Why were walls and fortifications built around Prague’s Old Town?

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Prague Prague on the banks of the Vltava River.

The walls and fortifications surrounding Prague’s Old Town were constructed to provide defensive protection for the growing community. By 1230, the area had achieved borough status, and these defensive structures were essential to secure the city's development as a vital trade center.12

The consolidation of the Bohemian state under the Premyslid dynasty relied on Prague as a central political base, and these fortifications enabled the city to leverage its natural trade advantages while remaining protected from external threats.2