The city lies at the confluence of the Elbe and the Orlice rivers close to Krkonoše, the highest of the Czech mountains, with its peak, Sněžka, at 1,603 m.
History
The original name of one of the oldest settlements in the Czech Republic was Hradec ; Králové was affixed when it became one of the dowry towns of Elisabeth Richeza of Poland, who lived there for thirty years, having been the second wife of two Bohemian Kings, Wenceslaus II and then Rudolph I of Habsburg. In Latin, the Castle of the Queen was called Grecz Reginae, the original German Königingrätz was shortened to Königgrätz by 1800. It remained a dowry town until 1620. Hradec Králové was the first town to declare for the national cause during the Hussite Wars in the first half of the 15th century. After the Battle of White Mountain, a large segment of the Protestant population left the area. In 1639 the town was occupied for eight months by the Swedes. Several churches and convents were pulled down to make way for fortifications erected under Joseph II. The Battle of Königgrätz, the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, took place on 3 July 1866 near Hradec Králové. This event is commemorated in the famous "Königgrätzer Marsch". Moreover, the battle put an end to the age of fortifications, which were finally destroyed in 1884. The city is situated in the centre of a very fertile region called the Golden Road, at the confluence of the Elbe and the Orlice, and contains many buildings of historical and architectural interest. The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1303 by Elizabeth, and the church of St. John, built in 1710, stands on the ruins of the old castle. During the 1920s and 1930s the city grew rapidly, thanks to decisions made by the heads of the city to develop a modern city, which included razing the fortress and opening the town for expansion. During this era many buildings of modern architecture were built, and Hradec Králové became known as the Salon of the Republic. This nickname was given to the city by its citizens, who were enamored by the architecture of Josef Gočár and Jan Kotěra.
Airport
is a public domestic and private international airport located about from the city centre. There are currently no scheduled flights operating to the airport. It is sometimes visited by private jet traffic.
Culture
Theatre
Every May, an Air Ambulance Show is held for both the general public and Air Ambulance personnel. Every June the Theatre of European regions, an international theatre festival, takes place.
Music
Since 2004 the city hosts Hip Hop Kemp, one of the biggest European hip hop festivals, in August. Since 2007 the city hosts Rock for People, the biggest rock festival in the Czech Republic, in July. "Jazz goes to town", an international jazz festival, is held in Hradec Králové every October. The city's museum currently holds one of the oldest surviving collections of Czech Renaissance polyphony, the Codex Speciálník manuscript. The city is home to one of the Czech Republic's leading orchestras, the .
