Images of the Vltava River as it passes through the Charles Bridge in Prague. The Vltava (Czech: Vltava, in German: Moldau; Polish: We? Tawa) is the longest river in the Czech Republic. Born in the Czech part of the Bohemian Forest, passing by? Eský Krumlov? Eské Bud? Jovice and Prague, and finally joins the Elbe at M? Lnik. Its length is 430 km and irrigates an area of ??approximately 28 000 km ², at its confluence carries more water than the Elbe, but joins at right angles to its course, it seems a tributary. In August 2002 a flood of the Vltava killed several people and caused extensive damage along its course. One of six symphonic poems Czech composer Bed? Ich Smetana in his book My Country (Czech: Má Vlast) is called Vltava musically evokes the river.