Czechia — books & literature

The story of Czechia

Czech history begins with Slavic settlement of the Bohemian basin in the early medieval period, culminating in the rise of Great Moravia around the 9th century. The Duchy of Bohemia emerged under the Přemyslid dynasty, and in 1212 the Golden Bull of Sicily raised Bohemia to a kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire. Its golden age came under Charles IV in the 14th century, who made Prague an imperial capital and founded Charles University, the oldest in Central Europe. The 1415 execution of religious reformer Jan Hus ignited the Hussite Wars, and the Habsburg succession of 1526 drew Bohemia into the Austrian orbit for nearly four centuries, a period marked by the 1618 Defenestration of Prague that helped trigger the Thirty Years' War. Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918 from the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, survived Nazi occupation from 1938-1945, then endured over four decades of communist rule, including the crushed 1968 Prague Spring. The 1989 Velvet Revolution ended one-party rule without bloodshed, and on 1 January 1993 Czechoslovakia peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia , the "Velvet Divorce." Today Czechia is a European Union and NATO member known for its castles, beer culture, and a literary tradition running from Hus to Kafka, Čapek, and Kundera.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 830

   Great Moravia, an early Slavic state, rises in the region.

2. 870s

   Bořivoj I, first historically documented Přemyslid Duke of Bohemia, converts to Christianity.

3. 1212

   The Golden Bull of Sicily elevates Bohemia to a kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire.

4. 1346-1378

   Reign of Charles IV; Prague becomes an imperial capital and Charles University is founded (1348).

5. 1415

   Religious reformer Jan Hus is burned at the stake, sparking the Hussite Wars.

6. 1526

   Bohemia comes under Habsburg rule.

7. 1618

   The Defenestration of Prague helps trigger the Thirty Years' War.

8. 1918

   Czechoslovakia is founded (28 October) after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

9. 1989

   The Velvet Revolution ends communist rule without bloodshed.

10. 1993

    Czechoslovakia peacefully splits into the Czech Republic and Slovakia (1 January).

Top 10 things to know about Czechia

1. Prague Castle is recognised as the largest ancient castle complex in the world.
2. Czechia has one of the highest densities of castles and chateaux of any country.
3. Czech is a West Slavic language written in the Latin alphabet with diacritical marks.
4. Pilsner-style lager originated in the Czech city of Plzeň in 1842.
5. Czechs rank among the highest in the world for per-capita beer consumption.
6. Charles University in Prague, founded in 1348, is the oldest university in Central Europe.
7. Prague's historic centre and several other Czech sites are UNESCO World Heritage listed.
8. Czechia is a landlocked Central European country bordering Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland.
9. "Czechia" became the short official English-language name of the country in 2016.
10. Novelist Franz Kafka, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, was born in Prague.

Famous people from Czechia

Say it in Czechia's language

Did you know?

• ★Czechia has one of the highest densities of castles and chateaux of any country in the world.
• ★The word "robot" was coined by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his 1920 play "R.U.R."
• ★Prague's Astronomical Clock, installed in 1410, is the oldest astronomical clock still in operation.

Czechia culture

• Beer culture is central to Czech social life; the country consistently ranks among the world's highest in per-capita beer consumption.
• Marionette and puppet theatre, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, remains a living Czech tradition.
• Christmas Eve dinner traditionally features carp and potato salad.
• Bohemian crystal and glassmaking carry a centuries-long reputation for craftsmanship.

Why read Czechia's books

Czech literature runs from Jan Hus's reforming sermons through Karel Čapek's genre-defining science fiction to Franz Kafka's unsettling parables and Milan Kundera's philosophical novels , a small nation with an outsized voice in world letters.