Regions

Hradec Králové region

Hradec Králové: The capital of eastern Bohemia is situated on border of the Labe river basin lowland at the confluence of the Labe and Orlice rivers. Population counting more than 100,000 inhabitants lives here on an area over one hundred squared kilometers. It is the seat of trade, banking and administration institutions of regional importance, but also of national importance. Hradec Králové is also a center of education system and culture.

Uniqueness of the region: Lace from Vamberk, more exactly expressed the Vamberk bobbin lace, is a defined notion connected to the name of Vamberk town, and cannot be separated from it. A unique exposition about history and present of lace-making is located in the Vamberk lace museum. Lacemaking is connected with Vamberk town so closely, that within the town and its vicinity it is difficult to find a family, in which at least several members of the family are not making bobbin lace at home.

Significant historical event: The war between Austria and Prussia in the year 1866, that was about leading role in German alliance, touched in disturbing way a promising development of the region. Its culmination in the battle for Hradec Králové town at the 3 July 1866 was fateful for Austria. At this day, the 3 July 1866. the towns Nechanice together with Cerekvice nad Bystřicí and Sadová entered into the history of places, where the decisive battle of the war started, a war, which was provoked by Prussia to become the leading power in Germany. The total amount of losses reached to about 45,000 people.

Outstanding historical personality:
Božena Němcová (1820-1862)
Božena Němcová was an outstanding representative of national revival prose, and she was connected with deep interest in folklore. In the last ten years of her life, she was concentrated on writing short stories from small town and rural environment. Writing more extensive novels, she was seeking a way how to do away with social injustice. In her top work, The Grandmother, she depicted the world of traditions in the Czech countryside and an ideal conception of life harmony.

Čapek brothers - Josef (1887-1945), Karel (1890-1938)
The Čapek brothers were important personalities in cultural life in Czechoslovakia between the world wars. Josef's art activities were very manifold, his design creation was influenced by cubism. He wrote, together with his brother Karel, stage plays and fairy tales for children. The personality and work of Karel Čapek became a symbol not only in cultural, but also in civic life of the First republic. His faith in values of humanity and justice, attention for common people and also his sense for dramatic stories form his popularity in wide audience also at present. His utopian drama, The R.U.R., in which the word "robot" was used for the first time, has brought him a world reputation.

Significant cultural monument: Baroque castle Kuks
The Kuks area, which belongs to the most precious baroque monuments in the Czech Republic, was erected by the count František Antonín Špork. On the left Labe river side was erected a therapeutic spa, and on the opposite side was built-up a hospital. Its frontispiece is decorated by statutes of Virtues and Lecheries from the workshop of Matyáš Braun. The historical flood in the year 1740 ended the glory of the local spa. The target of the Kuks area visitors is the opened-up hospital with originally equipped pharmacy. Within the distance of 3 km from the Kuks area, in the New Forest, sculptor Matyáš Bernard Braun created a natural gallery of sculptures and relief works, named Bethlehem.

Significant natural locality: Krkonoše National Park
Krkonoše mountains, together with its highest mountain Sněžka (1602 m), are the highest mountain range in the region. Despite of the fact, that the area of Krkonoše National Park is not large (the area is only 370 km2), the mountain range can show off an attractive diversity of mountain landscape, extraordinary natural values, its history and culture. Therefore this mountain range, which has been declared as the first Czech National Park in the year 1963, became one of the most sought-after tourist area in middle Europe.

Significant investment project: completion of the D 11 highway - partial section of the highway from Poděbrady to Hradec Králové

Outstanding contemporary personality: Jaroslav Svěcený - born in Hradec Králové - an important violin virtuoso

Typical product: PETROF pianos, MILETA Hořice handkerchiefs, "Hořické trubičky" (Hořice tubes, sweets), Erben's Miletín small prayers

Typical food: "kyselo" in the Krkonoše manner; potato dumplings, smoked meat, plum sauce; potato pancakes

Folklore: for a part of the region, known as Podkrkonoší (foothills of Krkonoše mountains), there are typical folk dances and songs with a change of rhythms - so called "mateníky" (the name is related to confusion). In the region there are numerous folklore assemblages and important folklore festivals (in Lázně Bělohrad - spa, Červený Kostelec, Hradec Králové, and in other places)

Tourist destination: Krkonoše National Park

Contact:
Regional office of the Hradec Králové region
Krajský úřad Královéhradeckého kraje
Wonkova 1142
500 02 Hradec Králové
phone: +420 495 817 111
fax: +420 495 817 336
e-mail: posta@kr-kralovehradecky.cz
www: www.kr-kralovehradecky.cz

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