BOHEMIA, MORAVIA, AND AUSTRIAN SILESIA. 189 



Teynkirche, with its curious towers and the tomb of Tycbo Biabe, and the 

 university buildings.* The Karlsbrucke, with statues of St. John of Nepomuk and 

 other saints, connects the old city with the fortified Kleinseite and the plateau 

 of the Ilradshin, upon which rise the Gothic cathedral of St. Vitus, now being 

 restored, and the royal castle, an extensive pile of buildings, through one of the 

 windows of which the imperial governors and their secretary were thrown in 1618, 

 an event which led to the most atrocious war of modern times. The public gardens 

 of the Belvedere lie to the north of the Ilradshin, and afford a magnificent view of 

 the city and the meandering Vltava. To the west is seen the White Mountain, where 

 the power of Bohemia succumbed at the commencement of tbe Thirty Years' War. 

 Prague is expanding in all directions. Karolinenthal (Karlin) and Smichow, two 

 suburbs abounding in manufactories, extend along the river ; Zizkov and the 

 " New Town " occupy the elevated ground to the east of tbe old city. New 

 streets have been opened, including the spacious Wenzelsplatz, quays have been 

 constructed, and sumptuous buildings erected. But there still remain a few 

 dilapidated quarters, the most remarkable of which is the ancient Ghetto, with 

 its sombre synagogue and God-forsaken burying-ground. 



At the time when Prague was still the capital of an independent kingdom, the 

 sovereign usually resided at the castle of KarMein (Karluv T;^n), erected upon a 

 commanding rock overhanging the river Berounka ; but the glories of this palace 

 have departed, and most of its art treasures have been transferred to Vienna. 

 Prague, however, abounds in magnificent palaces of the aristocrac}^ although 

 manufactories are more characteristic of it than these sumptuous edifices. These 

 manufactories enjoy the advantage of being close to productive coal mines. 

 Kladno (11,199 inhabitants), in the centre of this coal basin, has the largest 

 iron works of the country. 



Bitchceis (Budëjovice, 17,413 inhabitants), the chief city of Southern Bohemia, 

 lies near the head of the Vltava, and since 1828 an iron tramway has connected it 

 with Linz, on the Danube. It carries on a brisk commerce. Near it, in the midst 

 of an extensive forest, rises the sumptuous castle of Frauenberg. Pisek (9,181 

 inhabitants) is situate on a river descending from the Bohemian Forest. Castles 

 are numerous in its vicinity. Tabor (6,717 inhabitants), which played so impor- 

 tant a part in the war of the Hussites, and still boasts of a few buildings recalling 

 its ancient glories, is a sleepy town now, seated upon a plateau commanding the 

 winding Luziiice. In memory of the great national meeting which took place at 

 that town, every public political meeting in Bohemia is called a Tabor. 



Several towns of importance are situate in the valley of the Berounka (Beraun), 

 Avhich joins the Vltava a few miles above Prague. Klattau (Klatovy, 8,060 

 inhabitants) is built at the mouth of a valley leading to the villages of the 

 Chodes. I'au>< (Domazlice, 7,647 inhabitants) commands the principal pass leading 

 into Bavaria. Marlcnhad owes to its thermal springs such importance as it 

 enjoys. Prihrain. {'2,2\2 inhabitants) is widely known on account of its silver 



* Tho universiiy was founded in 1348 by the Empeior, Charles IV. It has 166 professors, and is 

 attended by 2,000 students. 



