Altstadt obtained municipal rights and was surrounded with walls in the first half of the thirteenth century. The Neustadt was established about a century later. Under the rule of Charles IV., Prague became, with the establishment of the university (1348), one of the principal cities of the German Empire. In the following century, however, it became the theatre of the Hussite wars ( see Hr.ssiTES ). and many of its churches and a part of its fortifica- tions were destroyed. It soon recovered and en- tered upon a new period of prosjierity, which cul- minated under Rudolph II. In the seventeenth century came the Thirty Years' War, which be- gan with the 'defenestration' of the Imperial coun- selors at Prague (1618). In the battle of the White Hill, fought close to the city, the forces of Frederick of the Palatinate, the 'Winter King,' were completely defeated by the Imperialists in November, 1020. Prague was taken by the Sax- ons in 1631 and retaken by Wallenstein in 1632. In 1635 a peace was concluded here between Fer- dinand II. and the Elector of Saxony. In 1648 the Swedes captured the Kleinseite — the last epi- sode of the Thirty Years' War. The city was taken by the French. Bavarians, and Saxons in 1741, and capitulated to Frederick the Great in 1744. Frederick won a victory over the Aus- trians here in 1757, and then unsuccessfully be- sieged the city. For the history of Prague dur- ing the nineteenth century, see the history of Bohemia. The peace of Prague, August 23, 1866, terminated the Seven Weeks' War between Prus- sia and Austria. Consult: Erben. f^tatislische Handhiiclicr der l-o)ii(llichen Hduplfsfddt Prrui (Prague, 1873-95) ; Oeslerreicliisches I^Kdtebitch (Vienna, 1895) ; Wirth, Prag (Leipzig, 1901). PRAGUE, University of. Prague has two universities, one German, the other Bohemian. Of these, the older and more famous is the