Silver Coin 10000 CZK Founding of Great Prague 1kg 2022 Polished

Extraordinary Silver Coinage - 10000 CZK Founding of Great Prague

The coins are issued in regular quality only, but in two variants (matt and polished). The polished variant may be close to top quality, but the level of polishing may not be up to the usual standards for proof mintage.

The reverse side of the coin features a map of Greater Prague with the territory of all the formerly independent historical villages and towns that made up Greater Prague between 1922 and 1968. Vršovice, Košíře, Smichov, Břevnov, Bubeneč, Vyšehrad, Hradčany, Malá Strana, Old Town, New Town, Libeň, Vysočany, Karlín, Žižkov, Královské Vinohrady and Nusle are depicted around the perimeter of the coin in order from top right. The texts "VELKÁ", "PRAHA" and "1922-2022" are placed in three lines in the upper part of the coin field. The surname of the author of the coin, academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů, is placed under the map of Greater Prague.

The obverse side of the coin depicts the historical emblem of the capital city of Prague. In the lower part of the coin field, the texts 'CZECH', 'REPUBLIC' and the denomination of the coin with the abbreviation of the monetary unit '10 000 CZK' are placed in three lines.

The Great Prague

According to legend, Prague was founded on the basis of a fortune-telling by Princess Libuše in the 8th century. In the legendary words "I see a great city, whose glory the stars will touch..." she prophesied from a high rock above the river the glory of the new city of Prague.

In the Middle Ages, Prague became a thriving centre of commerce, spread over the area of today's Old Town and known as the Older/Greater Town of Prague (1232-1234). With the arrival of new inhabitants, the adjacent Small Town of Prague (Malá Strana) was founded in 1257, Hradčany in 1320 and the independent New Town of Prague (Nové Město) was founded by Charles IV in 1348.

By imperial decree in 1784 all four towns were united into the Royal Capital of Prague. At that time Prague was the second largest city under the Habsburgs with 76,000 inhabitants and an area of 143 hectares.

In the 19th century, the unstoppable development of the city and the need for infrastructure connections necessitated further expansion. To the Royal Capital. Prague was joined by Josefov (1850), Vyšehrad (1883), Holešovice and Bubny (1884) and Libeň (1901). The population grew to 233,000 and the area to 21 km2. The other municipalities approached (Karlín, Smíchov, Vinohrady and Žižkov) refused to join because of fears of losing influence on decision-making and the issue of tax collection. The interest of Dejvice and Košíř, whose territories were not adjacent to the already merged territory, could not be met. In the following years, no further efforts to expand Prague were made due to political instability and the war.

With the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia, there was a change in the mood and opinion in society towards the creation of Greater Prague. On the basis of a law approved by the National Assembly, a total of 37 villages and settlements were annexed with effect from 1 January 1922. From the Karlin district these were Bohnice, Hloubětín, Karlín, Kobylisy, Prosek, Střížkov, Troja, Vysočany, from the Smichov district Břevnov, Bubeneč, Dejvice, Hlubočepy, Jinonice, Košíře, Liboc, Motol, Radlice, Sedlec, Smichov, Střešovice, Veleslavín, Vokovice, from the Vinohrady district Braník, Hodkovičky, Hostivař, Krč, Michle, Nusle, Podolí, Vršovice, Královské Vinohrady, Záběhlice, from the Žižkov district Hrdlořezy, Malešice, Staré Strašnice, Žižkov and from the Zbraslav district Malá Chuchle and Modřany.
For the newly established capital city of Prague, local self-government of the original municipalities and settlements was established, as well as its own state administration of the Municipality. Prague within the newly established boundaries was divided into 13 districts.