2. Part I-Tourist attractions in the Czech Republic -7 regions
Předmět:
The Tourist Attractions in the Czech Republic and in the World
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Europe and Czech Republic
              Fig. 1: EUROPEAN MAP
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Source: https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm
qThe Vatican is Europe's smallest country
qEurope's highest point is Mt. Elbrus in Russia
qEurope's lowest point is the Caspian Sea bordering Russia
    (If European Russian is excluded, the highest and lowest stats shown below apply to continental
western Europe)
qEurope's highest point is Mt. Blanc in France and Italy

Czech Republic
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qThe Czech Republic (Czechia) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders on Germany in
the west, Austria in the south, Slovakia in the east and Poland in the north.
qThe territory of the Czech Republic consists of three historical lands: Bohemia, Moravia and Czech
Silesia.
qThe Czech Republic, with a total area of approximately 79,000 km2, is divided into 14 territorial
administration units, called regions.
qThese regions are: Prague, South Bohemia, South Moravia, Karlovy Vary, Hradec Králové, Liberec,
Moravia-Silesia, Olomouc, Pardubice, Plzeň, Central Bohemia, Ustí nad Labem, Zlín and Vysočina.
qOn Sunday, 28 October 2018, the Czech Republic will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
foundation of independent Czechoslovakia.

Geography of the Czech Republic
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qNational parks: Krkonoše, Šumava, Podyjí, Bohemian Switzerland
qLakes: Black (Šumava), Čertovo (Plzeň), Laka (Šumava), Plešné (Šumava)
qPonds: Rožmberk (Třeboň, the largest pond of the world), Svět (Třeboň), Bezdrev (České
Budějovice,)
qValleys, lowlands, high grounds (the Bohemian-Moravian Highland) and mountain ranges
qthe Šumava mountains (primeval forest Boubín)
qthe Krkonoše mountains- Sněžka, the Lužické mountains , the Jizerské mountains
qThe longest river: the Vltava
qThe Elbe - major Central European river
qthe Odra, the Morava
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The main tourist attractions in Prague
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qPrague, Czech Praha, city, capital of the Czech Republic.
qLying at the heart of Europe, it is one of the continent’s finest cities and the major Czech
economic and cultural centre. The city has a rich architectural heritage that reflects both the
uncertain currents of history in Bohemia and an urban life extending back more than 1,000 years.
qThe Capital city of the Czech Republic is Prague.  There are a lot of historical buildings. For
example:
üThe Czech Museum of Music is located in the former Baroque church of St. Mary Magdalene, built in
the 17th Century.
üCharles Bridge (Karlův most) is a 14th century stone bridge linking the two sides of Prague. This
magnificent structure, one of the city's finest attractions, is the main pedestrian route
connecting the Old Town with the Lesser Town / Prague Castle.
üDancing House (Tančící dům) is set in a fine location by the Vltava River in Prague. Its design is
unique, and especially striking in the city centre because it is a modern building surrounded by
historic architecture.

The main tourist attractions in Prague
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üThe Estates Theatre in Prague opened in 1783. It is Prague's oldest theatre and finest
neo-classical building. Indeed, it is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in the whole of
Europe.
üGolden Lane (Zlatá ulička) is an ancient street within the Prague Castle complex. Golden Lane
dates from the 15th Century and has a beautiful, olden world quaintness about it. It comprises 11
historic houses, inside which period scenes have been created to show the life of the artisans who
once worked, ate, drank and slept in them.
üThe Klementinum founded in 1232, the Klementinum in Prague is the largest and most historic
complex of buildings in the Old Town. It covers an area of over two hectares close to the Vltava
River, near Charles Bridge. The Klementinum (Clementinum) has undergone a rich architectural
evolution. Since the Middle Ages many of Europe's great astronomers, scientists, philosophers and
musicians have studied and worked here, influencing the development of its wonderful array of
buildings.

