Portal:Czech Republic
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Vítejte na Českém portálu!
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The Czech Republic has a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,871 square kilometers (30,452 sq mi) with a mostly temperate continental and oceanic climate. The capital and largest city is Prague; other major cities and urban areas include Brno, Ostrava, Plzeň and Liberec.
The Duchy of Bohemia was founded in the late 9th century under Great Moravia. It was formally recognized as an Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire in 1002 and became a kingdom in 1198. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, all of the Crown lands of Bohemia were gradually integrated into the Habsburg monarchy. Nearly a hundred years later, the Protestant Bohemian Revolt led to the Thirty Years' War. After the Battle of White Mountain, the Habsburgs consolidated their rule. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Crown lands became part of the Austrian Empire.
In the 19th century, the Czech lands became more industrialized, and in 1918 most of it became part of the First Czechoslovak Republic following the collapse of Austria-Hungary after World War I. Czechoslovakia was the only country in Central and Eastern Europe to remain a parliamentary democracy during the entirety of the interwar period. After the Munich Agreement in 1938, Nazi Germany systematically took control over the Czech lands.
Czechoslovakia was restored in 1945 and three years later became an Eastern Bloc communist state following a coup d'état in 1948. Attempts to liberalize the government and economy were suppressed by a Soviet-led invasion of the country during the Prague Spring in 1968. In November 1989, the Velvet Revolution ended communist rule in the country and restored democracy. On 31 December 1992, Czechoslovakia was peacefully dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The Czech Republic is a unitary parliamentary republic and developed country with an advanced, high-income social market economy. It is a welfare state with a European social model, universal health care and free-tuition university education. It ranks 32nd in the Human Development Index. The Czech Republic is a member of the United Nations, NATO, the European Union, the OECD, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group. (Full article...)
Selected article -
The Giant Mountains, Krkonoše, or Karkonosze (Czech: [ˈkr̩konoʃɛ] ⓘ, Polish pronunciation: [karkɔˈnɔʂɛ] ⓘ, German: Riesengebirge pronounced [ˈʁiːzn̩ɡəˌbɪʁɡə] ⓘ), are a mountain range located in the north of the Czech Republic and the south-west of Poland, part of the Sudetes mountain system (part of the Bohemian Massif). The Czech-Polish border, which divides the historic regions of Bohemia and Silesia, runs along the main ridge. The highest peak, Sněžka (Polish: Śnieżka), is the Czech Republic's highest natural point with an elevation of 1,603 metres (5,259 ft).
On both sides of the border, large areas of the mountains are designated national parks (Krkonoše National Park in the Czech Republic and Karkonosze National Park in Poland), and these together comprise the Krkonoše/Karkonosze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. The source of the River Elbe is within the Giant Mountains. The range has a number of major ski resorts, and is a popular destination for tourists engaging in downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking, cycling and other activities. (Full article...)Selected picture
Source: Národní Galerie v Praze, PD
In this month
- 5 April 1937 – Prague Václav Havel Airport(pictured) opens as Prague Ruzyně Airport
- 7 April 1348 – Charles University in Pragueis founded
- 17 April 1969 – First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubček, is replaced by Gustáv Husák
- 18 April 1920 – The first parliamentary electionsare held in Czechoslovakia
- 26 April 1945 – The Red Army liberates the city of Brno at the end of World War II
Categories
Selected biography -
Did you know?
- ... that in 2005 Intangible Cultural Heritageof Mankind?
- ... that the Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic is the highest award presented by the Czech Minister of Defence?
- ... that Juventus?
- ... that Czech Karel Robětín was not only an Olympian and national tennis champion but also an international paper industry tycoon?
