| Czech Republic ((cs)Česká republika) | |
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| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Prague |
|---|---|
| Area | 79 000 km² |
| Population | 10 500 000 hab. (2012) |
| Density | 132,91 inhab./km² |
| Form of State | parliamentary republic |
| Change | Czech crown (CZK) |
| Electricity | 230 V/50 Hz, European plug |
| Telephone prefix | 420 |
| Internet suffix | .cz |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 1 |
| Location | |
 50 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N 16 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
The Czech Republic or Czechia is a country European ofcentral Europe, border of theGermany to the west, from the Poland in the northeast, of the Slovakia in the south-eastAustria to the south, and forming part of theEuropean Union.
Understand
Geography
History
The Czech Republic is formed by the former provinces of Bohemia and Moravia (including part of Silesia), which constituted the Kingdom of Bohemia (the Crown of Saint Wenceslas) and the Margraviate of Moravia, parts of the Holy Roman Empire, then from the empire ofAustria.
After the breakup of the EmpireAustria-Hungary at the end of World War I, the Czechs became independent in a country that also included the Slovak regions in Czechoslovakia. Thomas Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937) becomes the first Czechoslovak president. In 1935, Edvard Beneš (1888-1948) succeeded him as President of the Republic. The political regime of the interwar period is that of a parliamentary democracy instituted by the Constitution of 1920 and is an exception in central Europe and eastern until 1938, when theGermany Nazi annexed the Sudetenland region. Economically, the country is enjoying strong prosperity, so much so that Czechoslovakia is one of the ten leading industrial powers of the time. This first Czechoslovakia disappeared when Nazi Germany annexed Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939, creating a Bohemian-Moravian Protectorate under military administration, while the Slovakia (1939-1945) proclaims its independence.
Nevertheless, resistance is organized both inside and outside. Edvard Beneš organizes a government in exile refugee in London which fights alongside the Allies. In 1942, resistance fighters assassinated Reinhard Heydrich, governor of Bohemia-Moravia. In retaliation, the Nazi occupier exterminated the village of Lidice. In 1945, Soviet troops entered Prague while the Americans advance to Plzeň.
Reconstituted in 1945, Czechoslovakia must cede to the Soviet Union the Subcarpathian Ruthenia. In 1946, elections gave the Communists the majority of votes with Klement Gottwald at their head, who became chairman of the council. In 1947, Czechoslovakia, under pressure from the USSR, had to refuse the Marshall Plan. In February 1948, Gottwald seized power during the Prague coup, making Czechoslovakia a satellite of the USSR during the Cold War. The beginning of the 1950s was followed by the trials in Prague against high party officials, including Rudolf Slánský, general secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party (PCT) since 1945.13 Economically, the new regime nationalized the entire private sector and sets up a Soviet-type economy with five-year plans. Czechoslovakia joined the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) in 1949. In 1955, it joined the Warsaw Pact, NATO's equivalent in the East. In 1968, Alexander Dubček launched a reform program aimed at liberalizing the regime, called the “Prague Spring”. The USSR and its Warsaw Pact allies invaded Czechoslovakia in August of the same year and imposed normalization. Gustáv Husák comes to power. He replaced Dubček at the head of the Communist Party in 1969 and became President of the Republic in 1975. In 1977, a group of dissidents created Charter 77 by calling on the government to respect the commitments made at the Helsinki conference on human rights. The 1980s saw a stiffening of the regime, especially when Mikhail Gorbachev came to power. On November 17, 1989, the fiftieth anniversary of the student repression, the "Velvet Revolution" began, which on December 30 brought the Czech opponent Václav Havel to the presidency of the Czechoslovak Republic. The first free elections were organized in 1990 with a participation of 96%. In July, Václav Havel was re-elected President of the Republic, reviving the republican tradition of the interwar period.
After a federal episode ("Czecho-Slovakia" or the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic), Czechoslovakia disappeared on January 1, 1993, by mutual agreement between the Czech and Slovak authorities, resulting from the elections of June 1992 (hence the name of "velvet partition"), giving way to the Czech Republic (Czech Republic, Czech countries) and Slovak Republic (Slovakia).
In February 1993, Václav Havel became the first president of the new Czech Republic, re-elected for a second five-year term. In 2004, the Czech Republic actually entered theEuropean Union and in NATO.
