"Down through the centuries, the Czech Republic, the territory of the Czech Republic has been a place of cultural exchange."
-- Pope Benedict XVI==================================================================
The Czech Republic (a.k.a. Czechia) is a country that comprises the historical provinces of Bohemia and Moravia.
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(in southwestern Czechia) Český Krumlov is a fairy-tale town in the heart of the South Bohemia region, where you can admire the stunning architecture and art of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic periods. The town's centerpiece is the majestic Český Krumlov Castle, which overlooks the winding Vltava river and the colorful houses below. You can explore the castle's gardens, courtyards, and museums, or enjoy a panoramic view from the tower. Český Krumlov also offers a variety of cultural and outdoor activities, such as festivals, concerts, rafting, hiking, and cycling. Whether you are looking for history, romance, or adventure, Český Krumlov will enchant you.
+ Featured here, is Český Krumlov, in Bohemia’s deep south. (One of the most attractive cities in Europe, it’s a little like Prague in miniature (a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a stunning castle above the Vltava River, an Old Town square, renaissance and baroque architecture, and hordes of tourists milling through the streets, albeit on a smaller scale.) Here, there are plenty of lively bars and riverside picnic spots – in summer i’is a popular hang-out for backpackers. It can be a magical place in winter, though, when the crowds are gone and the castle is blanketed in snow -- with its charm and beauty.
+ Situated to the southwest of the larger city of České Budějovice, it lies on the Vltava River. The first part of the city’s name, Český, means “Czech,” and the second part, Krumlov, was derived from a German description of the tight bends in the river here.
As a town, Český Krumlovgrew up around a Gothic castle, built on the cliffs above the Vltava by Bohemian nobles in the mid-13th century. In the succeeding centuries, aristocratic occupants, including members of the house of Schwarzenberg, expanded the castle, incorporating Renaissance and Baroque elements and ultimately creating one of the largest castle complexes in central Europe. The medieval character of central Český Krumlov has been preserved. From the Middle Ages to the mid-20th century, the city was populated by a mixture of Czechs and Germans. After the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, the Czechoslovak government rejected the German form of the city’s name in favor of the Czech version -- and after World War II the government expelled the German-speaking population (mainly from an area called Sudetenland).
+These days, tourism is a major economic activity; in addition to hundreds of historic buildings, attractions include local museums, art galleries, theaters -- and popular festivals.
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