Portal:Czech Republic

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Welcome to the Czech Portal!
Vítejte na Českém portálu!

The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country 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 Estate of the Holy Roman Empire in 1002 and became a kingdom in 1198. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, all of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown 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; further, in 1918, most of the country 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...)

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The native German-speaking regions in 1930, within the borders of the current Czech Republic, which in the interwar period were referred to as the Sudetenland

The Sudetenland (/suːˈdeɪtənlænd/ ^ⓘ soo-DAY-tən-land, German: [zuˈdeːtn̩ˌlant]; Czech and Slovak: Sudety) is the historical German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the border districts of Bohemia, Moravia, and Czech Silesia since the Middle Ages. Since the 9th century the Sudetenland had been an integral part of the Czech state (first within the Duchy of Bohemia and later the Kingdom of Bohemia) both geographically and politically.

The word "Sudetenland" did not come into being until the early part of the 20th century and did not come to prominence until almost two decades into the century, after World War I, when Austria-Hungary was dismembered and the Sudeten Germans found themselves living in the new country of Czechoslovakia. The Sudeten crisis of 1938 was provoked by the Pan-Germanist demands of Nazi Germany that the Sudetenland be annexed to Germany, which happened after the later Munich Agreement. Part of the borderland was invaded and annexed by Poland. Afterwards, the formerly unrecognized Sudetenland became an administrative division of Germany. When Czechoslovakia was reconstituted after World War II, the Sudeten Germans were expelled and the region today is inhabited almost exclusively by Czech speakers. (Full article...)

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Satellite image of the Czech Republic

Photographer: NASA; License: Public domain

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In this month

14 November 1960 – The deadliest rail disaster in Czech history takes place in Eastern Bohemia, resulting in 118 deaths
14 November 1918 – Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (pictured) becomes the first President of Czechoslovakia
17 November 1939 – Nazi Germany storms Czech universities, executing nine students and professors, later commemorated as International Students' Day
17 November 1989 – The Velvet Revolution starts in Prague, culminating in the end of 41 years of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia
24 November 1966 – The deadliest air disaster in Czechoslovakia takes place near Bratislava, killing all 82 on board

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Bedřich Smetana (/ˌbɛdərʒɪx ˈsmɛtənə/ BED-ər-zhikh SMET-ə-nə; Czech: [ˈbɛdr̝ɪx ˈsmɛtana] ^ⓘ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival". He has been regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music. Internationally he is best known for his 1866 opera The Bartered Bride and for the symphonic cycle Má vlast ("My Fatherland"), which portrays the history, legends and landscape of the composer's native Bohemia. It contains the famous symphonic poem "Vltava", also popularly known by its German name "Die Moldau" (in English, "The Moldau").

Smetana was naturally gifted as a composer, and gave his first public performance at the age of six. After conventional schooling, he studied music under Josef Proksch in Prague. His first nationalistic music was written during the 1848 Prague uprising, in which he briefly participated. After failing to establish his career in Prague, he left for Sweden, where he set up as a teacher and choirmaster in Gothenburg, and began to write large-scale orchestral works. (Full article...)

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John Amos Comenius Petr Čech Dominik Hašek Jaromír Jágr Pavel Nedvěd Gregor Mendel Tomáš Rosický Franz Kafka Emanuel Moravec Gustav Mahler Fredy Hirsch Antonín Kinský Vlastimil Koubek Petra Kvitová Martin Miller (actor) Vratislav Lokvenc Vladimír Remek Leoš Janáček Libor Michálek Vojtěch Jarník Markéta Vondroušová Zdeňka Wiedermannová-Motyčková

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Did you know?

...that in 1990, Czech and Slovak politicians "fought" the Hyphen War, a political battle over whether "Czechoslovakia" should be spelled with a hyphen?
... that the World War II idea of Polish-Czechoslovakian confederation was eventually discarded by the Czechs, whose leader chose instead to believe in the Soviet Union promises of alliance?
... that Czech international footballer Jan Suchopárek dislocated his shoulder while attempting a bicycle kick?
... that Czech actress Anna Letenská was killed by the Nazis for her alleged participation in the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich?

