There are 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic. All of these sites are listed under the Cultural Category. One of them is shared with Germany.
Map of World Heritage Sites in Czechia
Czech UNESCO Sites
Gardens and Castle at Krom??íž (1998)
Krom??íž is a town in Moravia best known for the castle and gardens that were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic. The garden itself is a sight to behold; in fact, it is touted as one of Europe’s most beautiful. It was incorporated into the UNESCO list because of the beautiful symbiosis of light, plants, art, and architecture. Speaking of architecture, the Krom??íž Castle to which the Krom??íž Gardens is a part of is included in the recognized as a world heritage site. It is located in the middle of an elaborate labyrinth of green walls and plant landscapes. These two sites are considered as one of the best examples of European Baroque residence and garden design.
Historic Centre of Ceský Krumlov (1992)
Cesky Krumlov is a city in the Czech Republic’s South Bohemia region. This is where you will find the Cesky Krumlov Castle and a few other medieval monuments. Its historic center was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic in 1992. Specifically, the Cesky Krumlov Castle stands out because of its size and grandeur, which was rather impressive for such a small city. It features a large rococo garden, extensive bridge and the castle complex itself. There are other notable monuments and structures in the city including the Cesky Krumlov Theater and Zlata Koruna (the oldest monastery in Bohemia region). It is a city rich in culture and history that is easily re-told by the surviving monuments and buildings.
Historic Centre of Prague (1992)
Prague is the most popular city in the Czech Republic and the historic center is also recognized as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic. The historic center is the best place to go to if you want to relive the cultural and architectural history of this city, which flourished during the Middle Ages. The most notable monuments in Prague include the St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, and Hradcani Castle. Most of the structures and monuments in Prague were built for by the Charles IV, a Holy Roman Emperor.
Historic Centre of Tel? (1992)
Tel? is another Moravian town included in this list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic. At nearly the start of the 12th century, this town flourished to the point that a church and settlement was established. This settlement forms what is now considered as the Old Town. It continued to flourish until the 16th century up until the arrival of the railway in the town in the 19th century. The historical center of this town was surrounded by fish ponds and city gates. This contributed to preserving the shape and character of the town. In fact, the town’s Gothic castle that features a High Gothic style is a striking feature.
Holašovice Historical Village Reservation (1998)
This village is considered as one of the best examples of a traditional European village layout. From the period of the 18th to 19th centuries, there was a large number of these traditional vernacular buildings that were constructed in the village of Holasovice. The architectural style used was referred to as “South Bohemian folk Baroque”. The ground plan on the village that remains intact until today dates back to the Middle Ages.
Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc (2000)
The memorial column of Holy Trinity in Olomouc was constructed in the 18th century. This particular monument is deemed valuable not only as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic but also for showcasing the type of monument that is unique to the central European region. It features an architectural style known as Olomouc Baroque and measures at 35 meters in height. There are also many fine religious sculptures built around the column such as the work of artist Ondrej Zahner from Moravia.
Jewish Quarter and St Procopius’ Basilica in Trebic (2003)
The Jewish Quarter listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic consists of the old Jewish cemetery and Basilica of St. Procopius. All of these properties are located in Trebic. These monuments are recognized by UNESCO as an important cultural site as it exhibits how the Jewish and Christians co-existed from the Middle Ages until the 20th century.
Kutná Hora: Historical Town Centre with the Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec (1995)
This historic town center developed as a result of the silver mines. In the 14th century, it flourished to become a royal city with several monuments that exhibit its prosperity level. Two churches, the Church of St. Barbara and Cathedral of our Lady at Sedlec, that were built on the town served as the basis for architecture in central Europe, particularly of the Baroque style during the 18th century period. These medieval churches and monuments combined with the private dwellings in the town combine to create a cultural landscape. Hence, it was inscribed into the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic in 1995.
Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (1996)
Located in the South Moravian region, this region was transformed into a striking cultural landscape between the 17th and 20th centuries. Baroque architecture was highly prevalent around the town and the castles of Lednice and Valtice both featured a neo-Gothic architectural style. Meanwhile, the countryside was fashioned using the romantic principles of English landscape architecture. This makes it the largest artificial landscape ever created in Europe.
Litomyšl Castle (1999)
The monumental renaissance castle of Litomysl is the most striking feature of the town. The castle was built from 1568 to 1581. The architectural refinement of the castle makes it stand out with more Baroque details and features added in the 18th century. Somehow, it has preserved the range of ancillary buildings that were built alongside this aristocratic residence.
Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora (1994)
This church was constructed for in honor of St. John of Nepomuk. It was built on Zelena Hora, which is also in Moravia. The construction of this pilgrimage church begun in the 18th century and followed a star-shaped plan that was unique in the construction of churches at that time. It was the idea of architect Jan Blazej Santini who created that plan to showcase his original style that is a cross between Baroque and neo-Gothic.
Tugendhat Villa in Brno (2001)
This villa is a work of architect Mies van Rohe. It was inscribed into the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic in 2001. It was cited for being an outstanding example of international style during a modern movement. This particular architectural style was innovated in Europe in the 1920s. The striking features of this architectural style include the use of spatial and aesthetic concepts that also utilize modern industrial production.
Erzgebirge/Krušnoho?í Mining Region (2019)
Erzgebirge/Krušnoho?í (Ore Mountains) spans a region in south-eastern Germany (Saxony) and north-western Czechia, which contains a wealth of several metals exploited through mining from the Middle Ages onwards. The region became the most important source of silver ore in Europe from 1460 to 1560 and was the trigger for technological innovations. Tin was historically the second metal to be extracted and processed at the site. At the end of the 19th century, the region became a major global producer of uranium. The cultural landscape of the Ore Mountains has been deeply shaped by 800 years of almost continuous mining, from the 12th to the 20th century, with mining, pioneering water management systems, innovative mineral processing and smelting sites, and mining cities.
Landscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby and Labem (2019)
Situated in the St?ední Polabí area of the Elbe plain, the site consists of flat, sandy soils and includes fields, fenced pastures, a forested area and buildings, all designed with the main objective of breeding and training kladruber horses, a type of draft horse used in ceremonies by the Habsburg imperial court. An imperial stud farm was established in 1579 and has been dedicated to this task since then. It is one of Europe’s leading horse-breeding institutions, developed at a time when horses played vital roles in transport, agriculture, military support, and aristocratic representation.