Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic, located in the center of Bohemia on the Vltava River. It has been developing into its present form for eleven centuries. Prague is often referred to as the heart of Europe because it lies at the very center of the European continent.

According to “Old Czech Legends” by Alois Jirásek, the city’s founding was foretold by the mythical Czech princess Libuše in her famous prophecy: “I see a great city whose glory will touch the stars. As far as one can walk in a day, there is a place in the forest where you will find a man making a threshold out of wood. Name this place Prague after this threshold.”

Prague quickly became the center of the emerging Czech state. Besides its significant landmarks, the city also hosts the National Theatre and the National Museum. One of the most important landmarks, Prague Castle, is the seat of the head of state—the President of the Czech Republic. Since 1992, the medieval center of the city has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

More information about the city and its history

Prague landmarks

Information about activities and places not to miss in the capital

Prague City Hall (MHMP)

Prague City Hall is the authority responsible for public administration, primarily focused on providing services to the citizens of Prague.

Information Website www.metropolevsech.eu

The city of Prague operates an informational website primarily intended for migrants living in Prague. The website is available in multiple languages—the most commonly spoken languages among the city’s newcomers. It serves as a portal to the most important information and contacts for organizations, authorities, and their departments, helping migrants navigate daily situations and orient themselves in the city that has become their new home. The website also provides information on Czech language courses, cultural events, and ways to get involved in public life, promoting faster and better integration into the life of Prague and the Czech Republic.

City districts

Prague is composed of 57 self-governing city districts. Of these, 22 are self-governing administrative districts with their own local authorities. Depending on where you live, you fall under a specific local authority. At your district office, you can handle many important matters related to living in Prague, such as documents for marriage, starting a business, or obtaining a parking permit for your district’s paid zones. Every city office has departments (Trade Licensing Department, Department of Civil Administration, Social Department, Education Department etc ). Some city districts have long been dedicating efforts to the integration of foreigners, employing specialists for foreigner integration or intercultural workers and organizing events and courses for foreigners.

Contacts for individual city districts

City District Departments

• Trade Licensing Department (Živnostenský odbor) is in charge of the self-employed and
  entrepreneurs – you can arrange a trade license here However, you can get the license also at a Trade Licensing Department outside your residence.
• Registry Office (the so-called matrika) – an office that runs the civil register. The office issues marriage certificates, birth certificates, and death certificates, etc. It also processes citizenship applications, registered partnerships, changes of name/surname etc.
• Building Department (Stavební odbor) issues planning, zoning and construction permits as
  well as the registration of buildings in the territory and keeps a register of buildings.
• Social Department (Sociální odbor / Odbor sociálních věcí) focuses mainly on social care
  and prevention – this department provides supervision in troubled families, provides curators for children, youth, and adults. It also processes applications for placement in nursing or retirement homes; provides housing for socially underprivileged citizens; issues parking permits for citizens with permanent residency and citizens with disabilities. It also includes the Child Protection Unit (so-called OSPOD).
• Department of Education (Odbor školství) is responsible for placing children in kindergarten or elementary schools in their district, establishing and overseeing educational institutions, coordinating school education plans, and ensuring high-quality education for children, pupils, and students.
• Transportation Department (Odbor dopravy) – handles the issuance/changes of driver’s licenses, exchanges foreign driver’s licenses for Czech ones, and vehicle registration. In Prague, driver’s licenses are issued at the MHMP Business Centre Vyšehrad, Na Pankráci 1685/17, 19, Prague 4.
• Department of Civil Administration (Odbor občansko-správních agend) – issues personal documents and passports to the Czech citizens, keeps lists of inhabitants and permanent residence etc.

Czech POINT

Czech POINT serves as a one-stop service point for public administration, allowing communication with the state administration from a single location.

It provides services such as:

• extracts from the Land Register, Commercial Register, Trade Register, Criminal Register
• driver’s penalty points report
• signature verification
• document verification 
• setting up and managing a data box

Czech POINT services are available at some city offices, the Czech Post, and certain notaries.