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Welcome to Czech Republic!
Hradec
Králové
 History:
The original name of one of the oldest settlements in the Czech Republic was Hradec (the Castle); Králové (of the queen) was affixed when it became one of the dowry towns of Elisabeth Richeza of Poland (1286–1335),
who lived here for thirty years having been the second wife of two Bohemian Kings, Wenceslaus II and then Rudolph I of Habsburg. In Latin, the Castle of the Queen was called Grecz Reginae, the original German Königingrätz was
shortened to Königgrätz by 1800. It remained a dower town till 1620.
Hradec Králové was the first of the towns to declare for the
national cause during the Hussite Wars. After the Battle of White Mountain (1620) a large part of the Protestant population left the place. In 1639 the town was occupied for eight months by the Swedes. Several churches and convents were pulled down to make way for the fortifications erected under Joseph II. The fortress was finally dismantled in 1884. The Battle
of Königgrätz, the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War took
place, on July 3, 1866 near Hradec Králové. This event is commemorated
in the famous Königgrätzer
Marsch.
 The city is situated in the centre of a very fertile region called the Golden Road on the confluence of Elbe and Orlice and contains many buildings of historical and architectural interest. The cathedral was founded in 1303 by Elizabeth, and the church of St. John, built in 1710, stands on the ruins of the old castle. During the 1920s and 1930s the city grew rapidly and due to many buildings of modern architecture Hradec Králové became known as the Salon of the Republic. This was a nickname given to it by citizens who were spellbound by the unique architecture of Josef Gočár.
 Hradec Králové is the natural regional and administrative centre of East Bohemia with a wide ranging catchment area and easy commuting to schools and work. It is also a city of cultural tourism and an attractive tourist destination has traditionally been among the most visited cities in the Czech Republic. Hradec Králové is a town with much greenery and many orchards. It has significant natural potential, including forests, parks and recreational water areas within the city vicinity. It has always been regarded as the city with the best quality of life and the highest level of safety.
Hradec Králové is the seat of nine faculties for three universities – The Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty of Charles University, The Faculty of Military Medicine, The University of Defence and three faculties of The University of Hradec Králové (for Education, Philosophy, Informatics and Management, Natural sciences and Social Work). The total number of students attending these universities each year is 10,000; from the Czech Republic and also from abroad within various student exchange programmes. Hradec Kralove is only two hours away from Prague by train.
Population
The population of Hradec
Kralove is 94.4930 (01.01.2010). Nationalities: The
major nationalities living in the
Czech Republic are Czech and Moravian, but there are
also minority groups such as the Silesians, Romes,
Poles, Germans, Ukrainians and Russians.
Religion
The largest denomination is Roman Catholic (39,2%)
followed by Protestants (4,1%), Orthodox (3%) and Others
(13,4%). However, round about 39,7% are Atheists and
Nonbelievers and practice any religion.
Language
95 % of the population speak Czech.3 % speak Slovak,
which is closely related to Czech. 2% are also mother
tongue speakers of German, Hungarian, Romani and Polish.
Visa Regulations
Nationals of the following Countries do not require
a visa for tourism and short business trips to the
Czech Republic: Citizens ofEU, EEA, Iceland, Norway,
Liechtenstein, Switzerland do not require a visa.
Currency & Exchange
National currency: Czech crown (CZK). Fixed exchange
rate: 1EUR = 24 Kc (Koruna ceska) Exchange rates
can be found from the Czech National Banks website
(http://www.cnb.cz/en/financial_markets/foreign_exchange_market/exchange_rate_fixing/daily.jsp).
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