The main tourist attractions in South Bohemia
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qSouth Bohemia is A landscape of forests and fishponds with beautiful countryside, fairytale
chateaux and rural farms.
qThe region borders (from the west clockwise) the regions Plzeň, Central Bohemia, Vysocina and
South Moravia. To the south it borders Austria and Germany. Until 30 May 2001, the region was named
as Budějovický kraj or Českobudějovický kraj, after its capital, České Budějovice.
qThe Trebon Region (Třeboňsko) is famous for its unique network of fishponds and canals. Most of
the 460 fishponds in the area were built in the 16th century. With its milieu of ancient
waterworks, the soulful calls of water birds, the healing peat bogs, peaceful pine forests and
traditional village architecture, the Trebon Region is among the foremost jewels of South Bohemia.
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The main tourist attractions in South Bohemia
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qČeský Krumlov In the southernmost part of the Czech Republic there is a region which is an ideal
place to experience some highly interesting adventures.
qIts centre is the town of Český Krumlov which, although not large in size, is all the more
attractive due to its bewitching atmosphere that harks back to ancient times. Thanks to its unique
medieval buildings it has been rightly protected by UNESCO since 1992.
qThe village Holašovice was first mentioned in the mid-13th century during the period of the
colonising movements in the South Bohemian border region. Holašovice is an exceptionally
well-preserved example of a traditional Central European village. A number of high-quality village
buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries in a style known as „South Bohemian Folk Baroque“ have
been preserved on a ground plan that dates from the middle ages and in 1998 the almost entirely
preserved medieval system of houses and grain stores was inscribed in the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage List.

The main tourist attractions in South Moravia
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qSouth Moravia offers not only great wine, but also natural wonders and many cultural monuments.
qSouth Moravia is the warmest and most fertile region in the Czech Republic and you can also find
the oldest traces of settlement in the Czech territory there.
qIt is a place worth visiting both for those who love nature and those who are interested in
cultural monuments.
qSouth Moravia prides itself on numerous cultural, historic, religious, and natural jewels, some of
which are listed as UNESCO heritage sites.
qAdmirers of historic and Jewish monuments, as well as modern architecture will be satisfied. Among
the most significant monuments are Villa Tugendhat, the functionalist jewel in Brno, and the
Lednice-Valtice Area, a unique “man-designed landscape” with the Lednice and Valtice Chateaux as
the biggest landmarks.

The main tourist attractions in South Moravia
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qHistory enthusiasts can visit the Špilberk Castle in Brno, the Slavkov (Austerlitz) Chateau and
adjoining Napoleonic battlefield, or the fairytale Gothic-Renaissance Pernštejn Castle.
qThe region may also pride itself on its unique beauties of nature. The Moravian Karst protected
area with fascinating dripstone formations will amaze all its visitors.
qThe Bílé Karpaty (White Carpathians) and Pálava UNESCO biosphere reserves, and the Podyjí (Thaya
River area) National Park along the Austrian border offer numerous experiences to lovers of
unspoiled nature.
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The main tourist attractions in Karlovy Vary
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qThe Karlovy Vary Region or Carlsbad Region (Czech: Karlovarský kraj) is an administrative unit
(Czech: kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the westernmost part of its historical region of
Bohemia. It is named after its capital Karlovy Vary.
qThe region is well known for its spas and is responsible over half of the county's spa industry.
qTwelve spas can be found in the city of Karlovy Vary alone. Other famous spa towns in the region
include Františkovy Lázně, Mariánské Lázně, Lázně Kynžvart and Jáchymov.
qThe spas are visited not only by Czechs but by people from the rest of Europe, Russia, Israel and
North America as well.
qKarlovy Vary spa wafers, a food item from the region, was awarded protected designation of origin
(PDO) status by the European Commission in 2011.
qThe water from the region is used in locally produced beverages including Mattoni from Karlovy
Vary and Aquila from the village of Kyselka.

The main tourist attractions in Karlovy Vary
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q The Orthodox Church of St. Peter and Paul - Built in 1898, the lovely Orthodox Church of St.
Peter and Paul is well worth a visit. Despite being in an area of Karlovy Vary known for its
beautiful Art Nouveau villas, this splendid old church manages to stand out thanks to its tall
golden domes and rich blue roof. Based on the design of a Byzantine church in Moscow and built with
funds provided by wealthy Russians visiting the spas, the church's interior - laid out in the shape
of a Greek cross - is as attractive as its façade and includes such notable features as a relief of
Czar Peter the Great, numerous murals, and a large wooden wall of icons and paintings.
qA good place to learn more about the history of the town and the region is the Karlovy Vary
Museum. Highlights of the museum's permanent collection include an in-depth look at the region's
rise as an important spa town, as well as the waters themselves and their many therapeutic uses and
qualities, including their mineral compositions. The facility also houses an important library with
many books related not just to balneology (the study of spa waters), but also to the history of
art, along with lectures and educational workshops.

