Portal:Czech Republic

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.

During the 19th century, the Czech lands underwent significant industrialization. Following the collapse of Austria-Hungary after World War I, most of the region became part of the First Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. 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 -

Sněžka – the highest peak of the Giant Mountains

The Giant Mountains (Czech: Krkonoše, pronounced [ˈkr̩konoʃɛ] ^ⓘ; Polish: Karkonosze [karkɔˈnɔʂɛ] ^ⓘ) 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...)

List of selected articles

Selected picture

Jaroslav Hašek, Czech humorist and satirist

Creator: Dějiny Československa; License: Public domain

In this month

2 March 1978 – Vladimír Remek becomes the first man in space from a country other than the United States and USSR
6 March 1645 – One of the bloodiest battles of the Thirty Years' War, the Battle of Jankau takes place 50km from Prague
16 March 1939 – The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia is established following the end of the Second Czechoslovak Republic
29 March 1896 – The first Prague derby is played between Sparta and Slavia. The match ends 0–0
30 March 1968 – Ludvík Svoboda (pictured) is elected President of Czechoslovakia

More anniversaries...

Selected biography -

Hašek in 2026

Dominik Hašek (Czech: [ˈdomɪnɪk ˈɦaʃɛk], audio; born 29 January 1965) is a Czech former ice hockey player who was a goaltender for 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), mostly for the Buffalo Sabres. Widely considered to be the best goaltender in history, Hašek also played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators in his NHL career before finishing his career in Europe. While in Buffalo, he became one of the league's finest goaltenders, earning him the nickname "The Dominator". His strong play has been credited with establishing European goaltenders in a league previously dominated by North Americans. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, both with the Red Wings, winning his first as the starting goaltender in his first season with the team in 2002, and his second in 2008 as the team's backup in his last NHL season.

Hašek was one of the league's most successful goaltenders of the 1990s and early 2000s. From 1993 to 2001, he won six Vezina Trophies, the most under the award's current system of voting for the best individual goaltender. In 1998 he won his second consecutive Hart Memorial Trophy, becoming the first goaltender to win the award multiple times. During the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, he led the Czech national ice hockey team to its first and only Olympic gold medal. The feat made him a popular figure in his home country and prompted hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to call him "the best player in the game". While with the Red Wings in 2002, Hašek became the first European-trained starting goaltender to win the Stanley Cup. In the process, he set a record for shutouts in a postseason year. (Full article...)

List of selected biographies

Did you know?

...that, although Mozart never visited Kroměříž, much of the Academy Award-winning film Amadeus was filmed at the local episcopal residence?
... that the report Public Finance Balance of Smoking in the Czech Republic found that the "effect of smoking on the public finance balance in the Czech Republic in 1999 was positive"?
... that Czech international footballer Jan Suchopárek dislocated his shoulder while attempting a bicycle kick?
... that Josef Jiří Kolár was the first to begin a systematic translation of Shakespeare's plays into Czech?

