The Czech Republic Commemorates its Glorious Past and Honors a Reformer Who Was Burnt to Death as well as a Progressive Monarch

In the coming months, a return to the Middle Ages awaits the Czech Republic, which is preparing a grand celebration of two famous personalities of Czech and European history. In early July, the legacy of the famed preacher Jan Hus, burnt at the stake 600 years ago at the Council of Constance in Germany, will be commemorated. The year 2016 will belong to the memory of Emperor Charles IV, who earned the Czech Republic a place on the map of Europe.

Master Jan Hus gave his life for his beliefs. In Prague he will be commemorated by a march with candles

An important figure in European history is the Bohemian reformer and critic of the Catholic Church, Master Jan Hus. He drew attention to the moral decay of the Church back at the beginning of the 15^th century and urged the people to live in truth and love. At the Council of Constance, however, he was condemned as a heretic. When he refused to retract his views, he was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415. The ideas of Hus later became inspiration for Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, and his acceptance was also found in the early 20^th century with the creation of Czechoslovakia.

Celebrations in honor of Jan Hus will begin July 5 this year in Prague with a concert by the Moravian Philharmonic. The actual day of the anniversary of the burning at the stake of the preacher shall begin with a procession to his statue at Old Town Square, which was unveiled exactly a century ago. The rich program in the center of Prague will be complemented by concerts of various genres, an ecumenical service and at 10 pm a march with candles to the Vltava river. A medieval marketplace will be prepared for young visitors, where they will be entertained by fun puppet shows and fencing tournaments.

A spiritual program will take place on both days in the Bethlehem Chapel, where Jan Hus preached his learning for ten years and where a new bell will be hung in his honor. If you want to learn more about the fate of the medieval scholar and the Bohemian Reformation, you can follow in their footsteps on special tours. Families with children will also appreciate the fun wandering around Prague's churches, where they will be duly rewarded. The Hus festivities program will be concluded at the Municipal House, in which a gold coin issued for the 600^th anniversary of Jan Hus will be presented.

The South of Bohemia will be brought to life by the Hussite tradition, ”God's Warriors”, returning to the city of Tábor

The burning of Jan Hus at the stake did not only mean the execution of a critical reformer, but also significantly influenced the history of all of Central Europe. Supporters of the preacher formed a revolutionary movement against which several crusades were launched. The commander Jan Žižka, whose huge statue can be found for example in Prague's Vítkov, where the first victory of the Hussites over the royal troops took place, became famous in the fighting. The movement was finally defeated in 1434, but the legacy of “God's Warriors” is forever a part of European history.

The Hussite movement is commemorated throughout the year by a series of events in the south of Bohemia. For example, in the city of Písek you will be able to view giant sand sculptures of the Hussites at the popular Cipískoviště festival. Several events will be held in South Bohemian Sudoměř, where the important victory of the Hussites took place. You will be able to experience the medieval atmosphere at the September festival in Tábor, which was founded by the Hussites. Jan Žižka shall return to the city in a torchlight procession and a weekend full of swordplay, carousing and the dueling of knights awaits you.

Emperor Charles IV lifted Bohemia up among the other European powers and the whole country celebrates his birth

Father of the Nation or winner of the Greatest Bohemian poll. These are just some of the names for Emperor Charles IV, who to this day inspires admiration and respect in the Czech people. The Bohemian king and later Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was responsible for the territorial expansion of Bohemia in the 14^th century and the rise of Prague among the major political centers of Europe. He enriched the country with such rarities as Charles Bridge and Karlštejn Castle, but was especially famous for founding the oldest university in Central Europe. It is therefore not surprising that the 700^th anniversary of the birth of Charles IV will be celebrated in style next year by the whole Czech Republic.

The main celebrations will be held in May next year and will culminate on Saturday, May 14, exactly seven centuries from the birth of the outstanding Emperor of the Luxembourg dynasty. On this day in Prague, new bells, which shall be made especially for this occasion, will sound, the crown jewels will be displayed and a reconstruction of the coronation of Charles will take place. The parade, proceeding from the castle along the Royal Route, will be tied to a historic program in the center of the city, in the spirit of the celebration of the year 1347.

In addition, in the streets of Prague the week-long festival ”Praga Caroli” with historical fairs, fire shows and performances by jugglers and fencers will be held. You definitely do not want to miss the contemporary fashion show on the Vltava river, which will also feature top model Eva Herzigová. The national celebrations will be complemented by a series of exhibitions, conferences and spiritual programs, in various places in the Czech Republic. There is even a feature length narrative film about the popular monarch that handles the topic of the “Roman journey”, i.e. the coronation of Charles IV as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

CzechTourism is a state-funded agency of the Ministry for Regional Development. Its main activity is to promote the Czech Republic as an attractive tourist destination. More information is available at http://www.czechtourism.com.