Czech Republic Czech Republic

Probably about the 5th century A.D. , Slavic tribes from the Vistula basin settled in the region of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. The Czechs founded the kingdom of Bohemia and the Premyslide dynasty, which ruled Bohemia and Moravia from the 10th to the 16th century. One of the Bohemian kings, Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, made Prague an imperial capital and a center of Latin scholarship. The Hussite movement founded by Jan Hus (1369?–1415) linked the Slavs to the Reformation and revived Czech nationalism, previously under German domination. A Hapsburg, Ferdinand I, ascended the throne in 1526. The Czechs rebelled in 1618, precipitating the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). Defeated in 1620, they were ruled for the next 300 years as part of the Austrian empire. Full independence from the Hapsburgs was not achieved until the end of World War I, following the collapse of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

A union of the Czech lands and Slovakia was proclaimed in Prague on Nov. 14, 1918, and the Czech nation became one of the two component parts of the newly formed Czechoslovakian state. In March 1939, German troops occupied Czechoslovakia, and Czech Bohemia and Moravia became German protectorates for the duration of World War II. The former government returned in April 1945 when the war ended and the country's pre-1938 boundaries were restored. When elections were held in 1946, Communists became the dominant political party and gained control of the Czechoslovakian government in 1948. Thereafter, the former democracy was turned into a Soviet-style state.

Nearly 42 years of Communist rule ended with the nearly bloodless “velvet revolution” in 1989. Václav Havel, a leading playwright and dissident, was elected president of Czechoslovakia in 1989. Havel, imprisoned twice by the Communist regime and his plays banned, became an international symbol for human rights, democracy, and peaceful dissent. The return of democratic political reform saw a strong Slovak nationalist movement emerge by the end of 1991, which sought independence for Slovakia. When the general elections of June 1992 failed to resolve the continuing coexistence of the two republics within the federation, Czech and Slovak political leaders agreed to separate their states into two fully independent nations. On Jan. 1, 1993, the Czechoslovakian federation was dissolved and two separate independent countries were established—the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in March 1999.

 

The Czech Republic's central European landscape is dominated by the Bohemian Massif, which rises to heights of 3,000 ft (900 m) above sea level. This ring of mountains encircles a large elevated basin, the Bohemian Plateau. The principal rivers are the Elbe and the Vltava.

 

 

Places to Visit in Czech Republic
 

  • Prague attractions
  • Znojmo attractions
  • Ceske Budejovice attractions
  • Cesky Krumlov attractions
  • Trebon attractions


Popular cities in Czech Republic

Bzenec, Kamenice nad Lipou, Mnisek pod Brdy, Stary Plzenec, Jemnice, Hluk, Milovice, Pohorelice, Dolni Benesov, Horni Sucha, Police Nad Metuji, Pecky, Cvikov, Horni Briza, Odolena Voda, Vizovice, Zlate Hory, Rozmital pod Tremsinem, Uhersky Ostroh, Petrovice U Karvine, Vracov, Hluboka Nad Vltavou, Oslavany, Hlubocky, Holysov, Ludgerovice, Trhove Sviny, Votice, Tremosna, Bakov nad Jizerou, Hostivice, Bojkovice, Dolni Lutyne, Cernosice, Vamberk, Kraliky, Postoloprty, Uvaly, Polna, Hostinne, Hermanuv Mestec, Velka Bites, Kdyne, Rousinov, Protivin, Bela pod Bezdezem, Mezibori, Adamov, Bystrice, Osek, Doksy, Nyrsko, Kunovice, Kynsperk nad Ohri, Valasske Klobouky, Zruc nad Sazavou, Nove Straseci, Pacov, Chlumec nad Cidlinou, Chropyne, Jilove, Frantiskovy Lazne, Rosice, Skutec, Habartov, Tynec Nad Sazavou, Plana, Ceska Skalice, Senov, Trebechovice pod Orebem, Ceska Kamenice, Kraluv Dvur, Stochov, Luhacovice, Sluknov, Dobrany, Horazdovice, Jilemnice, Slavkov u Brna, Hustopece, Bechyne, Upice, Roztoky, Jablunkov, Chrastava, Horni Slavkov, Straznice, Telc, Fulnek, Moravsky Krumlov, Podborany, Ledec, Lomnice nad Popelkou, Zamberk, Kostelec Nad Orlici, Slapanice, Holice, Vrbno pod Pradedem, Letohrad, Tyniste nad Orlici,

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