Hradec Kralove Tourist Attractions

The town of Litomysl developed the 11th Century. A fortress stood here prior to this but in the 11th Century a Benedictin Monastery was where the castle now stands. Fires and floods plagued the city in the 18th Century and many of the towns most important and impressive buildings where built following these catastrophes, including major reconstruction of the castle. Following the Velvet Revolution in 1989 the town undertook restoration of old buildings and construction of new ones. In 1994 seven presidents of European countries were invited to Litomysl for a summit meeting. For this event restoration work became a priority and the town underwent a transformation. In addition to this the King of Spain was invited here the following year.Some of the main attractions here are the chateau / castle, the main square, and a number of churches. Litosmysl is also famous for being the birth town of composure Bedrich Smetana.

The Krkonose (Giant Mountains) are the highest mountains in Bohemia. Krkonose National Park (Krkonossky Narodni Park) was established in 1962 to protect the numerous bird species and extensive flora that includes rare trees. The area is now listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reservation. Inside the park visitors will find the small spa town, Janske Lazne, and the ski resorts of Psindleruv Mlyn and Pec pod Snezkou. In addition to skiing the park is also a popular area for hiking, with huts on the trails, and bird watching. Birds are drawn to the park for the peat bogs. The most popular hike in the mountains is the Harrach path, which is only open during the summer months.The landscape of the park is characterized by rounded mountains, peat bogs, cliffs and waterfalls.

Kuks is a former baroque spa resort in Eastern Bohemia, built on the banks of the Labe River. The natural mineral spring was discovered by Count Franz Anton von Sporck on his own property which he had inherited, along with a huge fortune, when he was seventeen years old. Sporck spent the next two decades building Kuks which turned out to be more than just a spa. This fabulous resort contained all of the usual spa amenities including baths, hospital, chateau and accommodations, as well as a theatre, racetrack and other entertainment venues. He held river pageants, hunts and had his own private orchestra. Kuks became one of the premier spa resorts in central Europe, even frequented by Johann Sebastian Bach.Following the death of Sporck, Kuks fell on hard times. No one was interested in maintaining the spa. Two years after Sporck's death a huge flood on the Labe wiped out many of the buildings and the spring itself suffered irreparable damage.What remains today are the restored hospital, the chapel designed by Giovanni Alliprandi, the Sporck mausoleum, the pharmacy, and a collection of allegorical statues by Matthias Braun. It is still impressive to see and worth a visit.

Pardubice, south of Hradec Kralove in Eastern Bohemia, is famous for its annual "Great Pardubice Steeplechase", a tradition which first began in 1874. The course is known for being extremely challenging, especially one jump called "taxis' jump". The race is held on the second Sunday in October in Pardubice and brings visitors from all over the region. Another annual event in the town is the Junior Tennis Tournament, and event that has been ongoing for the past century.Apart from these events, Pardubice also has some interesting sights. Most of the architecture dates to after a 1507 fire that destroyed much of the town. Buildings of note are the Gothic Church of St Bartholomew (Kostel sv Bartolomeje) and the 20th Century art nouveau theatre. Located on the main square (Pernstejnske namesti) is the 16th Century Green Gate, numerous Renaissance houses, and the nearby Renaissance, sgraffitoed castle (zamek). The castle houses a small regional museum and a collection of art by Czech artists.