Czech Republic Highlights

IMPORTANT WEB SITES: www.CzechTourism.com Official presentation of the Czech Republic for tourists

www.prague-info.cz Prague Information Service

www.mzv.cz Information about travel documents

www.czechairlines.com Czech Airlines

www.idos.cz Information about bus and railway timetables

www.travelguide.cz Accommodation

www.ackcr.cz, www.accka.cz Associations of Travel Agencies

Amsterdam 1,5 h. Bucures‚ ti 2 h. København 1,5 h. Paris 2 h.

Athína 2,5 h. Budapest 1 h. London 2 h. Roma 1,5 h.

Barcelona 2,5 h. Dublin 2,5 h. Madrid 2,5 h. Stockholm 2 h.

Beograd 1,5 h. Frankfurt 1 h. Milano 1,5 h. St. Peterburg 2,5 h.

Berlin 1 h. Helsinki 2,5 h. Moskva 2,5 h. Warszawa 1,5 h.

Bratislava 1 h. Istanbul 2,5 h. München 1 h. Wien 1 h.

Bruxelles 1,5 h. Kiev 2 h. Oslo 2 h. Zürich 1,5 h.

TIME DISTANCE BY AIRPLANE TO PRAGUE:

A Country of HistoricalMonuments and Beautiful Nature

Every year several million tourists from allover the world come to visit the CzechRepublic, attracted not only by local historicalmonuments, the most prominent of which canbe found in the capital city of Prague, but alsoCzech mountains and nature reserves.The Czech state boasts a history spanning overone thousand years and Bohemia, Moravia andSilesia – the three historical lands forming thepresent Czech Republic – each pride itself on avast cultural heritage. In addition to this, thelocal landscape is distinguished by its great di-versity.Introducing, albeit in brief, all the interestingplaces you can explore here would provideenough material not only for a brochure, butalso for an encyclopaedia consisting of severalvolumes. That is why the following selection ofattractions on offer can be nowhere near ex-haustive. Nevertheless it should give you anidea as to what treasures the Czech Republiccan offer to its visitors.

Prague – a City in the Heart of Europe

Its location in the natural environmentand its continuous architectural develop-ment, which spans over one thousandyears, make Prague, a town nestling onseveral hillocks on both banks of the RiverVltava, one of the most magnificent citiesin Europe. For centuries Prague has beenan important trade junction, as well as aplace where scientists and artists from allcorners of the world have met. All epochshave left an indelible imprint on thestreets of Prague, turning the town’shistorical centre into a varied gallery ofarchitectural styles, ranging from Gothicto the present.The heart of the city, the Old Town ofPrague, boasts a maze of twisting little al-leys full of restaurants, cafés and shops.Built more than six hundred years ago,the stone Charles Bridge, with both sidesadorned by a gallery of Baroque statues ofsaints, provides access to the romanticLesser Quarter on the opposite side of the

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Prague bridges over the River VltavaRoyal Karlštejn CastleA statue of miner in the Kutná Hora church

The panorama of Prague CastleThe palaces of the historical centreThe Golden Lane at Prague Castle

Tips:KARLŠTEJN CASTLE was built as an impregnable treasury for crown jewels.www.hradkarlstejn.czThe mining town of KUTNÁ HORA thrived thanks to the mining of silver in theMiddle Ages. www.kutnahora.czThe Baroque SVATÁ HORA U PŘÍBRAMI complex is one of the most importantpilgrimage sites in Bohemia. www.pribram-city.cz

river; from there it is just a stone’sthrow to Prague Castle, the dominantfeature of the city.Although the citizens of Prague are veryproud of the history of their city, it doesnot live merely on its history; it is alively European metropolis with all thatgoes with it. The city boasts numeroustheatres, art galleries, concert halls andmusic clubs and its choice of shops andrestaurants is second to none.

