Czech Land of Stories- The town of Czech queens

Czech Land of Stories
The town of Czech queens
Hradec Králové | Length: 1 | Duration: 1 Day
Hradec Králové is situated about 100 kilometres from Prague and the journey takes approximately
one and a half hours. You can travel by car, direct bus or train. The walk through the town can be
combined with travelling on public transport or by car.
In the 14th century, Hradec Králové used to be one of the most important towns in the kingdom. It is
therefore not surprising that Charles IV wanted to have direct influence over it, even at the time
when he was only Margrave of Moravia. He succeeded in this, among other things, by contributing
to the construction of the Church of the Holy Spirit. Later he made a gift of Hradec Králové to his
wife Elisabeth of Pomerania, and it became her dowry town.
In Hradec Králové the first place to visit is the White Tower standing on the site of a former
cemetery that belonged to the Gothic Church of the Holy Spirit. You can see there, among other
things, the third largest bell in the Czech Republic, dedicated to St. Augustine.
The next stop on the journey will be to see one of the oldest sacral buildings in the city, the Chapel
of St. Clement, which served believers before the Church of the Holy Spirit was built right next to it.
The roots of this monumental Gothic church date back to the beginning of the 14th century, and its
history is rich and full of intrigue. The construction was heavily supported by Charles IV and
Elisabeth of Pomerania. Later it served as the headquarters of the Hussite movement, whose
invincible military leader Jan Žižka of Trocnov was allegedly buried inside its walls for some time.
You may admire both its unique exterior and interior with original wall paintings and a Gothic altar.
At the plague column created by the sculptor John the Baptist Bulla, situated on Large Square, you
can contemplate the transience of life. The square is also interesting due to the architecture of the
houses standing on its sides, with typical arcades often decorated with house signs, crests and
inscriptions.
After all this you will probably feel like something to eat and after lunch you can try the sweet
“pumpernickel”, aromatic gingerbread with almonds and spices, as a dessert. You can also taste the
blue vein cheese called Niva, which has been produced in the nearby village of Dolní Přím since
1950. This great favourite draws on the local tradition of cheese processing, the origins of which
date back to 1879.
From Large Square move on to Tomkova Street, a spot where royal treasure was discovered in the
1990s in one of the houses. Next, walk to the site that was chosen as a place of residence by
Queens – the location, where the old royal palace used to stand. After this pass through the “mouse
hole” to St. John’s Square and then go down V Kopečku Street, the spot where the ancient Prague
Gate, one of the two main entrances to the old town, used to stand until the end of the 19th century.
The next stop on the journey is the river and from there onto the Museum of East Bohemia,
constructed according to the design of Jan Kotěra. This building is one of the gems of 20th century
architecture. Inside you will see many interesting historical items, including a model of the ancient
Hradec Králové with city walls. The visit to the museum usually takes about one hour.
An entertaining way to end your day in Hradec is by enjoying one of the ever popular steamboat
cruises along the river Elbe. One of the steamboats is named Queen Elizabeth. The one-hour cruise
offers beautiful views of the city’s dominating constructions, such as the magnificent Sander’s hydroelectric power station, the Na Pláckách stone bridge and many other sights.
Useful contacts
město Hradec Králové: Tel: +420 495 580 492,
Address: Turistické informační centrum, Velké náměstí 165, 500 01 Hradec Králové, GPS:
50.2085036,15.8296642
Accommodation tips
EA Hotel Tereziánský dvůr: Tel: +420 495 505 111, Email:
[email protected],
Address: Jana Koziny 336, 500 00, Hradec Králové, GPS:
0.0035298988611111,0.098908375444444
Hotel Černigov: Tel: +420 495 814 266, Email: [email protected],
Address: Riegrovo náměstí 1494, 500 02, Hradec Králové, GPS:
0.0036333023333333,0.098506495583333
Hotel Nové Adalbertinum: Tel: +420 495 063 111, Email: [email protected],
Address: Velké náměstí 32, 500 03, Hradec Králové, GPS: 50.209027777778,15.833445277778
Konference Park Hotel: Tel: +420 723 848 039, Email: [email protected] ,
Address: Roudničská 730, Hradec Králové, GPS: 0.0029672263888889,0.098745632527778
Restaurant tips
Bar Restaurant Atlanta: Tel: +420 734 441 683, Email: [email protected],
Address: Švehlova 504, Hradec Králové 2 500 02, GPS: 50.078542411268,14.437494277954
Restaurace Černý kůň: Tel: +420 608 633 723, Email: [email protected],
Address: Mal0 náměstí 10/26, 500 03 Hradec Králové, GPS:
50.078542411268,14.437494277954
Aquarium: Tel: +420 491 611 575, Email: [email protected],
Address: Rybova 14, 500 09 Hradec Králové - Malšovice, GPS: 0,50.195694344444
Duran grill: Tel: +420 495 272 750, Email: [email protected],
Address: Sekaninova 398, 500 11 Hradec Králové, GPS:
0.0031197738333333,0.098762953138889
Inflagranti: Tel: +420 731 023 123, Email: [email protected],
Address: Československé armády 219/24, 500 03 Hradec Králové, GPS:
0.0035655160833333,0.098920932972222
Localis: Tel: +420 495 588 153, Email: [email protected],
Address: Velké náměstí 145/14, 500 03 Hradec Králové, GPS:
0.0035537685,0.098841368638889
Na statku: Tel: +420 495 510 991, Email: [email protected],
Address: Pražská 29/146, Hradec Králové, GPS: 0.0034312127222222,0.09798855475