Population
Weather
Holidays
| Dated | French name | Local name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, January 1, 2022 | New Year | Nový rok | |
| Monday, April 18, 2022 | Easter Monday | Velikonoční pondělí | |
| Saturday, May 1, 2021 | Labor Day | Svátek práce | |
| Saturday 8 May 2021 | Liberation 1945 | Den osvobození | Commemoration of the end of World War II in Europe |
| Monday, July 5, 2021 | Arrival of Cyril and Methodius in Moravia | Příchod Cyrila in Metoděje na Moravu | The evangelization of the Slavic peoples in Great Moravia in 863 |
| Tuesday, July 6, 2021 | Jan Hus | Upálení Jana Husa | The Martyrdom of Master Jan Hus in 1415 in Constancy |
| Tuesday, September 28, 2021 | National Holiday | Den české státnosti | The death of Saint Wenceslas, in 929 or 935 |
| Thursday, October 28, 2021 | National Holiday | Vznik Československa | The birth of Czechoslovakia (October 1918) at the end of the First World War |
| Wednesday, November 17, 2021 | Day of struggle for freedom and democracy | Den boje za svobodu a demokracii | The start of the Velvet Revolution in 1989 |
| Friday, December 24, 2021 | Christmas Eve | Štědrý den | |
| Saturday 25 December 2021 | First day of christmas | První svátek vánoční | |
| Sunday, December 26, 2021 | Second day of Christmas | Druhý svátek vánoční |
Regions
The Czech Republic consists of 14 administrative regions which can be grouped into eight tourist regions
 Regions of the Czech Republic |
|
Cities
- 1 Prague (Praha) – The capital and one of the most visited arts cities in Europe
- 2 Brno – Second city and capital of Moravia.
- 3 České Budějovice
- 4 Karlovy Vary – Spa town where the main Central European film festival takes place.
- 5 Plzeň (Pilsen) – Famous for its beer which gave its name to the pilsner, also called pilsener, pilsen or pilsner.
- 6 Olomouc
Other destinations
To go
Formalities
- See as well: Traveling in the Schengen area
The Czech Republic is part of theSchengen area. The citizens of the Swiss and the European Economic Area which includes theEuropean Union, theIceland, the Norway and the Liechtenstein only need a national identity card or a passport valid. They don't need any Visa to enter or circulate in the Schengen area and are generally allowed to stay as long as they wish.
Remarks (1) Nationals of these countries need a biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel. (2) Serbian nationals with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (residents of Kosovo with Serbian passport) need a visa. (3) Taiwanese nationals need their ID card number (a letter followed by nine digits) written in their passport to enjoy visa-free travel. |
Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area: Albania(1), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and herzegovina(1), Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States, Grenade, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, North Macedonia(1), Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova(1), Monaco, Montenegro(1), New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. LUCIA, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia(1,2), Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan(3) (Republic of China), East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela as well as holders of a passport of Hong Kong SAR, of Macau SAR and all nationals British (including those who are not citizens of the European Union).
- The visa-free travelers mentioned above and not members of theEEE or from Swiss cannot stay more than 90 days out of a 180-day period in the Schengen area in general and, in general, cannot work during their stay (although some countries in the Schengen area allow certain nationalities to work). The counting of days begins once you enter one of the Schengen countries and does not return to zero when you leave one Schengen country for another.
- New Zealand citizens can stay longer than 90 days, but without working if they do not have a work permit, in some countries of the Schengen area, namely Germany, Austria, the Benelux, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland
If you are not a national ofEEE or from Swiss, even if you are exempt from a visa, unless you are Andorran, Monegasque, San Marino or Vatican, make sure your passport is stamped both when entering and leaving the Schengen area. Without an entry stamp, you may be treated as having exceeded the length of your stay when trying to leave the Schengen area. Without an exit stamp, you may be refused entry the next time you seek to enter the Schengen area as you may be assumed to have exceeded the time allowed on your previous visit. If you cannot get a stamp in the passport, keep documents like boarding passes, transportation tickets, etc. which can help convince border control personnel that you have stayed in the Schengen area legally.
By plane
Theprague airport is located in Ruzyné, a suburb of 20 km north-west of Prague. To get to the center, you can take a taxi or the bus that connects with the metro.