Prague CastleToday the seat of the CzechPresident, Prague Castle has beenthe political centre of the country forover one thousand years, whereasthe Gothic Cathedral of St Vitus,which stands in its heart, has beenits symbolic spiritual centre. Havingundergone a series of reconstruc-tions in the course of centuries, thecastle is a historical monument ofparamount importance in its ownright. Also worth visiting are thelarge castle gardens, as they affordspectacular views of the city below.Some of the inner spaces of thecastle are also open to the generalpublic, including the Picture Galleryand the Old Royal Palace. Visitorscan also explore the tower of thecathedral, as well as its crypt wherethe kings of Bohemia were laid totheir rest.www.hrad.cz

Prague is a gallery of all architectural styles,ranging from Gothic to the present.

www.prague-info.cz

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Historical Monuments Which Continue to Live

Visiting all the Czech Republic’s historical monu-ments would be a life-long task since the countryboasts almost 180 castles, chateaux and castle ruinsopen to the general public. Apart from this, practical-ly every Czech town prides itself on a historicalsquare, ancient church, town hall or aristocratic pa-lace located in its centre.

The Český Krumlov Music FestivalThe Hluboká nad Vltavou ChateauThe Jindřichův Hradec chateau complex

The Český Krumlov chateau complexabove the River VltavaThe Renaissance Třeboň Chateau

Tips:The romantic HLUBOKÁ NAD VLTAVOU Chateau is one of this country’s most fre-quently visited historical monuments. www.jiznicechy.czThe pride of the town of JINDŘICHŮV HRADEC is its Renaissance chateau andsquare. www.jh.czThe historical spa town of TŘEBOŇ lies in a picturesque landscape dotted with nu-merous fishponds. www.trebon-mesto.czThe town of Telč prides itself on its beautiful square featuring a Renaissance chateauand a number of patrician houses which have preserved their authentic appearance.www.telc-etc.czBeyond the boundaries of the town of Žďár nad Sázavou you will discover the pilgri-mage Church of St John Nepomuk, an exquisite example of the unique CzechBaroque-Gothic style. www.zamekzdar.czThe town of Třebíč can serve as evidence of the coexistence of Christian and Jewishculture. www.trebic.cz; www.kviztrebic.cz

The South Bohemian town of ČeskýKrumlov is the second most populartourist destination after Prague. Nestlingin the valley of the River Vltava, whichalmost encircles its historical centre, thetown offers a range of sights, the mostremarkable of which are the Renaissancetown hall, the Gothic Church of St Vitusand the castle perched on a rock abovethe river. In the past the castle was theseat of the most powerful local noble fa-mily, the Lords of the Rose. The maincharm of Český Krumlov, however, liesin the fact that the town as a whole hasretained its ancient appearance. Hereyou get the feeling you have suddenlybeen transported several centuries backin time.Visitors will find numerous stylish res-taurants, cafés and souvenir shops in thetown. Apart from this, a range of cultu-ral events and a music festival are stagedhere every year. The Egon Schiele ArtCentre, a gallery named after a famouspainter of the Vienna Art Nouveau style- who depicted Český Krumlov, thebirthplace of his mother, in many of hispaintings - regularly hosts exhibitions ofleading Czech and international artists.Held in June, the costumed CinquefoilCelebrations, the main event staged inČeský Krumlov, recall the town’s hey-day in the Renaissance period. Thethree-day programme features theatricalperformances, concerts of period musicand popular reconstructions of knights’tournaments.

Český Krumlov

You will often be surprisedto discover a Baroquechurch or chateau on a sitewhere you would notexpect to find them.

www.ckrumlov.cz

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Historical Monuments Which Continue to Live

Not only regional capital towns, such as Brno,Plzeň, Olomouc and České Budějovice, but alsomuch smaller locations abound in historical gems.You will often be surprised to find a magnificentBaroque church or chateau on a site where you wouldexpect to see, at the most, a field or a meadow.Having once got rich almost overnight, many Czechtowns later became poor for some reason or other,and therefore have preserved their authenticappearance practically intact.A fine example of this is Kutná Hora, a town locatednot far from Prague. This once affluent mining townwas the country’s second most important centre afterPrague. As the deposits of silver ore in the shaftsunder the town became exhausted gradually, KutnáHora declined in importance. Whereas in other loca-tions old houses were pulled down and replaced bynew ones, here they remained in place; what wasonce viewed as a sign of decay is now considereda blessing for the town, since Kutná Hora’s historicalatmosphere attracts thousands of visitors and thelocal medieval silver mines are very popular touristattraction.

