Plicka, Karol. Prague: The Golden City by Karel Plicka.

Paul Hamlyn, London, UK, 1965. Hardcover in cloth, large volume, no dust jacket, solid binding.  Very good with small stain on back cover. 198 pages. Introduction in several languages, including English, by Jaroslav Seifert.  Summary:

Prague: The Golden City is a photographic and visual celebration of Prague by the renowned Czechoslovak photographer Karel Plicka, first published in English in 1965. The book presents a rich collection of black-and-white images that capture the architecture, streets, historic monuments, and atmospheric details of Prague—often referred to as the “Golden City” for its glowing spires, historic charm, and centuries-old cultural heritage. The photographs showcase the city’s medieval, Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance structures, bringing to life its riverfront vistas along the Vltava and the layered urban landscape that has made Prague one of Europe’s most visually compelling capitals.

Rather than focusing on narrative text, the book uses carefully composed images with multilingual captions (English, French, German, and Spanish) to evoke the city’s character and history through its built environment and visual textures. Plicka’s work emphasizes architectural detail, light and shadow, and the enduring spirit of Prague’s public spaces, offering readers both a photographic record and an artistic interpretation of the city’s beauty and historical depth.

In essence, Prague: The Golden City serves as an evocative portrait of Prague, blending documentary photography with aesthetic engagement to celebrate the rich heritage and enduring allure of one of Europe’s most scenic and storied urban centers.2000