Its today’s size (496.1 km²) is a result of the long-term territorial growth and natural historical development. The beginning dates back to the second half of the 9th century, when Prague Castle was founded and independent extramural settlements began to emerge under its protective wings. The settlements gradually developed into an independent Prague towns: the Old Town, which was referred to as “caput regni”, the capital town of the Czech Kingdom, before 1280 already, the Lesser Town (nowadays called the Little Quarter), the New Town, and Hradčany. Their amalgamation took place in 1784. Other surrounding towns joint: in 1850 Josefov, 1883 Vyšehrad, 1884 Holešovice - Bubny and in 1901 Libeň.

The act of 6 February 1920 established Great Prague by combining the existing eight Prague quarters with thirty-eight surrounding municipalities. Further territorial expansion occurred in 1968 (twenty-one municipalities of the Středočeský Region were attached), 1970 (adjustments to the Prague borders, especially to the Prague airport) and finally 1974 (attachment of additional thirty municipalities of the Středočeský Region).

The territorial growth of Prague and the development of the Prague settlement also caused the need for gradual amendments to the Prague administrative breakdown. The following chapter summarizes fundamental legal norms, which decided on the territorial growth of Prague, and generally shows changes in the administrative arrangement of the capital city. For clarity, the information on how the territory of Prague developed is accompanied by a cartogram showing the growth of Prague into its today’s borders.