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General images

The following are images from various Czech Republic-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1House of the Black Madonna (from Czech architecture)
Image 2Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (Roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 3Bohemian city Karlovy Vary (from Bohemia)
Image 4The First Czechoslovak Republic (1918-1938) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 5Empress Maria Theresa (reignet 1740–1780) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 6The extent of the Protestant Reformation (1545–1620) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 7The National Theater from 1881 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 8An 1892 map showing Bohemia proper outlined in pink, Moravia in yellow, and Austrian Silesia in orange (from Bohemia)
Image 9Emperor and King Charles IV. Luxembourg (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 10Cubist lamp by Emil Králíček, Jungmannovo náměstí, next to the Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Snows (Prague) (from Czech architecture)
Image 11Territory under the control of the Přemyslids, c. 1301 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 12Saint Wenceslas, Czech prince (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 13Rotunda of St. George from the beginning of the 12th century on Mount Říp (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 14Great Moravia during the reign of Svatopluk I (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 15Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, philosopher, Czechoslovak president in the years 1918-1935 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 16Duchy of Bohemia, around 1029 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 17Prague-style beef goulash (from Czech cuisine)
Image 18Linguistic map of interwar Czechoslovakia (c. 1930) (from Bohemia)
Image 19Buděticko Nature Park with Rabí Castle (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 20Bohemia as the heart of Europa regina; Sebastian Münster, Basel, 1570 (from Bohemia)
Image 21Fried cheese, served with tartar sauce and side salad (from Czech cuisine)
Image 22Kačina Castle in Chotkov (from Czech architecture)
Image 23Entrance to Moravian Karst PLA (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 24A panorama of Zittau (from Bohemia)
Image 25Dacian Influence over Bohemia (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 26Vladislaus Hall at the Prague Castle, built from 1490 to 1502 by Benedikt Rejt (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 27Church of Saint Agnes of Bohemia (Spořilov) (from Czech architecture)
Image 28Monument to the village of Lidice murdered by the Nazis (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 29Apple strudel with raisins (from Czech cuisine)
Image 30A "traditional Bohemian platter" at a restaurant in central Prague, consisting of roast duck, roast pork, beer sausage, smoked meat, red and white cabbage, bread, bacon and potato dumplings. (from Czech cuisine)
Image 31Library of Clementinum, a former Jesuit College, built in 1722 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 32Svíčková na smetaně served with dumplings, whipped cream and cranberries (from Czech cuisine)
Image 33Emperor Francis Joseph I. (reigned 1848–1916) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 34Cubist architecture in Prague (from Czech architecture)
Image 35Detailed map of Bohemia, 1742 (from Bohemia)
Image 36St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle, John of Luxembourg laid the foundation stone in 1344 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 37A panorama of Kłodzko, the capital city of Kłodzko Land, which is referred to as "Little Prague" (from Bohemia)
Image 38Lands of the Bohemian Crown (until 1635), map by Josef Pekař, 1921 (from Bohemia)
Image 39Semi-detached villa in Brno by Otto Eisler, according to MoMA's Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, is a defining building of the International style. (from Czech architecture)
Image 40Fried bramboráky (potato pancakes) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 41Hroby Nature Monument in Radenín (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 42The Kingdom of Bohemia in 1618 with other Bohemian Crown lands within the Holy Roman Empire (1618). (from Bohemia)
Image 43Map of protected areas of the Czech Republic: national parks (grey) and protected landscape areas (green) (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 44The radical Hussites became known as Taborites, after the town of Tábor that became their center (from Bohemia)
Image 45Czech kings Ottokar II, Wenceslas II and Wenceslas III from the Přemyslid dynasty (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 46Bohemia (westernmost area) in Czechoslovakia 1918–1938 (from Bohemia)
Image 47The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia (from Bohemia)
Image 48Russian occupation in 1968 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 49Bronze sword, Urnfield culture, c. 1200 BC (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 50Řežabinec a Řežabinecké tůně National Nature Reserve (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 51Monument to Master Jan Hus, a religious reformer and philosopher in Prague (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 52Christmas cookies (vánoční cukroví) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 53Nakládaný hermelín (marinated cheese) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 54Pilsner Urquell in a branded mug (from Czech cuisine)
Image 55John Amos Comenius (1592-1670), Czech philosopher and school reformer (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 56Korozluky Castle (from Czech architecture)
Image 57Iconic brutalist Transgas building, demolished in 2019 (from Czech architecture)
Image 58Beheading of 27 Bohemian nobles at the Old Town Square in Prague, 1621 (contemporary illustration) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 59Adria Palace (Prague) (from Czech architecture)
Image 60Baroque St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana, built between 1704 and 1755 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 61Václav Havel, playwright, dissident and president from 1989 to 2003 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 62Grand Café Orient in Prague (from Czech architecture)
Image 63Copper engraving of the Second Defenestration of Prague from Theatrum Europaeum by Matthäus Merian. (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 64Stone sculpture of a Celtic man, found in Mšecké Žehrovice (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 65Europe after the Congress of Vienna in 1815 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 66Territories ruled by Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1273 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 67Obložené chlebíčky, a type of snack or appetizer (from Czech cuisine)
Image 68King George of Podebrady, one of the first promoters of united Europe (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 69Frgál, a type of koláč baked in Moravian Wallachia (from Czech cuisine)
Image 70The coat of arms of the Přemyslid dynasty (until 1253–1262) (from Bohemia)
Image 71Zelňačka (from Czech cuisine)
Image 72Svíčková na smetaně (Marinated tenderloin), served here with dumplings and cream (from Czech cuisine)
Image 73Writer Božena Němcová (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 74Venus of Dolní Věstonice, the oldest ceramic article in the world (from History of the Czech lands)

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Topics

Czech lands: Bohemia • Moravia • Czech Silesia

History: Únětice culture • Boii • Marcomanni • Samo • Great Moravia • Přemyslid dynasty • Lands of the Bohemian Crown • Czech lands (1526–1648) • 1648–1867 • 1867–1918) • Czechoslovakia • Czech Republic

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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WikiProjects

WikiProject Czech Republic

WikiProject Europe

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Featured and good content

	Featured articles		Dominik Hašek • Earth-grazing meteoroid of 13 October 1990 • Franz Kafka • Gustav Mahler • Bedřich Smetana • The Bartered Bride
	Good articles		Patrik Berger • FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 • Reinhard Heydrich • Leoš Janáček • Vlastimil Koubek • Libor Michálek • Pavel Nedvěd • Panzer 35(t) • Polish minority in the Czech Republic • Prague Spring • Punch-up in Piestany • Randy Blythe manslaughter case • The Brothers Grimm (film) • Winton Train • Zaolzie