Biggest Cities In The Czech Republic (Czechia)

Below, we take a look at the five largest cities in the Czech Republic. These, along with the 6th through 10th most populous cities in the country and their respective population sizes, are listed at the conclusion of the article as well.

5. Liberec

Librec is the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of 102,0562 people. Liberec is the capital of the Librec region of the country. The city was first settled by Flemish and German migrants at some point in the 14th Century and is first known to be mentioned in a document from 1348. The city sits on the Lusatian Neisse River that runs through central Europe and is surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and the Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge. The city is home to the North Bohemian Museum which was built in 1873 and is one of the oldest museums on the natural sciences in the country. The zoo in Liberec was the first to ever be opened when the country was still Czechoslovakia, back in 1919. Some of the city's notable locations are the Libretto Castle, which was built in the 1500s, the F. X. Šalda theater built in 1885, the Liberec Town Hall built in 1893 and the Ještěd Tower built in 1968 that sits on top of the Ještěd Mountain.

4. Plzen

Plzen, alternatively known as Pilsen, is the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of 169,033 people. Plzen is the capital of the Plzen region of the country. Plzen is first mentioned in documentation in 976 as a castle during a battle involving the Holy Roman Emperor Emperor Otto II (955-983) and in 1295 Plzen became a town when King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (1271-1305) granted the city its civic charter. The city of Plzen is located in the Plzen basin which is where the Berounka River is formed from the confluence of the Mze, Radbuza, Uhlava, and Uslava Rivers. The city of Plzen is the main hub for culture, business and academia in the western area of the Czech Republic. The city center has been declared a cultural heritage preservation site since 1989 and in 2015 was named as one of the two cities to be the European Capital of Culture. Some of the cities main attractions are the St. Bartholomew's Cathedral, which was built in 1295 and has the highest tower in the country. The city is also home to the second largest Jewish synagogue in all of Europe, the Moorish Revival Great Synagogue and one of the longest underground tunnel networks in all of Central Europe. The oldest operating brewery in the world, the Dobrow Monastery, is located near and has been in operating since 1375. The city is also world famous for its pilsner beer, which has been made in the city since 1842.

3. Brno

Brno is the third largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of 810,000 people. Brno is the capital of the South Moravian Region of the country. At some point in the early 11th Century, a castle was established for a prince from the House of Přemyslid that would become the city of Brno. The city was first mentioned in documentation in the Chronica Boëmorum by Cosmas of Prague (1045-1125) and was officially recognized as a town by the King of Bohemia, Wenceslaus I (907-935), in 1243. Brno also served as the capital of the Margraviate of Moravia (1182-1918) from 1641 until 1918. Brno is in the southeastern part of the country, is located at the point where the Svitava and Svratka Rivers converge, and is surrounded by hilly forest. The city is home to many sites including the 13th Century Špilberk and Veveří castles, the Church of St.Peter and Paul and the St. Thomas's Abbey where Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) established genetics with his experiments on pea plants. The city is also home to the second largest ossuary in all of Europe, the Brno Ossuary, and the AZ Tower, which was completed in 2013 is the tallest building in the country at 364 feet (111 meters) tall.

2. Ostrava

Ostrava is the second largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of 1,164,328 people. Ostrava is the capital of the Moravian-Silesian Region of the country. The first documented mention of the city of Ostrava comes from a 1229 document from Pope Gregory IX that mentions the town. Ostrava is situated in the Moravian Gate, a broad river basin and is located at the point where the Lučina, Odra, Opava, and Ostravice Rivers meet. The city of Ostrava is the location of the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, which and international renowned as well and also hosts the Spectaculo Interesse festival and the Theater Without Barriers Festival in the Ostrava Puppet Theater. The city also adds to its rich culture of the arts with the Colours of Ostrava music festival and is host to many international film and theater festivals each year. The city is also host to a wide variety of different and unique museums, including toy, brewery, firefighting, railway and blacksmith museums.

1. Prague

Prague is the largest city and the capital city of the Czech Republic with a population of 2,156,097 people. Various groups from across Western, Central, and Northern Europe, including the Celts, Marcomanni, Germanic Tribes, and Slavic tribes, had settled in the region that is now Prague. However, Prague itself was not established until 885, when Bořivoj I (852-889) of the Premyslid dynasty founded the Prague Castle and established the city. Prague in the past has been the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia, the capital of the Holy Roman Empire for two emperors and the capital of Czechoslovakia. Prague is located in the center of the Bohemian Basin and sits on the Vltava River. Prague is the cultural center of the Czech Republic and as one of the capitals of Europe is the location of culture, arts, industry and architecture that spans over the centuries. The city is home to various museums, theaters, art galleries, universities and is a major hub for tourists to visit. Prague is the location of many old world wonders, including the Jewish Quarter of the city which had been settled by Jews beginning in the early 10th Century, the Vyšehrad Fort which was built in the middle of the 10th Century, and the Charles Bridge which was built in 1402. The city is also home to the Prague astronomical clock, which was installed in 1410 and is the oldest astronomical clock still operating in the world. Prague Castle which started being built in 876 is the largest ancient castle in the world and has been the past home to kings, emperors and is the current resident of the Czech Republic's president. The castle also houses the Bohemian Crown Jewels, including the crown used for the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (1316-1378) which is the fourth oldest crown in all of Europe.