Czech Republic - Breathtaking View
Subscribe here
for more music and videos
The Czech Republic (officially known by its short name, Czechia) is a small landlocked country in Central Europe, situated southeast of Germany and bordering Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia to the southeast.
The Czech Republic is not a geographically large country, but it has a rich and eventful history. From time immemorial, Czechs, Germans, Jews and Slovaks, as well as Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon’s army, have all lived and worked here, all influencing one another. For centuries they jointly cultivated their land, creating works that still command respect and admiration today. It is thanks to their inventiveness and skill that this small country is graced with hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and even entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive artifacts. The Czech Republic contains a vast amount of architectural treasure, as well as beautiful forests and mountains to match.
Regions:
The Czech Republic has 14 political regions (kraj) which can be grouped together into eight general regions:
Central Bohemia (Prague, Kutná Hora, Karlštejn)
The metropolitan centre of the Czech Republic with its capital city, known for its river valleys, extinct volcanic mounds, and green pastures.
West Bohemia (Pilsen, Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, Františkovy Lázně)
A forested and mountainous region, home of the pilsner beer, numerous spas towns, and the Bohemian Forest (Šumava).
North Bohemia (Liberec, Ústí nad Labem, Děčín, Bohemian Paradise)
A mountainous and coal mining region with a strong industrial past, and the location of the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory) and parts of the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše). Site to numerous winter resorts.
East Bohemia (Hradec Králové, Pardubice, Litomyšl, Špindlerův Mlýn)
Main location of the highly-popular Giant Mountains (Krkonoše) and the Czech Republic's highest peak, Sněžka.
South Bohemia (České Budějovice, Český Krumlov, Třeboň)
Hilly, forested landscapes, and the source of the Vltava River. A highly popular area for rafters in the summer.
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (Telč, Třebíč, Žďár nad Sázavou)
A very green and uneven region, considered the geographic heart of the country.
North Moravia (Ostrava, Olomouc, Opava, Litovel)
A highly industrial region which includes Czech Silesia, although dotted with beautiful hills and mountains.
South Moravia (Brno, Znojmo, Zlín, Lednice-Valtice)
Well-known for its rural and slow pace of life, warm summers, rolling vineyards, and its potent plum brandy (slivovice).
Cities:
Prague (Praha) — the country's capital and largest city, and one of Europe's premier tourist destinations. Its large and beautiful historical core is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Brno — the largest city in Moravia and the republic's second city, with several excellent museums, an accessible old town, a stunning cathedral, and the annual Grand Prix.
České Budějovice – known also as Budweis, an attractive city in South Bohemia with an impressive old town square.
Český Krumlov — a stunning medieval and Renaissance town in South Bohemia, home to the country's second largest palace, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Karlovy Vary — a historic spa resort and the republic's largest, especially popular with German and Russian tourists, and the site of the country's most prestigious film festival.
Kutná Hora — a historical medieval town in Central Bohemia, home to St. Barbara's Church, old silver mines, and the Sedlec Ossuary, decorated with tens of thousands of human remains. Its attractions are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Olomouc — a riverside university town with a thousand-year history, and the second largest historical centre in the Czech Republic after Prague.
Ostrava — a vibrant and sometimes gritty blue collar city with a strong subculture, and a long history of coal mining and steel production.
Opava — the former capital of Silesia.
Pilsen (Plzeň) — home of the original Pilsner Urquell beer and the Škoda Works, and the largest city in West Bohemia.
Telč — a perfectly preserved Renaissance town centre surrounded by shallow man-made lakes. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Zlín - Beautiful example of functionalistic architecture inspired by garden cities of Le Corbusier and rebuilt by Baťa shoemaker family. The town is set in small hills, nature, zoo and spa literally behind a hill.
#czechrepublic #czechia #travel