On a boat
By train
Prague is directly connected by international trains (EC and night train) to the following cities:
- Salzburg (via Linz-České Budějovice-Veselí-Tábor)
- Vienna (via Gmünd-Veseli-Tábor)
- Berlin (via Dresden)
- Budapest (via Bratislava-Břeclav-Brno)
By car
Circulate
By plane
In addition to theVaclav Havel Airport, there are other civilian airports: Ostrava, Brno, Karlovy Vary and Pardubice.
- 1 Leoš Janáček Airport (IATA : OSR, ICAO: LKMT, Letiště Leoše Janáčka Ostrava) (20 km south-west of Ostrava, in the region of North Moravia)
Specialized companies rent small planes which make it possible to reach various places across the country or to carry out tourist flights.
By train
Czech trains are of fairly good quality, clean and comfortable. The train itself is of good quality. They are not, however, as fast as in France. For example, count between 4 and 5 h to go from Brno (in the east) to Budejovice (in the south-west) and a little more than 3 h to go from Prague to Brno.
The train may also be substituted for a bus on certain sections of lines undergoing renovation (some sections of the Brno-Plzen line via Budejovice were being renovated in May-June 2009) The main lines in the country are: Prague-Plzeň-ChebPrague-Brno-OstravaBreclav-Brno-OstravaBrno-České Budějovice-Plzeň Prague-Dresden (Germany) Prague-C. Budejovice-Linz (Austria) -Salzburg (Austria) Prague is directly connected to Vienna, Berlin and Salzburg by EC trains and to Budapest by night trains
Czech trains are divided into categories (excluding night trains and EC (Euro City): - The IC (Inter City; fast trains made up of renovated wagons serving the big cities) - The SC (Super City; self-propelled fast train to large sideboard [a bit like the TGV French but much slower] present in particular on the Prague-Brno line) --The R (Rapide; 1-2cl and van; trains made up of wagons providing service to more or less important towns on almost the entire network) - -Les Os (Regional train; 2cl and van; serving small villages more or less lost composed either of railcars and if necessary of trailers, or of 2 or 3 wagons of the same types as those composing the R trains)
It should be noted that in addition, being equipped with the old leather benches (with the possibility of lying down in a compartment if you are there alone) the R trains are ultimately more comfortable than the IC made up of renovated cars with seats. individual velvet.
The landscape seen from the train is very beautiful to see in some regions, especially in Bohemia and in the Plzen region. The Brno-Plzen, Veseli-Prague and Budejovice-Linz (Austria) lines are worth seeing, the train passes through countless forests and hills at an appreciable pace to fully enjoy the scenery.
If you are a railroad lover, you will love the very small Czech railcars, as well as their trailers, where if you are at the back of the train, a large bay window will allow you to admire the rails going to get lost in the forests and the mountains. You will also love the R trains, which despite their great reach, connecting one big city to another, stop in small towns and crisscross forests and hills. The Os and R trains still know how to play the music of the rail, this famous CLANG-CLANG which certifies you that you are indeed in a train running on rails, music which tends to disappear everywhere in Europe with the modernization of trains. In addition, it is still possible to open wide the windows of the Os and R trains, which allows you to put your head out to breathe in the forest scents, admire the train taking its turn or just have a little bowl. air. The trains are not in a hurry, the wind received in the face is not excessively strong. That said, don't forget to put your head in if the tree branches brush against the train a little too close ...
If you have an interrail pass that allows you to travel to this country, the train is super convenient there (unless you're in a big hurry of course), especially when you're traveling from day to day. Admittedly, the IC trains and the SuperCity (running on the Prague-Brno-Ostrava line) require the payment of supplements, but the R trains are on the other hand accessible without supplement, they are quite numerous and serve the country well. Regional trains (called Os on the display panels) are of course accessible without supplement with Interrail.
By car
To travel on highways, the purchase of a sticker is mandatory. There are vignettes valid for ten days, a month or a year. They are available at border posts across the country, post offices or gas stations. In the event of non-payment of this sticker, the fines are substantial and payable immediately.
Speak
In the Czech Republic, we speak Czech, a Slavic language. A fair number of Czechs speakGerman or theEnglish. Francophones are not numerous.
It is therefore advisable to learn at least a few sentences of Czech, especially if you want to visit sites less frequented by foreign tourists. For an extended stay, a language guide is essential.
