Czech Republic
The Czech Republic also known by its short-form name Czechia, Czech is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast and Slovakia to the east. The Czech Republic has a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,866 square kilometers (30,450 sq mi) with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate. It is a unitary parliamentary republic.
Do you know that Czech Republic is known because of many reason? Here are some facts:
The capital city.
The capital city of the Czech Republic is Prague.
It has the most castles in Europe.
There are over 2000 castles and chateaux in the Czech Republic, more than in any other country in Europe. Some of the most famous ones are the Hluboká Castle, Orlík Castle, Lednice Castle and Karlštejn Castle or Prague Castle which we have on homepage.
Prague’s Old Town is home to the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world.
Every hour, it’s mechanical processional of apostles delights tourists, Prague is the fifth most visited city in Europe after London, Paris, Istanbul and Rome.
It’s home to robotic origins.
The word robot first hit the scene when Czech writer, Karl Capek, used in a play to describe creatures that could perform all the work humans didn’t want to do and had no soul. Sound familiar? His brother, Josef, was the one who suggested to use it for the famous title: Rossum’s Universal Robots.
The Czech Republic is famous for its beer, beer is a big deal here.
Czech people are the world’s heaviest consumers of beer. The first pale lager, Pilsner Urquell, was brewed in the Czech city Pilsen in 1842. Have you know that beer in restaurant is cheaper than water in the Czech Republic?
The Czech Republic is a country of architecture.
Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, Romanesque, Classicism, Art-Nouveau, Cubism, Functionalism and even architecture of the Communist era are all on display around the country.
The world-famous Škoda Auto is based in the Czech Republic.
The Czech automobile manufacturer was founded in 1895 and has headquarters in Mladá Boleslav. Škoda automobiles are sold in over 100 countries.
Do you like ice hockey or tennis?
Then you must know Jaromír Jágr, he is considered one of the greatest NHL players ever. He is one of many Czech ice hockey players who have had successful careers in the National Hockey League.
Tennis player Martina Navratilová has been statistically the second-best female player of the 20th century, right behind Steffi Graf. Today, there are 8 female Czech players in the top 100 world rankings. The Czech Fed Cup team has also won six Fed Cup titles since 2011.
Contact lenses were invented by a Czech chemist.
Another really cool Czech Republic interesting facts is about the contact lenses. His name is Otto Wichterle and yes, he is the inventor of the modern soft contact lenses.
The Colonnades and Spas of Karlovy Vary and Marianské lázně.
Often referred to by its old German name of Karlsbad, Karlovy Vary is a must-visit for anyone interested in an authentic European spa experience. Established in 1358, Karlovy Vary has for centuries been a popular destination for Europe's elite, from royalty like Peter the Great to famous composers and writers including Beethoven, Chopin, and Goethe. In Colonnades you had to try Mariánskolázeňské oplatky, they are wafers with an unusually large and round shape, produced in the municipalities of Mariánské Lázně and Velka Hled'sebe in the Czech Republic since 1856. The final product consists of two thin wafers glued together by a layer of filling, which can be made with hazelnuts or cocoa. The edge is crumbled, and the wafers break with a characteristical crack once they are bitten into. The wafers are either light brown or cream in color, consisting of wheat flour, sugar, egg yolks, salt, starch, and flavorings. The fillings have a texture that is granular, while the flavor is delicately sweet.
It sounds delicious, right? Oh... wait... you can try it in any of our CzechBox selection. :-)