How Technology Is Shaping Prague’s Future
Medieval architecture and cobblestone streets are among the first things that come to mind when one thinks of Prague. It's a city that takes you back in time but at the same time is moving quickly forward. As you walk the streets of this Central European capital, old meets new, as technology has become integrated into its everyday life, turning the capital into a modern smart city.
The city has sought to redefine urban living for its residents and visitors, with cutting-edge technology being used for everything from public services and transportation to city management. The results have been impressive — advanced transportation networks, sustainable public services, and a smarter, more connected Prague. In this article, we look at how these advances are shaping the city's future.
Prague’s Smart City Vision
Prague is still in the beginning stages of its journey to becoming one of Europe's smartest cities. The city's Smart Prague 2030 initiative is the framework that lays out the government's plans to achieve its goal of creating a more sustainable, efficient, and liveable city. The plan got its start in 2016 and focuses on six key areas: future mobility, smart buildings and energy, waste-free city, attractive tourism, people, and urban environment. Data-driven governance, improved energy efficiency, and ensuring the city is easy to get around are just a few parts of urban life this initiative seeks to enhance. The city is also exploring possibilities like smart lighting systems, intelligent waste management, and smart sensors to monitor and optimize the city's operations. The end goal is to provide a better quality of life for the city's residents and become an example for the rest of the world to follow.
A Digitally Connected City
Tourists and residents alike can take advantage of Prague's extensive free public WiFi network that makes it easy to stay connected across the city. As part of its Smart Prague initiative, the city introduced WiFi in some of the areas most frequented by residents and tourists. The Prague Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Petřín Hill, and the Náplavka embankment were some of the first places to benefit from this project. The city's goal is to make Prague more visitor-friendly and ensure everyone can stay connected while visiting the city.
While the widely available WiFi is great for connecting to services like Google Maps to find your way around the city, it also comes in handy when it's time to take a break from sightseeing, relax, and enjoy some entertainment on a mobile device. For those who enjoy gaming, that might mean connecting to WiFi and logging onto a gaming platform to play their favorite titles. Online casinos are one popular gaming option, with virtual platforms like PokerStars Casino offering a variety of options, including card and table games like roulette. The classic game's easy-to-understand rules and exciting gameplay have made it a favorite among many gamers. Visiting an online casino isn't the only entertainment option the city's WiFi network makes possible; visitors can also connect to streaming movies and more on their mobile devices from one of the city's many parks. The city has plans to continue expanding the WiFi network to more areas and integrate WiFi service with smart streetlights to make it easier to monitor parking spaces and charge electric vehicles.
Technology in Public Services and Urban Management
Prague is using its advanced digital infrastructure to modernize its public services and urban management. The My Prague app is a big part of these efforts, providing residents with easy access to city services, information about public transportation, healthcare facilities, and cultural events. One of the broader strategies of the app is to make the city's services more accessible and efficient. A platform called Golemio also plays an important role in the city's overall strategy by allowing its leaders to make data-driven decisions. The platform works by analyzing real-time data and providing decision-makers with the information they need to monitor and take action on things like infrastructure development, environmental management, and public safety.
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