The Lednice and Valtice chateaux complexThe Renaissance Litomyšl ChateauThe Flower Garden in Kroměříž

The Olomouc Holy Trinity ColumnThe Baroque Basilica of the Visitation ofthe Virgin Mary, Svatý Kopeček

Tips: The town of KROMĚŘÍŽ is famous for its parks and the magnificent collections ofthe chateau picture gallery. www.azz.czThe large park located between the LEDNICE and VALTICE chateaux is a master-piece of European Romanticism. www.jizni-morava.czThe town of LITOMYŠL is the birthplace of the eminent Czech composer BedřichSmetana. www.litomysl.czIn the MORAVIAN KARST nature reserve you can explore remarkable karst caves.www.cavemk.cz

Situated in the heart of the fertile HanáRegion, the university town of Olomouchas been the cultural and administrativecentre of Moravia ever since the earlyMiddle Ages. The town became the seatof a bishopric as early as in 1063. Thehistorical appearance of Olomouc wasmost distinctly influenced by theBaroque period which has bequeathed tothe city a host of churches and palaces,as well as the Holy Trinity Column inthe main square. The largest and mostspectacular monument of its kind to befound in the world, the column has beenadded to the UNESCO List of WorldCultural Heritage.Full of young people for most of theyear thanks to its university, Olomouc isalso one of the Czech towns with thelargest expanses of greenery, as itsabolished fortification walls gave wayto extensive public parks. Everysummer, the local exhibition groundbecomes the venue of the Flora Olomoucflower exhibition, the largest event of itskind in the Czech Republic.Not far away from the town you willdiscover one of the most significant pil-grimage sites in Moravia – SvatýKopeček (Little Holy Hill). Perched on ahillock and accessible by a double path-way of linden trees, the local church is –thanks to its location and artistic decora-tion – a rare example of Baroque art.

Olomouc

The Olomouc Holy TrinityColumn is the largesthistorical monumentof its kind in the world.

www.olomouc-tourism.cz

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LEGEND

Motorway

Major road with number

State border

National park boundary

Protected landscape areaboundary

UNESCO biospheric reserveboundary

Forest, park

Spot height

Lookout tower

Cave

Natural point of interest

Horse racing grounds

Horse breeding

Golf course

Skiing

Water sports

Main cycling trails

Town with over 10,000 inhabitants

Town with over 5,000 inhabitants

Town with over 2,500 inhabitants

Urban architectural reserve

Castle

Ruin

Chateau

Church

Monastery

UNESCO Heritage Site

Spa

Folk architecture

Technical monument

Museum

Jewish monument

Pilgrimage site

Airport

Border crossing

Recommended locationsRomansque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque

Post-Baroque styles

Style

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For the Invigoration of the Body and Mind

Balneology boasts a long tradition in the CzechLands, as is corroborated by a wealth of archive ma-terials bearing witness to the fact that the curativeeffects of many of the local springs were known asearly as in the Middle Ages. However, the servicesprovided by spa facilities are not just for patients suf-fering from some or other disorder; thousands of peo-ple come to the local spas to seek rest and relaxation,far from the stresses of everyday life.The most famous spa centres include the WestBohemian towns of Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázněand Františkovy Lázně, all located just tens of kilo-metres one from another; the North Moravian spa ofJeseník, the oldest hydrotherapeutic sanatorium inthe world; the spa town of Luhačovice in SouthernMoravia; and the spa towns of Poděbrady and Teplicein Bohemia. Although differing in terms of the cura-tive methods used, their architecture and atmosphere,all these locations have nevertheless something incommon – they all offer relaxation in a pleasant envi-ronment which is beneficial not only to the body, butalso to the soul.

