Prague at the Turn of the Century

Towards the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Prague still possessed its venerable majesty, but it was fast becoming a modern European metropolis. The old Jewish Quarter had been replaced with broad boulevards; modern bridges spanned the river; and the first steam trains from Vienna were arriving at the station. Though the Emperor and his guard had recently promenaded here, it wouldn't be long before independence would be declared and a new country, Czechoslovakia, would be founded. The remarkable photographs in this book capture key moments and everyday life in Prague during this era. Pavel Scheufler has selected more than 140 photographs from his family's archive and written a learned commentary on each one. This book is not only a valuable account of a city in transition, but a guide to reading photographs in a way that lets us hear fascinating stories they tell.