The Czech Republic boasts some wonderful countryside crisscrossed with thousands of kilometres of marked hiking trails,
an incredible number of historical sites, picturesque historical towns and world-famous spas where visitors come to be cured,
as well as to unwind. Places of natural beauty in the Czech Republic go hand in hand with manmade attractions making this
ountry a ‘superpower’ when it comes to places of interest. Visitors from around the world travel here for our culture,
history and architecture.
Perhaps the most telling fact is that 12 places of interest in Bohemia and Moravia have been included in UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites.
All of these places are easily accessible. Such a concentration of UNESCO sites cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The tourist season isn’t limited to a few months of the year either. It is possible to travel to the Czech Republic at any time of the year, and see for yourself what an ideal place it is for a weekend break or a full-blown holiday.
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Prague’s Historical centre, including most of the city’s major sites, became a UNESCO-listed site in 1992 and. This includes the historical Prague towns - the Old Town, Josefov, the New Town, Vyšehrad, Malá Strana, Hradcany with Prague castle dominating the skyline, Charles Bridge and countless churches and palaces. The grand medieval concept of the New Town to link up the existing towns, and Prague’s well preserved architectural heritage, underline the artistic and cultural importance of the city from medieval times to the present day.
The capital of the Czech Republic is a modern city and a treasure trove of building styles. The main place of interest in Prague is Prague Castle, silhouetted against the skyline. Prague’s typical panorama is enhanced by one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe. The noble features of Prague’s many palaces and the richness of its Baroque churches and gilt towers stay in the minds of visitors long after they have left.
The capital of the Czech Republic is a modern city and a treasure trove of building styles. The main place of interest in Prague is Prague Castle, silhouetted against the skyline. Prague’s typical panorama is enhanced by one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe. The noble features of Prague’s many palaces and the richness of its Baroque churches and gilt towers stay in the minds of visitors long after they have left.
Prague, unlike other cities, has never been comprehensively rebuilt, and has kept its charm thanks to 11 centuries of architecture. The entire historical centre is now a UNESCO listed site. There are over 2,000 buildings on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. Some of the oldest are the Celtic fort, the early Gothic Convent of St Agnes and the Brevnov Monastery. The most valuable site in Prague’s Jewish ghetto, the Old-New Synagogue, is one of the oldest in Europe. The Old Jewish Cemetery is also one of the most valued Jewish burial sites in Europe.
One of the most significant pieces of architecture in Brno is the Villa Tugendhat, one of only a handful of modern structures to be listed by UNESCO. The Villa Tugendhat, a unique piece of modern architecture, was built in 1929–1930 in Brno’s Cerná Pole District for Greta and Fritz Tugendhat. The project was entrusted to one of the most eminent architects in Europe at the time, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Brno is around 200km from Prague. The city is has historic ties with Vienna a mere 110km away.
Crooked lanes, idyllic spots and a unique komplex of town houses below an impressive castle which towers above the meandering River Vltava, superb exhibitions by world famous artists, concerts, music festivals, theatre performances, cosy pubs, cafes, medieval taverns, a mix of toursist from around the world – all this van be found in Ceský Krumlov, a small but cosmopolitan town blessed with an inimitable ambience and surrounded by unspoilt natural beauty. The town has been a UNESCO-listed site since 1992.
Ceský Krumlov is situated around 180km south of Prague near the border with Austria.
The protected village of Holašovice was added to UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage sites in 1998. Holašovice has an extraordinarily well-preserved historical village green with a symmetrical, medieval layout and numerous examples of brick-built rural structures dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. It represents a unique example of the so-called South Bohemian folk Baroque style in Europe.
Holašovice is situated 15km west of Ceské Budejovice.
The Archbishop’s Palace and the Podzámecká and Kvetná Gardens were added to UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites in 1998. This trio shows the interconnection of an early Baroque palace with its surrounding landscaped gardens.
Kromeríž is around 50km from Brno just off the Brno–Olomouc motorway.
