Prague

The largest and capital city of the Czech Republic is Prague, which was formerly known as Bohemia. With a lengthy history and Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural styles, it serves as the political, cultural, and economic center of central Europe. Many of the well-known cultural landmarks in Prague have survived the bloodshed and devastation of 20th-century Europe.

Alphonse Mucha is largely responsible for Prague's reputation as an art nouveau city. Strangely, he didn't even step foot in his native Czech Republic until the fashion was in decline. Mucha's sarcastic artwork catapulted him (reluctantly) to the head of the movement and was used to promote cigarette papers, champagne, and Sarah Bernhardt shows. During Mucha's absence in Paris and the US, architects Ohmann, Bendelmayer, and Dryák were tasked with promoting Prague's art nouveau. They did this by combining neo-baroque styling with more traditional flower themes and looping metalwork. The Hotel Central (rooms starting at €125 per night), one of the city's original art nouveau structures, is still in use. The Municipal House is adorned in symbolist murals, the Kaunicky Palace is home to a museum dedicated to Mucha, and he produced a number of colossal paintings about the Slavs at the nearby Zbiroh castle.

Location: Czech Republic