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The Singing Fountain in Mariánské LázněThe Karlovy Vary golf course

The valley of the River Teplá, Karlovy VaryMineral springs in Karlovy VaryThe Bečov nad Teplou Chateau

Tips: The elegant spa town of MARIÁNSKÉ LÁZNĚ resembles a single large park.www.marianskelazne.czThe BEČOV NAD TEPLOU Chateau is home to the invaluable Romanesque StMaurus’ Shrine. www.becov.czCrowning a rocky outcrop overlooking the River Ohře, LOKET Castle guarded theland border in the Middle Ages. www.loket.cz

Karlovy Vary, the most famous of theWest Bohemian spa towns, owes its fameto its twelve mineral springs with curativeproperties. The largest and hottest ofthem, Vřídlo (Geyser), gushes to aheight of fifteen metres. Becherovka, atraditional herb liqueur which is produ-ced in the town, is referred to as the thir-teen curative spring. Equally famous arethe Karlovy Vary Spa Wafers, thin crispwafers which are as large as a plate.The town experienced its heyday in the19th century, when most of its spa sana-toria and its elegant covered colonnadeconnecting the individual springs werebuilt. At that time the spa entertainedmany prominent personalities ofEurope’s political and cultural life. Thelist of those guests reads like a kind ofWho is Who. The ranks of those whocame to seek treatment here included,for instance, Johann Wolfgang Goethe,Ludwig van Beethoven, FrancoisChateubriand and Nikolay VasilyevichGogol.Karlovy Vary also serves as the venue ofan annual international film festival,which, like the festivals in Cannes,Venice and Berlin, boasts the prestigiousA category. Film enthusiasts, producersand stars converge on Karlovy Vary atthe beginning of July.

Karlovy Vary

The list of people whohave stayed at the spa townof Karlovy Vary reads likea kind of Who is Who.

www.karlovyvary.cz

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In Search of the Beauties of Nature

The Czech Republic offers many different kinds oflandscape, ranging from fertile lowlands to steepmountain hillsides, all concentrated on a relativelysmall area. That is why the country will be enjoyedby hiking and cycling enthusiasts, as well as bylovers of water sports and rock climbing. In winterCzech mountains are popular with lovers of classicalas well as downhill skiing.The country boasts one of the most advanced systemsof marked tourist routes to be found in Europe.Founded more than 120 years ago, the Czech HikingClub looks after almost 40,000 kilometres of markedtrails, following which you can walk the length andbreadth of the Czech Republic. You can enjoya pleasant hiking trip not only in the mountains andnature reserves, but also in the immediate environsof Prague.The area of the Czech Republic contains severalsandstone “rock towns”, all of which are very popu-lar with rock climbing enthusiasts. Featuring rocktowers rising to a height of one hundred metres insome places, these rock formations are suitable forbeginners and experienced climbers alike. Climbs onsome of these walls have the rating of the highestdegree of difficulty.

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The Prachovské RocksThe rock towns of the Bohemian Plateau

Gothic Kost CastleThe Pravčická GateThe Adršpašské Rocks

Tips: The Pravčická Gate in the ČESKÉ ŠVÝCARSKO (Czech Switzerland) National Parkis the largest rock bridge to be found in Europe. www.ceskesvycarsko.czThe ADRŠPAŠSKO-TEPLICKÉ ROCKS attract rock climbing enthusiasts.www.skalyadrspach.cz

Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj), a regionlocated less than one hundred kilome-tres to the north-east of Prague, is consi-dered – as its name indicates – one ofthis country’s most beautiful corners.The region is renowned for itspicturesque scenery as well as itsnumerous cultural monuments. Thelocal sandstone rock towns are certainlya major source of appeal for mostvisitors – they are fantastic naturallabyrinths consisting of deep canyonsand rock towers, which owe their originto the impact of wind and water duringthe course of millions of years. In 2005these rock towns were added to theUNESCO network of Europeangeoparks.The symbol of this region is the Troskyruins – the remains of a medieval castleperched on two cylindrical volcanicrocks. If viewed from a distance, the twotowers resemble petrified figures. Theslimmer of the towers is called theVirgin, the other the Old Woman. Bothof the towers serve as vantage pointsproviding fantastic views of the surroun-ding area.

