Swanson School of Engineering

Today morning, we traveled all around Prague on an exciting and challenging historical scavenger hunt where we explored and learned about King Charles IV‘s contributions to the development of the city. We came across many churches, gardens, and monuments that all had a unique purpose and role behind them. Later in the day, we attended a history class at Charles’ University where we learned about the many changes Czechia had experienced during the 20th century. During this period of history, the people of the region had decisions made for them by the US, and were taken over by Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. As far as engineering is concerned, Czechia was the heart of the weapons industry during the world wars due to their strategic location surrounded by mountains for protection. Even today, this industry makes up a significant portion of their economy. Learning about the Czech Republic’s history has provided valuable context of why the country is described as the crossroads of Europe. The country’s central location meant that it played a critical role in European politics and was where different populations would come to share and spread their ideas, innovations, and industrializations, sometimes even by force. As a result, engineering as we see it in Czechia was influenced by many other nations, which explains the diversity and uniqueness found in the country, especially in Prague.