The main tourist attractions in Hradec Králové
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qThe Region of Hradec Králové is situated in northeastern Bohemia and covers the territory of the
following five districts: Hradec Králové, Jičín, Náchod, Rychnov nad Kněžnou and Trutnov.
qIn the north it borders with the Liberec Region, to the west with the Central Bohemia region and
to the south with the Pardubice Region. The part of its northern and eastern border is as well the
state frontier with the Polish republic.
qThe Hradec Králové Region boasts plenty of natural attractions, such as the Krkonoše National Park
with the highest mountain in the Czech Republic, Sněžka and the fascinating sandstone rock towns.
qThere are also a large number of chateaus, castles and other cultural, architectural and
historical monuments. These attractions, combined with ideal conditions for hiking, biking, water
sports or skiing, attract many visitors of all ages year round not only from the Czech Republic but
also from abroad.

The main tourist attractions in Hradec Králové
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qVisitors to this area can admire a number of tourist attractions and enjoy various interesting
activities.
qWhether you choose to visit the open-air textbook of architecture - Hradec Králové, romantic
chateaux, an interesting open-air museum, mechanical nativity scene, War Museum or Baroque Chapel,
in all of these places there is plenty to see.
qCathedral of the Holy Ghost - The cathedral was founded probably by Queen Elizabeth Rejčka in
1308. It is a brick building with two towers in a Gothic style. Throughout its history, burned down
several times and was always rennovated. At the end of the 19th century there were a pseudo-gothic
reconstruction. There are located busts of queens Elizabeth Richeza and Elizabeth of Pomerania in
the royal hall.
qHradec Králové - synagogue - The building was designed in the Moorish style Václav Weinzettel and
was built as a replacement for the synagogue, which was built in the yard of a rabbinic house in
Rokytanská Street. The building houses a large prayer hall, apartment for the rabbi, shamash,
caretaker and a meeting room with an archive

The main tourist attractions in Liberec
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qLiberec region is located in the northernmost part of its historical region of Bohemia. It is
named after its capital Liberec.
qThe region shares international borders with Germany and Poland. Domestically the region borders
the Ústí nad Labem Region to the west, the Central Bohemian Region to the south and the Hradec
Králové Region to the east.
qThe region's landscape includes the Jizera Mountains, part of the Krkonoše Mountains and part of
the Lusatian Mountains.
qThe Liberec Region is home to 11 national cultural monuments including Bezděz Castle, Dlaskův
statek in Dolánky u Turnova and the Ještěd Tower which transmits television signals as well as
being a hotel.
qA Neolithic site dating to around 4,500 BC was uncovered in 2007 near the village of Příšovice.
qLake Mácha near the town of Doksy is an important regional centre for leisure, attracting around
30,000 visitors annually.
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The main tourist attractions in the Moravian – Silesian region
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qThe region is located in the north-eastern part of its historical region of Moravia and in most of
the Czech part of the historical region of Silesia.
qThe region borders the Olomouc Region to the west and the Zlín Region to the south.
qIt also borders two other countries – Poland (Opole and Silesian Voivodeships) to the north and
Slovakia (Žilina Region) to the east.
qIn the west lie the Hrubý Jeseník mountains, with the highest mountain of the region (and all
Moravia), Praděd, rising 1,491 metres (4,892 ft).
qThe mountains are heavily forested, with many spectacular places and famous spas such as Karlova
Studánka and Jeseník and are therefore very popular with tourists. There are also several ski
resorts, including Červenohorské Sedlo and Ovčárna, with long-lasting snow cover. The Hrubý Jeseník
mountains slowly merge into the rolling hills of the Nízký Jeseníks and Oderské Vrchy, rising to
800 m at Slunečná and 680 m at Fidlův Kopec respectively.
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The main tourist attractions in the Moravian – Silesian region
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qTo the east, the landscape gradually descends into the Moravian Gate (Moravská brána) valley with
the Bečva and Odra rivers.
qThe former flows to the south-west, the latter to the north-east, where the terrain spreads into
the flat Ostrava and Opava basins (Ostravská a Opavská pánev), where most of the population lives.
The region's heavy industry, which has been in decline for the last decade, is located there too,
benefiting from huge deposits of hard coal. The confluence of the rivers Odra and Olše is the
lowest point of the region, at 195 m.
qTo the south-east, towards the Slovakian border, the landscape sharply rises into the
Moravian-Silesian Beskids (Czech: Moravskoskoslezské Beskydy) (often referred to just as Beskydy),
with its highest mountain Lysá Hora at 1,323 m (4,341 ft), which is the place with the highest
annual rainfall in the Czech Republic.
qThere are three large Landscape Protected Areas (Chráněné krajinné oblasti, CHKO) and a number of
smaller nature reserves in the region. The countryside is mostly man-made, but there are five
Natural Parks (Přírodní parky) with preserved natural scenery.