BohemianParadise

The local system ofmarked hiking trailsmeasures almost fortythousand kilometres.

www.cesky-raj.info

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Bon Appetit!

The Czechs are very fond of excellent foodand drinks. Old Bohemian cuisine offers abroad selection of delicacies, ranging fromsimple meals, such as potato pancakes, torich plates of meat, such as the popularroast pork served with sauerkraut anddumplings. Very popular also are suchspecialities as sweet cottage cheesedumplings stuffed with fruit. Also worthtasting are traditional desserts, such asyeast buns and cakes filled with poppyseed, plum jam or cottage cheese.

Czech cuisineA restaurant in the Old Town of Prague

Traditional Czech mealsVineyards in the Pálava regionSweet cakes

Like brewing, viniculture has a long tra-dition in the Czech Lands. SouthernMoravia is the most famous wine--growing region, but vines also grow inareas located to the north of Prague.Especially praised are the local whitewines, with exclusive brands, so-calledwines with an attribute (made from thebest grapes available), competingsuccessfully at the most prestigiouswine fairs.The range of traditional foodstuffs,which no visitor to the Czech Republicshould miss, includes Olomoucké tva-růžky (small round curd cheese) – oneof the most aromatic, some would evensay smelly, kinds of cheese in the world– and slivovice (a 50% plum brandydistilled from plums).

The Brewing IndustryAs for beer, the Czechs are great na-tionalists indeed, but foreign loversof beer agree that Czech beer is oneof the best in the world. Thebranding pils or Pilsner, used bybreweries all over the world,derives, after all, from the name ofPlzeň, a town located in WesternBohemia. That is why the Czechs arelikely to claim that the true Pilsner isonly brewed in Plzeň, just as thegenuine champagne must comefrom the Champagne Region inFrance. A visit to a traditional Czechpub has even become part of theprogramme of official state visits.

Specialities of Czech cuisineinclude such delicaciesas sweet cottage cheesedumplings filled with fruit.

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The symbols of Czech Christmas include –apart from the Christmas tree and NativityScene – carp: fried coated carp served with po-tato salad forms the traditional Christmas Evemeal. Glass Christmas decorations, the manu-facturing of which has a long tradition in theCzech Lands, make a popular souvenir andcollector’s item.The Easter holidays are associated in thiscountry with what is called pomlázka, acustom which is unknown in other countries.Pomlázka is a rod plaited from several thinwillow sticks adorned with colourful ribbons.Tradition requires that every young girl issymbolically whipped with a pomlázka in orderto retain – like the sticks – her youth. Thosegoing carol-singing receive a traditional giftcalled kraslice (richly decorated hen’s eggs).During the Christmas and Easter holidayspopular fairs of traditional folk crafts are heldin Prague (in the Old Town Square) and manyother Czech towns.

Traditional Holidays

This project is financed partially by the European Union

Published by TERRA-KLUB, o. p. s., for CzechTourism

Text: © Jan SkřivánekTranslation: Ludmila Pušová

Photos: © Ivan Tichý, Václav Sojka, Jiří Poláček, CzechTourismEditor: Lenka Volaufová

Graphic design: Studio BESRCartography: ProGrafis Karel Kupka, Luděk Šídlo, Miloš TurekComposition, make-up, reprography, lithography: Studio BESR

Print: Česká unigrafie, a. s.© TERRA-KLUB, TERRA 2006

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Czech Republic Highlights

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