General images
- Detailed map of Bohemia, 1742 (from
- Monument to
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George of Podebrady, one of the first promoters of united Europe (from History of the Czech lands)King
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Václav Havel, playwright, dissident and president from 1989 to 2003 (from History of the Czech lands)
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Copper engraving of theMatthäus Merian. (from History of the Czech lands)
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Beheading of 27 Bohemian nobles at the Old Town Square in Prague, 1621 (contemporary illustration) (from History of the Czech lands)
- Dacian Influence over Bohemia (from
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Maria Theresa (reignet 1740–1780) (from History of the Czech lands)Empress
- Hroby Nature Monument in
- Bohemia (westernmost area) in Czechoslovakia 1918–1938 (from
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Pilsner Urquell in a branded mug (from Czech cuisine)
- Zelňačka (from
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Great Moravia during the reign ofSvatopluk I (from History of the Czech lands)
- A panorama of
- Fried cheese, served with tartar sauce and side salad (from
- Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (Roast
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Prague, consisting of roast duck, roast pork, beer sausage, smoked meat, red and white cabbage, bread, bacon and potato dumplings. (from Czech cuisine)A "traditional Bohemian platter" at a restaurant in central
- Lands of the Bohemian Crown (until 1635), map by Josef Pekař, 1921 (from
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Urnfield culture, c. 1200 BC (from History of the Czech lands)Bronze sword,
- Cubist architecture in Prague (from
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Řežabinec a Řežabinecké tůně National Nature Reserve (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
- Church of Saint Agnes of Bohemia (Spořilov) (from
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Obložené chlebíčky, a type of snack or appetizer (from Czech cuisine)
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Semi-detached villa inInternational style. (from Czech architecture)
- Grand Café Orient in Prague (from
- The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia (from
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Saint Wenceslas, Czech prince (from History of the Czech lands)
- Writer
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Moravian Wallachia (from Czech cuisine)Frgál, a type of koláč baked in
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St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle, John of Luxembourg laid the foundation stone in 1344 (from History of the Czech lands)
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Francis Joseph I. (reigned 1848–1916) (from History of the Czech lands)Emperor
- Christmas cookies (vánoční cukroví) (from
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Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, philosopher, Czechoslovak president in the years 1918-1935 (from History of the Czech lands)
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Přemyslid dynasty (until 1253–1262) (from Bohemia)The coat of arms of the
- Map of protected areas of the Czech Republic: national parks (grey) and protected landscape areas (green) (from
- Prague-style beef goulash (from
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Vladislaus Hall at the Prague Castle, built from 1490 to 1502 by Benedikt Rejt (from History of the Czech lands)
- Adria Palace (Prague) (from
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Karlovy Vary (from Bohemia)Bohemian city
- Russian occupation in 1968 (from
- The extent of the Protestant Reformation (1545–1620) (from
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1930) (from Bohemia)Linguistic map of interwar Czechoslovakia (c.
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Baroque St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana, built between 1704 and 1755 (from History of the Czech lands)
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Clementinum, a former Jesuit College, built in 1722 (from History of the Czech lands)Library of
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hermelín (marinated cheese) (from Czech cuisine)Nakládaný
- Buděticko Nature Park with
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Congress of Vienna in 1815 (from History of the Czech lands)Europe after the
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Emil Králíček, Jungmannovo náměstí, next to the Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Snows (Prague) (from Czech architecture)Cubist lamp by
- Duchy of Bohemia, around 1029 (from
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Ottokar II, Wenceslas II and Wenceslas III from the Přemyslid dynasty (from History of the Czech lands)Czech kings
- The radical Hussites became known as
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Kačina Castle in Chotkov (from Czech architecture)
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potato pancakes) (from Czech cuisine)Fried bramboráky (
- An 1892 map showing Bohemia proper outlined in pink,
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Transgas building, demolished in 2019 (from Czech architecture)Iconic brutalist
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Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1273 (from History of the Czech lands)Territories ruled by
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Lidice murdered by the Nazis (from History of the Czech lands)Monument to the village of
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Venus of Dolní Věstonice, the oldest ceramic article in the world (from History of the Czech lands)
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Kingdom of Bohemia in 1618 with other Bohemian Crown lands within the Holy Roman Empire (1618). (from Bohemia)The
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National Theater from 1881 (from History of the Czech lands)The
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Territory under the control of thePřemyslids, c. 1301 (from History of the Czech lands)
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John Amos Comenius (1592-1670), Czech philosopher and school reformer (from History of the Czech lands)
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strudel with raisins (from Czech cuisine)Apple
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First Czechoslovak Republic (1918-1938) (from History of the Czech lands)The
- Bohemia as the heart of
- Emperor and King
- A panorama of
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Mount Říp (from History of the Czech lands)
- Entrance to Moravian Karst PLA (from
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Svíčková na smetaně (Marinated tenderloin), served here with dumplings and cream (from Czech cuisine)
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Korozluky Castle (from Czech architecture)
Related portals
Topics
Czech lands: Bohemia • Moravia • Czech Silesia
Geography: Lakes • Protected areas • Regions • Rivers
Law: Judiciary • Law enforcement • Supreme Court of the Czech Republic
Politics: Administrative divisions • Government • Constitution • Elections • Foreign relations • Army • Parliament • Political parties • President • Prime Minister
Economy: Banks • Czech koruna • Energy • Oil and gas deposits • Stock Exchange • Tourism • Transport
Culture: Architecture • Art • Cinema • Cuisine • Demographics • Education • Language • Literature • Media • Music • Philosophy • Prostitution • Public holidays • Religion • Sport • Television • Video games
Symbols: Flag • Coat of arms • National anthem (Kde domov můj)
Lists: Outline of the Czech Republic • List of Czech Republic–related topics
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