The main language spoken is, not surprisingly, Czech. Language Slovak can often be heard, as there is a significant Slovak minority and the two languages are mutually intelligible to some extent and Slovak can be used for communication with authorities. Czechs are very proud of their language. So even in Prague you won't find many signs written in English (outside of the main tourist areas). Many older people, especially outside the big cities, are unable to hold a conversation in English. It is therefore good to learn some Czech or Slovak before you arrive. However, most young people speak at least a little English.
Most Czechs speak a second and often a third language. English is the most widely known, with German being the second most spoken language especially by older people. The Russian was compulsory in all schools during the communist period, most people born before about 1975 speak at least some Russian. However, the link with the communist period and the Soviet invasion of 1968 gave this language negative connotations. French andSpanish, are also taught in some schools.
Czech and Slovak languages are very difficult for French speakers to understand, especially if you do not know other Slavic languages, such as Russian where the Polish. However, if you can learn the alphabet (and the corresponding accented letters), pronunciation is easy, as it is always the same - Czechs and Slovaks pronounce every letter of a word, with emphasis on the first. syllable. The combination of consonants in some words may sound mind-boggling, but it's a good exercise!
The Czech language has many local dialects, especially in Moravia. Some dialects are so different that they can sometimes be misunderstood even by a Czech speaker from another region. However, all Czechs understand Standard Czech (as spoken on TV, written in newspapers, and taught in school) and should be able to speak it. However, some people speak Standard Czech with difficulty but write it correctly.
Czech and Slovak vocabularies are similar, with occasional words not understood. The young generation born after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia sometimes have more difficulty understanding Slovak.
Buy
The national currency of the Czech Republic is the Czech crown (Koruna česká, Kč, CZK).
Eat
Traditional Czech cuisine is particularly plentiful and varied. Meats are in the spotlight and the spicy flavors of Central Europe invite the taste buds to discover new culinary horizons. It's hard to decide among all the specialties that can be found on the menus of restaurants and brasseries or at home. Be careful, the portions are generous; we are often satisfied with just one dish! To make our mouth water, here is an authentic panorama of what we can find on our plates.
Hors d'oeuvre (předkrmy)
The most famous specialty is undoubtedly the prague ham (pražská šunka), a variety of white ham often served with whipped cream. Šopský salát, composed of tomatoes and cucumbers covered with grated cheese (feta); or the essential bramborový salát (potato salad), made with potatoes, pickles and mayonnaise, each cook then adding their own touch. fresh goose liver with onions (husí játra na cibulce) or smoked tongue (uzený jazyk).
Soups (polévky)
Soups are ubiquitous and served throughout the year. Among the most consumed, we find the česká bramborová, made from potatoes, the cabbage and bacon soup (zelňačka), the garlic or onion soup, the broths of chicken or beef (vývar), the Lentil soup (čočková - served especially for lunch on January 1) or the tripe soup (dršťková), quite surprising. Typical of North Bohemia, the Kulajda is made from potatoes, eggs, mushrooms, cream and dill.
Typical meals
They are based on meats (beef, chicken, pork, duck…) often served in abundance.
First, there is the traditional gulaš. Although of Hungarian origin, the Czech variant is an integral part of the local gastronomy. Gulaš is made from beef, beef broth seasoned with paprika, onions and peppers. It is served with knedliky, slices of boiled bread.
Among other beef dishes,
- the Svíčková na smetaně (roast beef in cream with cranberries),
- the Španělské ptáčky ("Little Spanish birds", kinds of beef paupiettes stuffed with bacon, eggs, onions and pickles).
Be careful depending on the restaurant, these dishes can also be real inedible "horrors"!
Thegoose (husa) roasted and the duck (kachna) stuffed accompanied by red and white cabbage are served in a very surprising sweet and savory version.
Breaded dishes are another important component of Czech cuisine. Almost all foods are entitled to their breaded version. Breaded meats (řízek) of pork and chicken are present in all menus, there is also breaded fish, of hot breaded cheese (edam and hermelin - Czech camembert - are the most common), and even breaded vegetables (mushrooms, cauliflower, etc.).
Fish is also part of Czech cuisine, including carp, very popular, and usually served at Christmas celebrations, breaded or with prunes, grapes and walnuts (Kapr na černo).