The historical town centre, the Cathedral of St Barbora and the Cathedral of the Assumption in nearby Sedlec – these are the sites which UNESCO decided to include in its list of world cultural heritage sites in 1995 in the town of Kutná Hora. Kutná Hora is a medieval royal town which can thank the nearby silver mines for its erstwhile prosperity and grandeur. The high Gothic Cathedral of St Barbora is one of the finest examples of late medieval architecture in the country, as are the Gothic Cistercian chapel in Sedlec, given a makeover in the 18th century by Jan Blažej Santini.
Kutná Hora is situated 60km east of Prague.
The Lednice - Valtice area was added to UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage sites in 1996. Measuring 200km2, it is one of the largest manmade landscape projects in Europe. It was created from the 17th to the 20th century on an estate belonging to the Liechtenstein family. Along with the Baroque chateau in Valtice and the neo-Gothic chateau in Lednice, the area also contains numerous other neo-classical follies set in countryside shaped employing the principles of 19th century landscaping.
The villages of Valtice and Lednice can be found near the border with Austria and can be accessed from the (Prague–) Brno–Bratislava (–Vienna) motorway by turning off at Brno.
Litomyšl’s late 16th-century chateau is a superb example of Renaissance architecture inspired by Italian style. Despite alterations carried out to the interiors at the end of the 18th century, the chateau has kept its original Renaissance appearance almost intact including its unique sgraffito-decorated facades. A number of outbuildings and gardens have also survived. The chateau was added to UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites in 1999.
Litomyšl is located around 50km south-east of Hradec Králové on the main road out to Svitavy and Brno
Olomouc, the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic, a regional administrative centre and the seat of the Archbishop of Moravia, is also home to the second oldest university in the Czech lands, the Palacký University founded in 1573. The Trinity Column was added to UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites in 2000 and is the largest collection of Baroque statues in one piece of sculpture in central Europe. The Baroque column, erected in 1716–1754, is evidence of the manifest piety of the bishopric.
More than 900 years of history make Olomouc one of the highlights of the Czech Republic. In the heart of the city with its remarkably well-preserved medieval layout visitors will find the second largest protected urban reservation in the country, and the best-preserved historical centre in Moravia with many historically and architecturally important buildings.
Olomouc straddles the (Brno–) Vyškov–Ostrava road around 300km from Prague. Today the quickest way to reach Olomouc is by the SuperCity Pendolino train service which makes the journey in 2 hours.
Olomouc also has a medical university that accept international students and provides teaching in English language. Nitra Travel Agency will be able to provide more information about the university and its program.
The protected historical centre of Telc was added to UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage sites in 1992. Telc is a perfectly preserved small medieval town surrounded by protective lakes and dominated by a chateau which gained its current appearance thanks to two periods of reconstruction in the late Gothic and Renaissance eras. The square also has some impressive townhouse facades dating from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
The protected area of Trebíc, which became a UNESCO-listed site in 2003, includes the former Jewish Zámostí quarter, the Jewish cemetery to the north and the Basilica of St Procopius, part of a former Benedictine monastery. The town provides rare proof of the long-term peaceful coexistence of two cultures in medieval Moravia. The Jewish quarter, perfectly preserved in its spectacular location between the river and cliffs to the north of Trebíc’s town centre, developed from medieval times right up until the 20th century. The Romano-Gothic Basilica of St Procopius is a remarkable blend of European building styles from the mid 13th century.
Trebíc is located between the towns of Brno, Jihlava and Znojmo. Trebíc is 180 km from Prague and a mere 60km from Brno.
The historical town centre, the Cathedral of St Barbora and the Cathedral of the Assumption in nearby Sedlec – these are the sites which UNESCO decided to include in its list of world cultural heritage sites in 1995 in the town of Kutná Hora. Kutná Hora is a medieval royal town which can thank the nearby silver mines for its erstwhile prosperity and grandeur. The high Gothic Cathedral of St Barbora is one of the finest examples of late medieval architecture in the country, as are the Gothic Cistercian chapel in Sedlec, given a makeover in the 18th century by Jan Blažej Santini.
Kutná Hora is situated 60km east of Prague.