Interesting Czech Republic (Czechia) Facts That Will Amaze You!

The Czech Republic is a country situated in Central Europe, well known for its art, music, and literature. Bordered by Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria; it’s a pretty interesting place with a rich historical and cultural background. There are many Czech Republic interesting facts that you probably didn’t know about. Here are the ones that we found the most interesting!

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Drinking In Public Is Not Forbidden In The Czech Republic

Can you imagine a better place for a party than the Czech Republic? We are used to spending time in countries where drinking in public is forbidden. When we first arrived at Karlovy Vary, we were really thirsty after almost 10 hours of driving. All we wanted is to have a cold beer. We bought it in the local store and came back to the hotel to drink it.

The next day, we met with a Czech native. When he heard this story, he started laughing! He told us that we could have opened this beer in the store and drink it on the way back to the hotel. How awesome is that? It definitely had to go to the top of the list of Czech Republic interesting facts.

Of course, different local communities have the power to ban drinking in their section of town, and many streets have bans in place. So if you’re in doubt, ask a local first to avoid a fine.

Czech People Drink The Most Beer In The World

That was the biggest surprise for us! We thought that Germans consume the most beer in the world. We were wrong- the winners are Czechs :).

There are a lot of beer festivals in the country, the biggest of which is the Czech Beer Festival held in Prague. While Oktoberfest in Germany lasts for just over 16 days, the Beer Festival in Prague lasts for 17 days and visitors can taste more than 70 brands of Czech beer. 

What’s interesting is that in Czechia sometimes beer is cheaper than the water!

Czech People Are Not Religious

The biggest religion in the Czech Republic is Roman Catholicism (10%).

But only 16% of Czechs believe in God. The rest are atheist, agnostic, or don’t declare any faith. Even though most of the people are not religious in this country, they are very tolerant.

You can pray to your God there without worrying that they will judge you or treat you badly.

Slovakia And Czechia Were One Country In The Past

The Czech Republic and Slovakia were once a single country known as Czechoslovakia. They were also a part of the Austro-Hungarian state from 1526 to World War I. In 1918, Czechoslovakia rose as a solitary country.

Despite the fact that both countries possessed the same state, there was much dissimilarity in the two districts in terms of monetary conditions and innovative advancement. Additionally, the Czechs were more influenced by the Germans and Western influences, while the Slovaks were more influenced by Hungarian culture.

And then there were the language differences! Czechs speak the Czech language which exists in two forms, literary and colloquial. Slovaks speak a language, Slovak, which is similar to the literary version of the Czech language. The vocabulary in both languages is slightly different. Slovak grammar is somewhat simpler than Czech grammar.

The gap between the two people’s kept on widening under the comrade party and towards the end of 1991 there was a solid Slovakian Nationalist development asking for the freedom of Slovakia.

After much negotiation, the Czech and Slovakian leaders decided to separate the two locales into two separate countries on January 1, 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 

The Czech Republic Has One Of The Highest Density Of Castles In The World

You can truly feel like a princess or prince in the Czech Republic! This country has the highest density of the castles in the world, over 2000 in fact!

Adding to the Czech Republic interesting facts, Prague is the 20th most visited city in Europe after London, Paris, Istanbul, and Rome! If you are a tourist and haven’t been to the Czech Republic to witness all the historical and mesmerizing castles then are you a traveler at all?

Having Weed Is Not Illegal In Czech Republic

Did you know that Prague is often compared to Amsterdam? The main reason is one of the top interesting Czechia facts. Why? Because having weed is not illegal in the Czech Republic. You can smoke a few pots on the street if you want.

Be careful though! Buying and selling marijuana is forbidden in this country. Officially, you can only have what you’ve planted by yourself.

You can, however, buy cannabis or marijuana-laced vodka easily anywhere in Czechia.

Skoda Auto Brand Originates From The Czech Republic

The Skoda Auto brand is from the Czech Republic.

It has its headquarters in Mladá Boleslav and is one of the largest car manufacturers in Central Europe. In 2014, it sold a record number of more than a million cars and over 1.25 million in 2019.

More Than 10% Of The Czech Population Lives In Prague

Here’s one of the Czech Republic interesting facts. Although there are many beautiful cities and towns in Czechia, more than 10% of the total population of the Czech nation lives in Prague!

Prague is the capital, well known for its beautiful Old Town Square with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches, and the medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show.

Prague has also been a political, cultural, and economic center of Central Europe with waxing and waning fortunes during its 1,100-year existence.

The city has more than ten major museums, along with many theatres, galleries, cinemas, and other historical exhibits. An extensive modern public transportation system connects the impressive city that is home to a wide range of public and private schools. It also has the oldest university in Central Europe, Charles University in Prague that was established in 1348.

Prague Has The Biggest Castle In The World

Among the top Czech Republic interesting facts is that Prague houses the biggest castle in the world (measured by the total area of the buildings)! Hradčani is a castle complex, dating from the 9th century, and the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic.