Accompaniments
The traditional accompaniments of Czech cuisine are:
• the knedlíky, made from bread or potato yeast, prepared with flour, eggs and yeast. Served in slices, they replace bread, and go well with all types of dishes, especially in sauce. Hello calories!
• the bramboráky, potato pancakes seasoned with marjoram.
• the potatoes in all forms (steamed, hash browns, fries, etc.)
Desserts (moučníky)
Czech desserts are often made from culinary specialties from neighboring countries, including the essential apple strudel, in Czech jablečný závin.
- the makovec, ground poppy cake (mletý mák), in various ways,
- the knedliky in their sweet version, filled with fruit or jam and sprinkled with grated cottage cheese, sugar and poppy,
- the buns (buchty),
- the cupcakes various (kolače), stuffed with poppy, cottage cheese or plum,
- the sweet crepes (palačinky) generously garnished with whipped cream, a must.
Brasserie dishes
Small dishes served in a brasserie (hospoda or pivnice), to accompany a beer mug, are not reserved only for the curious or with well-hung stomachs. But be careful (Pozor!), You have to forget your diet (s)!
Small useful lexicon:
• Topinka : slice of bread fried in fat and rubbed with garlic.
• Utopenec : sausage macerated with chili and garnished with raw onions.
• Tlačenka : head cheese (pork salami) with sliced onions and a slice of bread.
• Nákladaný hermelín : marinated Czech camembert.
• Pivný sýr : beer cheese, to be impregnated little by little with your beer until it forms a soft paste to spread on a slice of bread.
• Olejovky s cibulkou : sardines in onion oil.
• Zavináč : herring rollmops.
Chlebičky
The chlebičky are little canapes that the Czechs love to prepare when they receive them.
As an aperitif, as an appetizer, or simply for snacking at any time of the day, these are simple and inexpensive little pleasures! The toppings vary ad infinitum: various creams, cold meats, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, fresh vegetables, fish ...
To drink
The most typical is beer of course!
The two typical beer brands, the breweries of which can be visited:
- Pilsen or Plzeň (in Czech), made in the city of the same name,
- the Budvar, made in Česke Budejovice.
These two famous beers, in various variations, are to be forgotten in favor of a hundred local brands of relatively low distribution (internationally), and of excellent quality: Unetice, Svijany, Bernard, and many others. .
The beer is sometimes as light as in France. Czech customers easily point to good beers, usually cheaper than the two reported: A pint around 30 kroner (i.e. 1 €).
The Moravian region is famous for its wine. White wine is better there than red wine.
In winter, you have to taste the mulled wine with cinnamon to warm up ("svarené vino" or "svarak").
Those who like stronger alcohol can taste "Becherovka" herbal alcohol (a bit like chartreuse). Even stronger, there is "rum" or vodka and finally absinthe. But do not exceed more than two glasses, because it is very strong and you risk ending up under the table rather quickly.
Finally to toast, we say "Na zdravi".
Housing
Learn
To work
Communicate
European roaming
Since June 15, 2017, "European roaming" has been introduced. It allows all SIM card holders belonging to one of the European member countries to maintain the same pricing conditions as in the country of origin.
Telephone calls and Internet browsing are valid at no additional cost in all European countries, unless authorized by national authorities (generally minor operators) or when a data Gbit threshold is exceeded, which increases year by year. To use this service, simply activate the roaming option on your mobile phone.
The participating countries are those ofEuropean Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, UK, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those ofEuropean Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and some Oversea territories (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, The meeting, Saint-Martin).
Manage the day-to-day
Health
European citizens
Citizens ofEuropean Union (EU), who fall unexpectedly ill during a temporary stay, studies or a professional stay, are entitled to the same medical care as in their country of residence. It is always useful to take the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which constitutes physical proof of your insurance in an EU country. However, if you do not have the card with you or if you cannot use it (as in the case of private assistance), you are still entitled to treatment, but you are obliged to pay the costs on the spot. , then you will ask for a refund on your return.
The countries in which health coverage is provided are all those that are members of theEuropean Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those ofEuropean Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), the Swiss, the UK and the Oversea territories member of the European Union (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, The meeting, Saint-Martin).
security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :158 Ambulance:155 Firefighter :150 |
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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