The main tourist attractions in the Moravian – Silesian region
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qThe CHKO Jeseníky (with an area of 745 km2 or 288 sq mi) lies in the mountain range of the same
name in the north east of the region.
qThe CHKO Poodří (81.5 km2 or 31.5 sq mi) lies in the Moravian Gate, in close proximity to the
region's capital Ostrava, on the banks of the meandering Odra.
qThe CHKO Beskydy (1,160 km2 or 450 sq mi) is the largest Czech CHKO. It lies in the south-east of
the region, along the Slovakian boundary. In the north, the mountains rise steeply from the Ostrava
basin, to the south their elevation and severity decreases.
qThere are three towns with protected historical centers. Příbor, the birthplace of Sigmund Freud,
was an important center of education for northern Moravia from the 17th century to the first half
of the 20th.
qNový Jičín, founded under the castle of Starý Jičín, has a well-preserved central square dating
back to the 14th century, with the Žerotínský château nearby.
qŠtramberk is a unique small town nestled in a valley between lime hills, with many timber houses
and the Trúba Spire rising on a hill above the town.
qothers.

The main tourist attractions in the Moravian – Silesian region
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qThere are many castles and châteaus in the region; the most famous being Hradec nad Moravicí,
Raduň, Kravaře and Fulnek. Hukvaldy, in a village of the same name under the Moravian-Silesian
Beskids, is one the region's many castle ruins, known for a musical festival dedicated to the
composer Leoš Janáček, who was born there. Another well-known castle ruin is Sovinec under the
Hrubý Jeseníks.
qDue to the importance of industry in the region, there are many museums displaying products of
local technical development: The Automobile Museum in Kopřivnice exhibiting the history of the
Tatra cars, the Train Carriage Museum in Studénka, the Mining Museum and the former Michal Mine
(Důl Michal) in Ostrava, and many others.
qSilesian Ostrava Castle is located in Ostrava -  The castle was built by a Těšín prince from the
Piastovec family as a borderland fortress against the Czech state in the second half of the 13th
century. It was converted during the Renaissance and the entrance gate with a tower dating back to
the 16th century has been preserved until this very day.

The main tourist attractions in the Moravian – Silesian region
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qAt the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, in the place where visitors to Karvina currently
admire Fryštát, there originally stood a wooden castle.
qIt was built here by the Piasts (the Polish monarchs) to be their second residence - the first was
in Těšín (Cieszyn).
qThe empirical chateau, which achieved its current form due to the family of Larisch-Mönnich, is
the pride of Karviná and the entire area of Těšín (Cieszyn) Silesia. Visitors can choose from
several visitor's tours to see how the chambers and salons looked when inhabited by the nobility.
qThe leaning Church of St Peter of Alcantara – the “Czech Pisa” - The ground where this church
stands has sunk by 37 metres in just a few decades due to the collapse of mine tunnels under the
site. Now the church is leaning 6.8 degrees to the south – but it is still standing, and it has
become a unique and renowned tourist attraction.

Selected sources:
qCzech Republic - the official travel site  available from http://www.czechtourism.com/a.
qKAJZAR, P., 2015. Vybrané kapitoly z geografie cestovního ruchu. Karviná: SU OPF.ISBN
978-80-7510-156-3.
qSTEVES, R. and H. VIHAN, 2015. Prague and the Czech Republic. Rick Steves. ISBN 978-16-312-105-56.
qUNESCO, 2009. World Heritage Sites: A Complete Guide to 878 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Firefly
Books. ISBN 978-1-55407-463-1.
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