The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, occupying an area of almost 70,000 square meters, at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide, which is roughly equal to seven football fields. It also has over 700 rooms. How big is that!

Czech People Love Mushroom Hunting

Mushroom hunting could be viewed as a national game in the Czech Republic. Entire families wake up at sunrise, get their baskets and roam the forest searching for these wild luxuries. Hunts held in September on St Vaclav day are pretty competitive!

Their taste is remarkable, their caloric worth is low and they are brimming with vitamins and minerals. Mushroom hunting can be incredible fun, however, it may be risky if you don’t know which mushrooms to pick.

This activity is popular in many other countries in the world, including our homeland, Poland. You can read more about it here.

The Czech Republic Officially Changed Its Name To Czechia

In 1993, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended the use of the name Czechia, which was approved by the Czech government as the official name in 2016. Did you know this?

Meat Is A Big Part Of The Czech Diet

Meat forms a big part of lunch or dinner meals in the Czech Republic. Roast pork with dumplings or Vepřo Knedlo Zelo is popular and often eaten with sauerkraut.

Svičková is another popular dumpling meal served with roast beef in a cream-colored sauce. Gulas is a brown sauce of roast beef or pork with dumplings again.

The famous roast duck with dumplings are called pecena kachna. Smažený řízek is a popular veal schnitzel eaten with mashed or boiled potatoes or potato salad. 

Tatarak is a popular raw meat dish!

Tatarak is a popular raw meat dish served with a raw egg, onions, spices, sauces, and bread.

Czechia Is Surrounded By Mountains

Czechia’s borders with Poland and Germany are marked by mountains. Only the southern borders with Austria and Slovakia do not have mountains.

And Filled With Mountains Too!

The Czech Republic has 4 national parks and 25 protected areas that are filled with striking mountains. Mount Snezka is the tallest with a height of 1603 meters and has a chairlift that takes you to the top.

The Black Mountains in Sumava National Park are the source of the River Vlatava. The Lusatian Mountains are perfect for hiking. The České středohoří or Central Bohemian Mountains have bizarre cones representing its extinct volcanoes.

And then there’s the 1491.5 meters tall Praded Mountain in the Jezky Mountain range that’s the tallest in the Moravian region! Praded is famous for the 3 km scooter ride that you can take down from the top.  

Czechia Is Famous For Its Spa Towns

For those who need to run away to just be pampered and soak in natural minerals, Czechia has a lot to offer.

The best spa towns in Czechia include:

• Karlovy Vary,
• Mariańské Láznĕ,
• Luhačovice,
• Františkovy Láznĕ,
• Teplice,
• Jáchymov,
• Trebon. 

The healing waters and thermal springs in these towns are perfect for rejuvenation and relaxation and were visited by 18th-century royals as well.

The Astronomical Clock In Prague Was Built In 1410

Here’s a timeless interesting fact about the Czech Republic.

The astronomical clock in Prague was built in 1410 by clockmaker Mikuláš of Kadaň and Jan Šindel, a professor at Charles University. The still-functional clock displays time and sun signs and also features eerie figures that move when the hour strikes.

Czechia Has Produced Many Famous Inventors

Many famous inventors came from Czechia.

The soft contact lenses were invented in 1959 by the Czech chemist Otto Wichterle. Other things that Czechs have invented include the first grounded lightning rod, the modern compass, screw propellers, arc lamps, sugar cubes, photogravures and Semtex (a plastic explosive).

Bohemian Garnets Are Favored Internationally

Blood red in color, the Bohemian garnet has been collected since ancient times from rivers and mines. Varying in size from 2 mm to 8 mm, these stones are popular all over the world because of their sparkling red color and glossy shine. 

Adrspach-Teplice Rocks Look Like They Were Stacked By Giants

The Adrspach-Teplice Rocks near the municipalities of Teplice and Adrspach are unique formations of large sandstone rocks that look like they’ve been stacked by giants. Tourists have been visiting them since the 19th century. 

Other Amazing Facts About Czechia

• Under the Great Moravian Empire, Czechia was known as the Duchy of Bohemia.
• After the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806, the Kingdom of Bohemia became part of the Austrian Empire.
• In the Mala Strana district, there’s a wall of graffiti called the “Wall of Lennon”.
• The first plastic surgery was performed in 1927 by Czechians Arnold Jirasek and Frantisek Burian.

• The Nationale-Nederlanden building in Prague is called the Dancing House, or Fred and Ginger because architect Vlado Milunić built it to look like those famous stars.
• The first classification of human blood was made by Czech scientist Jan Jansky.
• Oskar Schindler, who saved over 1200 Jews during the Holocaust was born in Moravia. 
• The Old Jewish Cemetary in Prague pays homage to Holocaust victims.
• Children and adults love puppetry and marionette exhibitions. 
• The famous tennis champion Martina Navratilova is Czech.

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Did you know these facts about the Czech Republic? Do you know any other interesting pieces of information about this country? Share your thoughts in comments!