General images

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

Image 1The radical Hussites became known as Taborites, after the town of Tábor that became their center. (from Bohemia)
Image 2Large-scale protected areas of the Czech Republic: national parks (brown) and protected landscape areas (green) (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 3Lands of the Bohemian Crown (until 1635), map by Josef Pekař, 1921 (from Bohemia)
Image 4Iconic brutalist Transgas building, demolished in 2019 (from Czech architecture)
Image 5Territory under the control of the Přemyslids, c. 1301 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 6Church of Saint Agnes of Bohemia (Spořilov) (from Czech architecture)
Image 7Europe after the Congress of Vienna in 1815 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 8The coat of arms of the Přemyslid dynasty (until 1253–1262) (from Bohemia)
Image 9Rotunda of St. George from the beginning of the 12th century on Mount Říp (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 10The National Theater from 1881 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 11Entrance to Moravian Karst PLA (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 12Copper engraving of the Second Defenestration of Prague from Theatrum Europaeum by Matthäus Merian. (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 13Fried hermelín (Smažený hermelín) with tartar sauce (from Czech cuisine)
Image 14Bohemia as the heart of Europa regina; Sebastian Münster, Basel, 1570 (from Bohemia)
Image 15Library of Clementinum, a former Jesuit College, built in 1722 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 16Vladislaus Hall at the Prague Castle, built from 1490 to 1502 by Benedikt Rejt (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 17The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia (from Bohemia)
Image 18Obložené chlebíčky, a type of snack or appetizer (from Czech cuisine)
Image 19Frgál, a type of koláč baked in Moravian Wallachia (from Czech cuisine)
Image 20Territories ruled by Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1273 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 21Detailed map of Bohemia, 1742 (from Bohemia)
Image 22Hroby Nature Monument in Radenín (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 23House of the Black Madonna (from Czech architecture)
Image 24A panorama of Zittau (from Bohemia)
Image 25Apple strudel with raisins (from Czech cuisine)
Image 26Metro dessert (from Czech cuisine)
Image 27Monument to the village of Lidice murdered by the Nazis (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 28Monument to Master Jan Hus, a religious reformer and philosopher in Prague (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 29Bohemian city Karlovy Vary (from Bohemia)
Image 30St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle, John of Luxembourg laid the foundation stone in 1344 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 31Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, philosopher, Czechoslovak president in the years 1918–1935 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 32Duchy of Bohemia, around 1029 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 33Bohemia (westernmost area) in Czechoslovakia 1918–1938 (from Bohemia)
Image 34Kačina Castle in Chotkov (from Czech architecture)
Image 35Korozluky Castle (from Czech architecture)
Image 36Writer Božena Němcová (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 37Pilsner Urquell in a branded mug (from Czech cuisine)
Image 38Municipal House (from Czech architecture)
Image 39Czech kings Ottokar II, Wenceslas II and Wenceslas III from the Přemyslid dynasty (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 40Beheading of 27 Bohemian nobles at the Old Town Square in Prague, 1621 (contemporary illustration) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 41The First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 42Václav Havel, playwright, dissident and president from 1989 to 2003 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 43Venus of Dolní Věstonice, the oldest ceramic article in the world (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 44Empress Maria Theresa (reignet 1740–1780) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 45Cubist lamp by Emil Králíček, Jungmannovo náměstí, next to the Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Snows (Prague) (from Czech architecture)
Image 46Vepřo knedlo zelo (roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 47Buděticko Nature Park with Rabí Castle (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 48Svíčková na smetaně served with dumplings, whipped cream and cranberries (from Czech cuisine)
Image 49Saint Wenceslas, Czech prince (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 50Emperor and King Charles IV. Luxembourg (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 51Stone sculpture of a Celtic man, found in Mšecké Žehrovice (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 52John Amos Comenius (1592–1670), Czech philosopher and school reformer (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 53Semi-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 54Cubist architecture in Prague (from Czech architecture)
Image 55Fried Edam Cheese (Smažený sýr) with potatoes and tartar sauce (from Czech cuisine)
Image 56King George of Podebrady, one of the first promoters of united Europe (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 57An 1892 map showing Bohemia proper outlined in pink, Moravia in yellow, and Austrian Silesia in orange (from Bohemia)
Image 58Zelňačka (cabbage soup) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 59Svíčková na smetaně (marinated tenderloin), served here with dumplings and cream (from Czech cuisine)
Image 60Dacian Influence over Bohemia (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 61Nakládaný hermelín (marinated cheese) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 62Řežabinec National Nature Monument (from Protected areas of the Czech Republic)
Image 63Grand Café Orient in Prague (from Czech architecture)
Image 64Fried bramboráky (potato pancakes) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 65Linguistic map of interwar Czechoslovakia (c. 1930) (from Bohemia)
Image 66Baroque St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana, built between 1704 and 1755 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 67Christmas cookies (vánoční cukroví) (from Czech cuisine)
Image 68The extent of the Protestant Reformation (1545–1620) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 69A panorama of Kłodzko, the capital city of Kłodzko Land, which is referred to as "Little Prague" (from Bohemia)
Image 70Russian occupation in 1968 (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 71Bronze sword, Urnfield culture, c. 1200 BC (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 72Great Moravia during the reign of Svatopluk I (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 73Prague-style beef goulash (from Czech cuisine)
Image 74Emperor Francis Joseph I. (reigned 1848–1916) (from History of the Czech lands)
Image 75The Kingdom of Bohemia in 1618 with other Bohemian Crown lands within the Holy Roman Empire (1618) (from Bohemia)
Image 76A "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 77Adria Palace (Prague) (from Czech architecture)

Related portals

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

WikiProjects

WikiProject Czech Republic

WikiProject Europe

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

Things to do

Here are some tasks awaiting attention:

Article requests : see: Wikipedia:WikiProject Czech Republic/Wanted articles.
Copyedit : Bohuslav Sobotka, Martin Kupka, Moravian Diet, Ondřej Kolář (politician), Pavel Bělobrádek, Prokop Diviš.
Expand : Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, Ostrava, Jan Žižka, Prague Castle, Brno, Moravia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 2009 European floods, Austria-Hungary, History of the Slavic languages, Proto-Slavic, Slavic languages, Milan Knížák, Hradčany Square.
Infobox : see: Category:Czech Republic articles needing infoboxes
Notability : 2018 Men's World Floorball Championships qualifying, 68 Publishers, Accolade Holding, Aleš Klégr, Avigdor Dagan, CEVRO Institute, Dadja Altenburg-Kohl, Euan Edworthy, Evektor EPOS, František Pošepný, HC Energie Karlovy Vary (juniors), Jan Jelínek (legionnaire), Jan Kefer, Jiří Černický, Jiří Hoskovec, Josef Zezulka, Lisl Frank, Prague Quadrennial, Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, Revolutionary Internationalist Organisation, Václav Turek, Veronika Vařeková, Zvonimír Eichler.
NPOV : CERGE-EI, Josef Zieleniec, Mighty Sounds, Rock for People, University of Economics, Prague.
Photo : Requested photos (map)
Update : Air Accidents Investigation Institute, Czech Aeroholding, Czech presidential election, 2013, Economy of the Czech Republic, Elections in the Czech Republic, Health and social welfare in Communist Czechoslovakia, Hynek Fajmon, Independent Democrats (Czech Republic), Jan Kasl, Jaromír Drábek, Josef Řihák, Party of Free Citizens, Tomáš Zatloukal, Viktor Kožený, Vladimír Železný, Václav Havel Airport Prague, Václav Klaus, Vít Bárta.
Verify : Albrecht von Wallenstein, Holy Roman Empire, Karel Schwarzenberg, Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, Agnes of Bohemia, Duchess of Jawor, Andrej Babiš, Anne of Bohemia, Duchess of Austria, Constance of Hungary, Czech branch of the House of Thurn and Taxis, Early Slavs, Henry of Bohemia, History of Wrocław, Judith of Habsburg, Ray Mawby, Wenceslaus I of Bohemia, Wenceslaus II, Duke of Opava, Western betrayal, Zierotin, Václav Klement.
Other : Maintain and improve Portal:Czech Republic

Wikimedia

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Commons
Free media repository
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals
Wikidata
Free knowledge base
Wikinews
Free-content news
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations
Wikisource
Free-content library
Wikiversity
Free learning tools
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus

Discover Wikipedia using portals

Welcome to the Czech Portal!Vítejte na Českém portálu!