Wanderings in the Central Bohemia Region Europe Czech Republic Central Bohemia Region Prague

A region you just can’t miss! can’t just you A region Wanderings in the Central Bohemia Region Europe Czech Republic Central Bohemia Region Prague www.middleczech.cz Cover photo: St. Barbara’s Church and the Jesuit College in Kutná Hora Discover the region of Central Bohemia The Máj Cliff View Point near Teletín – a view of the River Vltava In the Central Bohemia Region, you can spend interesting days, weeks or even years. Once you immerse yourselves in the well of attractions and treasures of this unique region, you will find that it is always possible to explore further. And you will feel the desire to return to a number of the places one day. Ancient rivers meander through Central Bohemia, some recessed in wild can yons, en and more recent times that tourists can visit. Virtually all the Central Bohemi- others majestically flowing through the lowlands. There are wooded hills, pictu- an cities boast medieval historical centres. A true pearl among them is undoubt- resque rocks and fertile plains. It is also a region inhabited by people. These edly Kutná Hora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. peo ple have modified and cultivated the landscape, built a network of roads, You will be surprised and delighted by the harmonious coexistence of people and cities, villages, castles and large water reservoirs, and created fascinating techni- the landscape, and you will experience the calm and pleasant atmosphere of the cal and artistic works. Central Bohemia was the focal point of the history of the countryside. You will taste the quality of the local agricultural production, restau- entire country. Here you will encounter the past, experience the present intense- rants and exceptional cuisine. The local art galleries, museums and open-air mu- ly, and look into the future. In the region, there are numerous unique natural and seums are definitely worth your attention. The region offers spas and wellness cultural monuments (including UNESCO-protected monuments). Therefore, it is centres for your health and relaxation. Central Bohemia is also a frequent desti- not by mere chance that the Central Bohemia Region is a very attractive tourist nation for congress tourism. And last but not least, it is a great place for a wide destination. The region offers countless architectural monuments from both old- range of sports and leisure time activities. 1 The touch of ages Karlštejn Castle The Central Bohemia Region has always been inhabited by humans, and used to be the centre of the history of the Czech lands and therefore the history of Europe. The traces can be found almost everywhere. And they are not only the famous and characteristic landmarks of the region. There are many fascinating silent witnesses to the past off the main tourist routes. Some of them originate from the times before the dawn of history. The oldest monuments in Central Bohemia date back to the Bronze Age. This is the so-called Únětice culture that was spread across the whole of Central Europe and was later named after the village of Únětice, located a few kilometres north-west of Prague. A history that is a few centuries younger is incarnated in the oppida of the mysterious Celts. The most important of these can be found, for example, on the Závist Hill above Zbraslav, in Hrazany near the Slapy Dam Lake, in Stradonice near the River Berounka or near Mšecké Žehrovice in the Kladno area. Later, the Slavs built forti- fied settlements, the most attractive of which are Budeč, Libice Master Theodoric: and Levý Hradec, associated with the very beginnings of the St. Jerome (c. 1370) Czech state in the 9th and 10th centuries. Levý Hradec is believed to have been the seat of Bořivoj, the first Duke of Bohemia, in the 9th century. The history of the last millennium has left behind a fascinating legacy of rotundas, churches, castles, châteaux and towns. In addition to the most famous castles, such as Křivoklát, Karlštejn, Kokořín and Český Šternberk, there is the best pre- served castle complex, Žebrák-Točník, a number of ruins in va- rious states of preservation (for example Jenštejn and Okoř, frequent tourist destinations) and countless châteaux and man- sions such as Kačina, the most significant empire-style structure in the Czech Republic, the Průhonice Château and Park, châteaux in Konopiště, Žleby, Jemniště, Mnichovo Hradiště, Lou čeň, Mní- šek pod Brdy, and Březnice, as well as the Presidential Château in Lány. The historic towns of the region are also treasure troves of history – they include Kolín, Beroun, Mělník, Nymburk and Kutná Hora, the town with the greatest concentration of monuments in the region. Stará Boleslav is associated with the martyr’s death of St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of the Czech lands. However, there are many small towns off the main roads that also offer a rich historical heritage and atmosphere. Finally, we are reminded of history by landscape features as well, such as the mythical moun- tain of Blaník. 