Did you know that the Czech Republic hosts more than 2,000 castles, thus being one of the countries with the highest density of castles in the world? Discover below many other of its particularities.
- The Prague Castle is the largest castle area in the world. Its three courtyards and a number of magnificent buildings cover over 7 hectares (18 acres).
- Charles University is one of the oldest in the world. Founded by King Charles IV in 1348, Charles University in Prague is among the oldest in the world and the oldest in Central and Eastern Europe. Its acceptance rate is a striking 1 in 400 – all the respect to the accepted students!
- 90%+ secondary education attainment rate. According to OECD’s 2013 ‘Education Policy Outlook’ report, “the Czech Republic has one of the highest upper secondary education attainment rates for the 25-34 year-olds (94%, compared to the OECD average of 82%) with most students completing vocational education and training”.
- Prague: Europe’s best-preserved old towns. Prague is one of the few cities in Europe that remained intact over the years, having survived both World Wars, so what you will see is all original. Make sure you visit the Old Town Square and watch the ‘Procession of the 12 Apostles’ taking place every hour on the Astronomical Clock of the Town Hall. Also soak up the atmosphere of this magical city by strolling along the narrow cobbled streets and have a beer on one of the lively terraces.
- World heaviest consumers of beer. The Czech Republic is the no. 1 beer drinking country in the world with a consumption of 160 litres per person per year. Beer has been brewed here since 993 AD and Czech universities have some top-notch breweries. In a country where beer is such an integral part of the culture, history and society, it’s not surprising that the study and practice of making beer extends into Czech higher education. In fact, some institutions have breweries that are situated right on their university campuses.
- Škoda, one of the oldest automobile brands. Founded in 1895, Škoda is one of the very few automobile brands with a history of more than 100 years. And by the way, did you know that ‘škoda’ means ‘damage’, ‘shame’ or ‘pity’ in Czech, so kudos to the marketing people!
- One of the most peaceful country splits in the 20th century. As you might already know, until 1992, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic were a federal state, Czechoslovakia. Due to growing nationalist tensions in the government, the country was dissolved and on 1 January 1993 the two states become independent. The dissolution, also called the ‘Velvet Divorce’, was one of the most peaceful country splits of the 20th century.
- Modern soft contact lenses were invented by the Czech chemist, Otto Wichterle in 1959. It was a Czech doctor, Jan Jansky, who first divided blood into four types in 1907.
- The first sugar cubes were made in the Czech Republic in 1841 after a sugar factory director’s wife got injured while trying to cut some pieces of sugar and suggested finding an alternative.
- The word ‘robot’ is Czech and it was first used in 1920 in a theatre play by Karel Capek, Rossum’s Universal Robots. The play was about a robots factory and the playwright’s brother suggested calling the working machines ‘roboti’ from the Slavic ‘robota’, which means ‘labour’.
- According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the prehistoric settlement of Dolní Vestonice in Southern Moravia is the oldest town in the world. It dates back to 27,000 BC, the Ice Age.
- Sigmund Freud was born and spent the first years of his life in what is now the Czech Republic.
- The synagogue in Plzen (Pilsen) is the second largest synagogue in Europe and the third largest synagogue in the world.
- The Nobel Prize in Literature for 1984 was awarded to the Czech poet Jaroslav Seifert.
- The Hethitic language was first deciphered by Czech archaeologist Bedrich Hrozný in 1914.
- The Bata Shoe Organization was founded in Zlín, Czech Republic, in 1894 by Tomáš Bata and is the largest shoe retailer and manufacturer in the world.
- The town square in Ceské Budejovice is the second largest preserved town square in Europe.
- Václav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic, liked to take visiting politicians to Prague pubs.
- Ivana Trump is Czech and was born in Gottwaldov (now Zlín), Czech Republic.