Prague was relatively unscathed by WW II bombing, thus it contains some of the best examples of Medieval, Gothic and Baroque structures.  They  coexisting together  today to create a mysterious cityscape which draws throngs of visitors.  Tourism is a very apparent industry.  It is dealt with in an interesting way though.  The historic sections of town appear to be specifically oriented and programmed for a transient tourist population.  These sections are purposely specified as only pedestrian and are linked for ease of walking between specific sites.  The amazingly preserved Baroque and Gothic structures along with the possibility to stroll from place to place make a pleasant atmosphere for the visitor.  At times it almost seems unreal and you begin to question its authenticity.  The reason for this is that these sections are frozen in time.  They are not part of the functioning city.  The tourist sections are entities in themselves,  like an amusement park.  The approach Prague has towards tourism appears to be to contain it.  It is difficult to buy a map of the larger city, but detailed maps of the target area are easily accessed.

In relating Prague to Boston there are some similarities and differences.  Boston does have certain tourist areas such as Faniel-Hall and Quincy Market,  but the history is integrated into the fabric of the city and vice versa.  Boston is a functioning city in the same area and spaces in which it was 300 years ago.  It possesses a layering of time,  a short time as compared with the European time frame.  It is one of the only cities in America to have this, making it important not only to Boston but for the entire U.S. The history of Boston is a critical link to the history of the United States.