2 Heartbeat Because of the diversity of its terrain and its sophisticated sports facilities, Central Bohemia invites visitors to a variety of activities. Experience Central Bohemia in motion. The region is criss-crossed with a dense network of mark ed hiking trails, bike trails, horse trails and in-line skating trails. On bikes, you can easily travel over distances of dozens of kilometres, such as the route along the Elbe between Kolín and Mělník through Lysá nad Labem and Kostelec nad Labem. Among more challenging routes are the trails in the Křivoklát area, Bohemian Paradise and the Sázava area. You can get as far as Czech Siberia on the borders with South Bohemia. By the way, there is an excel lent downhill skiing area at Monínec, which you would never expect in the middle of Bohemia. Central Bohemia is also a paradise for water sports. The lakes and reservoirs are suitable for sailing and windsurfing, and of course for swimming. Great rivers call for adventurous journeys in canoes, rafts and kayaks. You can enjoy the picturesque landscape while playing golf on one of the twenty or so Golf means walking, playing, friendship and meditating high-quality golf courses that can be found in the region. There are also wellness, sports and entertainment cen tres. The cliffs in the river valleys (such as the Alkazar Quarry near the vil lage of Srbsko) and the sandstone rocks in Bohemian Paradise pose a challenge to all climbers. Paddlers on the River Berounka Cyclists in the Kokořín area 3 The Lidice Memorial The roots of the present The history of this region did not come to a halt in the 19th century; there are also traces of modern, often troubled history. The mining industry and warfare have left an indelible mark in the region. There are numerous military shelters that were part of the fortifications built in the 1930s. Some of these sites are open to the public and serve as museums or open-air museums, such as the Military Open-Air Museum in Smečno. The Vojna Memorial near Příbram is a memento of Czech post-war history. The best-known and most frequently visited commemoriation site is definitely Lidice Memorial near Kladno. The mining town of Kladno and its surroundings are rich in traces of mining activities, seen in the open landscape. In the former Mayrau Mine near Vinařice in the Kladno area and at the largest mining museum in the Czech Republic, which is located in Příbram, you can learn everything about the life and work of the miners of the past. If you are interested in silver mines, you should visit Kutná Hora. Jílové u Prahy is known for its gold mines, and you can find out all about limestone mining in the open-air museum in the Solvay Quarries in the Karlštejn area. Elsewhere you can admire human ingenuity associated with technical inventions, for example at the numerous technological museums. The Czech Museum A steam winding machine of the Anna Mine in Příbram of Silver in Kutná Hora 4 Koněprusy Caves The River Sázava Valley White deer in the Žleby Natural treasures deer park The overall character of the Central Bohemia landscape and nature cannot be described in one sentence, as each of its parts is a little different. This region is diversity itself. In Central Bohemia, there are varied types of landscapes, from moun- tains to plains. And although there are significant traces of human activity in many places, there is no shortage of large areas that are close to the primordial wilderness – in particular the Křivoklát area, almost entirely covered with deep forests, but also other distinctive areas, such as the Brdy Hills, the Kokořínsko area, the Bohemian Karst, the Karlštejn area, the Bohemian Paradise, the Sázava River Basin and the Elbe River Basin. Near the village of Písty in the Nymburk area, you can find a sand dune resembling a desert landscape. The Bohemian Karst is the largest limestone territory in Bohemia, with extensive cave systems, gorges, drops and other characteristic karst formations, and represents a unique area in terms of global geol ogy and research into the history of the Earth. Whether you are attracted by the plains and floodplain forests of the Elbe River Basin, the bizarre sandstone formations of the Kokořín area and the Bohemian Paradise, the stalactite caves of the Bohemian Karst, the rugged canyons of the Berounka, Vltava or Sázava, the brooding Brdy Hills or the picturesque hills of the Sedlčany area, Central Bohemia will undoubtedly find a way into your heart. 5 The taste and smell of the Horses belong in the Central Bohemia landscape countryside With the diversity of its landscape, extensive human activity, excellent transport links and services, the Central Bohemia countryside is a great place to live and visit.

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