The Czech Republic

Nickie Mitch

Mrs. Horn

Language Arts

Period 1

16 February 2009

The Czech Republic

Imagine a land of castles, scenic mountains and miles and miles of beautiful meadows. Is it a fairytale land? No, it is the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is a beautiful and diverse country that is full of history, both recent and long past. Only in the Czech Republic is there a seamless mix of old and new, western and non-western cultures. Put all of this together and the Czech Republic is a great place to visit.

The Czech Republic is a small central European country, approximately the size of South Carolina, with a modest population of a little over ten million people. The Czech Republic is probably most famous for being part of the 1993 breakup of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (Slovakia). Having grown majorly since 1993, the Czech Republic is now an important member of the European Union and an important worldwide power. There have been many changes to the way of life compared to the Soviet (Communist) control in the Mid-1900s. One major change is that now, like the United States, the Czech Republic has freedom of speech, religion and press in addition to the right to a fair and speedy trial. The one major thing that remains of the Soviet control, however, is that sixty percent of Czech people are either agnostic or atheist. Catholicism comes in second place with twenty-nine percent of the Czech population adhering.

The Czech Republic is a country diverse in geography. The regions of the Czech Republic vary greatly, from the wine growing region of Mikulov to the mountainous region of Wallachia. Mountains ranges include the Bohemian Mountains, the Sumava Mountains and the Sudeten Mountains, all of which are good for exploring. The Czech Republic has four major rivers: the Vltava River, the Jhavla River, the Labe River and the Morava River. The Czech Republic does, however, lack one geographic thing, an ocean coast. The Czech Republic is completely landlocked with Germany to the west, Austria to the South, Poland to the Northeast, and Slovakia to the Southeast. The Czech Republic has a temperate climate. The temperature is an average of sixty degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.

The Czech Republic is a very safe country and most natives are eager to help. The United States and the Czech Republic have had relatively close relations for quite awhile, and the relationship has gotten even closer since the Czech Republic joined the European Union in 2004. There is a Czech embassy in Washington, D.C. and a United States embassy in Prague. The official language of the Czech Republic is Czech, a language that uses a latin bases alphabet that has been mixed with various Slavik and Baltic languages, specifically Estonian. However, most people in the Czech Republic speak at least Basic English, especially if they are under fifty. A traveler will find more in Prague than in the Wallachia region, but virtually everybody in the hospitality industry speaks English no matter where you go. Currently the official currency of the Czech Republic is the Czech Koruna; however, they will switch to the Euro in 2012.

Something that many travelers worry about is whether the food will taste good at their destination. If one’s destination is the Czech Republic, there is no need to worry. In fact, food is one of the best things about the Czech Republic. Czech food can be best described as “hardy”. An average Czech breakfast is a kolache, a fruit or cottage cheese danish. An average Czech dinner would consist of rye or pumpernickel bread, a stewed or roasted meat, bread or potato dumplings, pickled cabbage and a pie or strudel for dessert. Tap water in the Czech Republic is safe to drink, however the United States State Department warns that is may have an unpleasant “metallic” taste.

Getting to the Czech Republic is easy, no matter where you are coming from. The largest airport in the Czech Republic is Prague-Ruzyne International Airport, just outside Prague. Prague-Ruzyne International Airport has international flights around the globe as well as many across Europe. Other cities in the Czech Republic, such as Brno, have smaller airports with flights to a few major cities across Europe. The Czech Republic, like most of Europe, has an extensive rail network that can take a person most anywhere in the country, as well as to other cities across Europe. From Prague, it is a fifteen-hour train ride to London, an eight-hour train ride to Frankfurt, and a four-hour train ride to Vienna. Rail can be a cost effective way to get around. However, if visitors are traveling as a larger group (three or more people) renting a car can be a more cost effective way to get around the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic, like the United States, drives on the right side of the road. Once a traveler is in the Czech Republic, the accommodations are relatively similar to those in the United States. Hotels, resorts, and bed and breakfast are all available in addition to something called a pension. A pension is a small hotel that is usually the same place as the owner lives, a lot like a larger Bed and Breakfast.

The Czech Republic has a very rich history, and most of the attractions in the Czech Republic are history related. Prague, the capital and largest city, is a good place to center one’s sightseeing around, and a traveler should spend at least two days, three are better, in Prague. Prague Castle is a must see for visitors to the Czech Republic. Prague castle is, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest ancient castle in the world at 130 meters wide and 570 meters long. Another must see in Prague is the astronomical clock in Old Town square. The astronomical clock was originally built in 1410, but was “remodeled” in 1490. It was damaged during World War II in 1945, but was repaired and started working again in 1948. It is still mechanically operated, and is one of the only large mechanically operated clocks in the world still working that way today. Prague also has many elaborate Churches and Jewish synagogues. Good churches and synagogues to visit include the Spanish Synagogue and St. Nicholas Church. Yet another attraction in Prague is Hradcany Square. This square has a changeing of the guards that is often compared to, or even said to be better than, the changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace in London. A great historical town to visit is Olomouc, which was the capital of Moravia. A majority of the Buildings in Olomouc are even older than those in Prague and have a gothic style of architecture. A visit to a small Czech village is a necessity in order to experience true Czech culture. Great easy to reach small towns in the Czech Republic include Ceske Krumlov, Trebon, Telc, Trebic and Slavonice. A good day to visit a small town is on Czech Founding Day, which is October Twenty-Eighth. Czech founding day is Czech Independence Day.

The Czech Republic has had its fair share of famous artist, musicians and composers born there. Their works are displayed at various museums throughout the Czech Republic. One great and very large art museum to visit is the National Gallery in Prague. A great way to experience the works of Czech composers is through a performance of the world-renowned Prague Symphony Orchestra. Performance places include the Theater of Estates, where Mozart conducted the first concert of his Don Giovanni in 1787. Other great places to visit to get a sense of Czech art include to The Museum of Decorative Art, where to Gobelin Tapestries are located, in Prague and the Moravian Gallery in Brno.

For more recent history a traveler should visit Wenceslas Square in Prague, the place at which Communism in the Czech Republic fell. There is currently a Communism Museum and Memorial to victims of Communism at Wenceslas Square. A great daytrip from Prague is to the small village of Terezin thirty-five miles from Prague. Terezin is the site of a former Nazi concentration camp that is now a museum and memorial. A visit to the Terezin Concentration Camp is usually very emotionally exhausting, as more than 33,000 innocent people died there when the Czech Republic was under Nazi control, during the 1940s. There is a gravestone for every person that died at a memorial in memory of Holocaust victims. The National Museum in Prague is a great place to visit in order to get all the history of the Czech Republic in a short period of time.

The Czech Republic does, however, have a few non-history related attraction. One attraction that falls into this category is the “Dancing House” in Prague. Although it really is just a building, it is centrally located in Prague and is an interesting sight to see as one is walking down the street. A good place to buy souvenirs is on Golden Lane in Prague. Golden Lane is an artsy street in Prague and many art festivals are held there, especially over the summer.

The Czech Republic has a very rich history, one that no other country in the world can compare to. Despite the efforts of both the Nazis and the Soviets to crush it, Czech culture is very much alive and any person that visits the Czech Republic will get their fill of culture from nearly everything they do. Whether it be through the food or through a tour guide, Czech culture is very hard not to get a taste of. Good food, a rich history well showcased and a kind and generous population makes the Czech Republic everything a traveler could want. So, the only thing left for a person to do is to go and experience their own fairytale in the Czech Republic.

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