East Bohemia
Eastern Bohemia can boast a gorgeous nature with grandiose history, fascinating music and people’s skills. Eastern Bohemia is region of nice and hospital people, who enjoy rich culture and social life. The most important culture and social event definitely is Smetanova Litomyšl, Velká pardubická steeplechase and Zlatá přilba. Taste of delicious Pardubice ginger bread will also definitely win your heart or nearness of horses that are inseparably linked with this area. While the part of eastern Bohemia, part called Polabí is the area with flatland with pleasant warm climate and a lot of opportunities of swimming, water sports, tourism and biking. Adršpach-Teplice rocks are the unique nature; Orlické Mountains and the area of Králický Sněžník attract mainly the fans of mountain tourism and winter sports. If you visit Eastern Bohemia, you will be able to learn about folk traditions including the crafts, to discover the unique number of castles and chateaus, ancient military fortresses and fortification, cities historical reservations and many further attractive sights of renaissance, baroque, art noveau and also modern inter-war architecture.Historians and art experts will be definitely attracted by two treasures of Czech renaissance architecture, city historical reservations and chateaus in Pardubice and Litomyšl. Chateau in Litomyšl was entered in 1996 to the list of sights protected by UNESCO. The chateau being one of the most significant sights of the romantic period can be found in Hrádek u Nechanic. Another place of interest that is worth mentioning is originally king’s castle from the turn of 13th and 14th century - Kunětická hora or Ratibořice – originally the folly from the beginning of the 18th century, re-built by duchess Zaháňská, close to which you can find well known Babiččino údolí (Grandma valley) with the educational path. We should not forget for the city of Nové Město nad Metují (Nové Město upon Metuje) with the square and arcade renaissance houses. The significant historical city also is Polička with well-preserved 1220 m long middle age fortification walls.
Uncommon experience is waiting for us in Mladejov, where you can go by train driven by steam locomotive in summer along the railway 11 km long and to see the museum of industrial narrow-gauged locomotives. If you belong to the fans of military history, you will be definitely attracted by the military fortifications in the north of the region.
Absolutely extraordinary sight of the Eastern Bohemia, linking present with the ancient times of the pretentious monarchic courts, is presented by stud farm in Kladruby upon Labe, world-famous thanks the breeding of horses. The unique population of Kladruby horses was announced the national culture preserve together with the entire stud farm. Lovers of horses will not miss the chateau in Slatiňany where the museum of hippology was established already in 1947.
In the Eastern Bohemia there are the places where you can rest in a pleasant quite atmosphere, to find the local culinary specialities. You can spend your holiday also by the riverside at the quite lowland of Labe River or you can possibly walk through sandstone labyrinths of Adršpach – Teplice rocks or Broumovské walls. In Orlické Mountains with the centres in Deštné and Říčky or in Železné hory (Iron mountains) you can spend your summer holiday on the mountain bike saddle or winter holiday on skis.
In the region of Eastern Bohemia there are a lot of places suitable for bathing – dams of Pastviny, Seč, Smolenská and others. Eastern Bohemia is the ideal region for tourism on bikes due to the number of cycle tracks that are continuously being enlarged. You can choose from the rich offer of tracks from the demanding mountain terrains to the relaxing roads through the flat parts.
Eastern Bohemia is the region of sport and rich culture. Pardubice is the place of world famous Velká Pardubická steeplechase and the lovers of strong machines cannot miss the motorbike races Zlatá Přilba.
Musical traditions has taken strong roots in Eastern Bohemia we can e.g. mention Smetanova Litomyšl, musical festival called after the local composer or musical festivals in Polička, where composer Bohuslav Martinů was born and Pardubické hudební jaro (Pardubice musical spring). Hradec Králové commemorates every year the battle at Chlum, organizing the battle reconstruction and the memorial action. Almost every city of the region has its own museum, documenting life of last centuries.
The visitors of Eastern Bohemia can discover not only folk traditions, handcrafts or local castles and chateaus. The target of many trips through Eastern Bohemia also is the ancient military fortress in city of Jaroměř. City historical preserve in the biggest city of the region, Hradec Králové and many other attractive sights of time of renaissance, baroque, art noveau and modern inter-war architecture – it is everything offered during your visit of Eastern Bohemia.
Famous personalities have left their marks in the region of Eastern Bohemia – e.g. J.W. Goethe, J. Gočár, Bedřich Smetana, Bohuslav Martinů and many others. The visitors can also use a large offer of spa stays and congresses and other current social, culture and sport events, which are the attractive spices of this region life.
Photographs East Bohemia
