Czech Republic - Czech towns and cities

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Czech towns and cities

You will find history in the Czech Republic literally on every corner. The oldest cities were founded during the Middle Ages at the crossroads of trading routes. Coins were minted in them, heavy metals were mined and beer was brewed. Some towns, such as Tábor, were even established as a result of religious reformation. You may easily be able to recognize the most well known and oldest - all of them are located three hours by car from the Capital City of Prague.

Prague (Praha)

Hundred-spired Prague, Prague – the mother of cities, magical Prague. These are just three titles which the capital of the Czech Republic proudly wears. Since the very beginnings of the Czech state, it has been its natural political, business and cultural centre. This historic yet modern city is more than 1,000 years old. It has an extraordinary charm about it which can be sensed in every season. Its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site speaks for its worth.

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Brno

The second largest town in the country and Moravia’s traditional capital, Brno was also the historic seat of the Přemyslid dynasty. King Wenceslas I awarded Brno municipal status as early as 1243.
The city’s skyline is dominated by the Špilberk castle, where an early-Gothic palace with two chapels is still standing.

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Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov is a unique architectural jewel, whose importance is underlined by the fact that it was included in the UNESCO List of the World Cultural Heritage in 1992. Above the meanders of the river Vltava a unique complex of municipal housing developed, mainly in the 16th century, along with an extensive castle and chateau complex, the second largest in the country after...

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Olomouc

Located roughly alfway between Prague and Krakow, Olomouc boasts a concentration of Baroque architecture second only to Prague. Olomouc was founded as a royal town near the river Morava in the early 13th century. The history of settlements here is much older. In the mid-11th century a Przemyslid castle is mention; the Moravian bishopric was founded here at that time. There are...

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Plzeň (Pilsen)

The West-Bohemian metropolis with 170,000 inhabitants is the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic. Its historical predecessor was a former watch castle dated from the 10th century on the place of the recent Starý Plzenec. The pre-Romanesque Rotunda of St. Peter dates back to that period. In the late 13th century, a new royal town ground plan was built on the confluence of four rivers –...

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České Budějovice

České Budějovice was founded in 1265 on the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers by King Přemysl Otakar II. The city has a chessboard layout. The 13th-century Dominican monastery with the Cloister Church of the Sacrifice of the Virgin Mary features important Gothic frescoes, which were discovered only recently. Not far from here, the Renaissance-era Butchers‘ Shops (Masné krámy) provide a...

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Telč

Reflected in the surface of placid ponds, the picturesque town of Telč is a true real pearl of the Vysočina region. The ancient royal water fort was founded here in the 13th century on the crossroad of busy merchants´ routes. Besides the monumental Renaissance chateau with an English park, the most significant sight is the town square – a unique complex of historical houses in the Renaissance...

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Hradec Králové

Hradec Kralove is among the oldest Bohemian towns. It was built on the place of an old Slavic settlement and historical sources date it back to 1225. In the Middle Ages it was a dowry town of Czech queens. From the 14th century the brick Cathedral of the Holy Ghost has been preserved, while the neighbouring White Tower was built in the 16th century. In the period of Rococo the town...

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Litomyšl

Litomyšl received town status as early as the mid-13th century, and its importance was strengthened 100 years later by the establishment of the second bishopric in Bohemia. The town is characteristic by its elongated street-square surrounded by rows of burgers’ houses; the most significant one is the Renaissance house “U rytířů” with valuable stone-carving decoration. The main...

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Terezín

Emperor Josef II founded this town near Litoměřice in the late 18th century. It is an outstanding example of a military fort in the style of Classicist architecture. The complex consists of three parts – the main fortress with the garrison town, the so-called Small fortress and the Upper and Lower “Water gates”. The garrison town has a regular ground plan with a central town square and a Classicist church built in the early 19th century.

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View other towns and cities

Czech towns are distinguished above all by the preserved historical centres, which in addition to town houses are usually dominated by a Catholic church. Some squares are purely Gothic, while others express Renaissance or Baroque styles, but all such towns have their own unmistakeable atmosphere and are steeped in history. Do make sure you visit some of them.

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Contacts

Czech Tourist Authority - CzechTourism
13 Harley Street
London W1G9QG
UNITED KINGDOM

Tel: + 44 207 631 04 27
Fax: + 44 207 631 04 19
Contact person: Mr Jan Mlčák
E-mail: info-uk@czechtourism.com
Web: http://uk.czechtourism.com
Business Hours: Our office is open to public 10 am to 5 pm on weekdays.

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