Pardubice Region – PARDUBICKÝ KRAJ
The Pardubice region got its name from the city of Pardubice. PARDUBICE is known for its Renaissance chateau – RENESANČNÍ ZÁMEK. This manor is an exceptional representation of the transition from castle to chateau. Worth mentioning is the Pardubice gingerbread – PARDUBICKÝ PERNÍK – and the Pardubice racetrack. The Velká Pardubická Steeplechase – VELKÁ PARDUBICKÁ – is one of the oldest and most challenging races in Europe. The course is 6,900 meters long, and the horses must complete 31 jumps including one of the most difficult jumps in the world – the Taxis Ditch – TAXISŮV PŘÍKOP.
Old-Kladruber horse breeding is renowned not only at the oldest stud farm – NEJSTARŠÍ HŘEBČÍN in the world in Kladruby nad Labem, founded back in the 16th century by Emperor Rudolph II, but also at the nearby stud farm in Slatiňany – SLATIŇANY. This unique carriage horse breed – PLEMENO TAŽNÝCH KONÍ – is one of the oldest in the world. For this reason, it has also become a “national cultural monument“ – NÁRODNÍ KULTURNÍ PAMÁTKA. Today, Old-Kladruber horses reap success in team driving competitions.
LITOMYSL CHATEAU – ZÁMEK LITOMYŠL is a representative Renaissance chateau with facade decorated with over 8000 sgraffito envelopes – FASÁDA ZDOBENÁ SGRAFITO OBÁLKAMI. It was entered in 1999 into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Other exclusive features include the local theater with period decorations from the 18th century and the former brewery, where renowned composer Bedřich Smetana was born in 1824. He composed several operas, of which the best-known and most famous is the Bartered Bride – PRODANÁ NEVĚSTA. The composer‘s legacy is highlighted each year in his native city with the Smetana‘s Litomyšl International Opera Festival – SMETANOVA LITOMYŠL.
NOVE HRADY CHATEAU – ZÁMEK NOVÉ HRADY is the Rococo chateau – ROKOKOVÝ ZÁMEK often called as “Bohemian Versailles”. There you can visit the First Czech Museum of Cycling – PRVNÍ ČESKÉ MUZEUM CYKLISTIKY, the Gallery of English Hats, or the free-range red deer – LESNÍ JELEN and fallow deer – DANĚK at the chateau farm.
Castle Kuneticka mountain – HRAD KUNĚTICKÁ HORA dating back to the half of 14th century, belongs to the dominant sites of Pardubice region. From the ruins of once grandiose castle you could see the edges of Giant Mountains – KRKONOŠE, Iron mountains – ŽELEZNÉ HORY or also Orlicke Mountains – ORLICKÉ HORY.
KRALICKY SNEZNIK MOUNTAINS – POHOŘÍ KRÁLICKÝ SNĚŽNÍK with its peak Králický Sněžník is the 3rd tallest mountain chain in the Czech republic. Interesting fact is that three rivers spring from Kralicky Sneznik and flow into three different seas – to the North Sea – SEVERNÍ MOŘE, to the Black Sea – ČERNÉ MOŘE and to Baltic Sea – BALSTKÉ MOŘE.
Pardubice region is very rich in TRADITIONS – TRADICE. Open-Air Museum Vysocina is one-of-a-kind museum in the natural landscape that invokes the atmosphere of eras long past. The museum comprised of three locations. The main section of the museum in the countryside is situated atop Veselý Kopec – VESELÝ KOPEC, and other complexes are located in the Bethlehem – BETLÉM – district in Hlinsko and the water mill – VODNÍ MLÝN – in Svobodné Hamry. Veselý Kopec and Betlém regularly host a diverse array of programs presenting folk culture traditions.
The Hlinecko Shrovetide Processions and Masks – HLINECKÝ MASOPUSTNÍ PRŮVOD – take pride in their membership in the internationally-acclaimed UNESCO organisation‘s intangible cultural heritage list. The traditional masked figure processions take place at the end of Carnival season, which begins after the Epiphany – ZJEVENÍ PÁNĚ – and ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday – POPELEČNÍ STŘEDA. The list primarily includes festivities in the villages of Hamry, Studnice, Vortová and in Blatná, a district of Hlinsko.
