Visit Hradec Kralove, a Historical City in the Czech Republic

It took me years to visit Hradec Králové (Czech Republic), but when I eventually got there, the city exceeded my expectations (and those were high). It is one of the picture-perfect cities, with a long history and architecture typical of Central Europe. However, the place is with a twist.

In Hradec Králové, you will find some exceptional buildings in modernist and functionalist styles from the early 20th century. Somehow, it works really well with the older landmarks, making Hradec Králové one of the most unique places to visit in the Czech Republic.

Hradec Králové is one of the oldest cities in the Czech Republic. Due to its strategic location, at the confluence of the Elbe and Orlice rivers, the place has always played an important role in history.

It was founded in the late 10th century and developed quickly. In the early 14th century, the city became the dowry town, given by a Bohemian king to his wife (hence its name, Hradec Králové means “Castle of the Queen”). That’s when the place became the political, cultural, and military center of the region, making Hradec Králové the second-largest city in the Czech Republic (after Prague).

After a few poorer centuries, when the city was under poor leadership and involved in wars, the change came in the second half of the 18th century, when a large military fortress was built in Hradec Králové, changing the look of the place. After the Battle of Königgrätz in 1866, it was decided to demolish the fortification walls to allow the development of the modern city.

As a result, the city boasts some incredible modernist and functionalist buildings and was known as the “Salon of the Republic” (to emphasize the regained independence of the Czech Republic in 1918). Today, Hradec Králové is a vibrant city with nearly a hundred thousand inhabitants and serves as the administrative, cultural, and commercial center of the region.

With the location only 110 km east of the Czech capital and direct trains connecting these two cities, Hradec Králové is one of the greatest and easiest day trips from Prague. There are so many attractions and things to do in Hradec Králové that you will not be bored when visiting the city.

Here is your Hradec Králové travel guide.

What to see in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

You should start your trip to Hradec Králové with a visit to a local tourist information, located at the edge of the Old Town, next to the impressive building of the Museum of Eastern Bohemia. Inside, you can get numerous free brochures about the city’s landmarks and history. Those will definitely help you with Hradec Králové sightseeing.

While you are there, you can stop at the Museum of Eastern Bohemia. It’s a majestic building, built in the secession style between 1909 and 1913, and is one of the most important attractions of the city. Inside, you can see a large collection of various artifacts from the region, including archaeological, historical, military, ethnographic, and cultural heritage items.

Most of Hradec Králové’s attractions are located within the Old Town, situated on the upper part of the city, near the confluence of the Elbe and Orlice rivers. You will find there a unique mix of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and modern architecture. Each of these styles is beautifully represented in the city’s scenery, making Hradec Králové such an interesting place to visit.

The heart of the Old Town is its main square – Velké náměstí. Its main sight, dominating over the area, is Holy Spirit Cathedral – a Gothic masterpiece from the early 14th century. Next to it, you can find the White Tower that you definitely should climb to.

There are 226 steps leading to the top (unfortunately, there’s no elevator), but the beautiful view is definitely worth the effort. From the viewing platform, you can admire the panorama of the city with all its main landmarks and the surrounding rolling hills. Inside the tower, you can also see the third-largest bell in the Czech Republic – the Augustin bell, with a weight of around 8 tons.

Like many places in Central Europe, Hradec Králové also has a Marian Column in the middle of the main square. It was built in the Baroque style in 1717, after the city managed to avoid the plague that had spread throughout the region.

The main square is packed with interesting, historical buildings with beautiful facades and decor. Some of the most important ones you can find here are the Bishop’s Palace, the Old Town Hall, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Gallery of Modern Art, and numerous townhouses, mainly in Renaissance and Baroque styles.

If you are a curious explorer, you can also find the hidden Bono Publico stairway, leading from the main square to the lower parts of the Old Town. When taking the stairs, you can listen to music by famous Czech composers, performed by the local philharmonic orchestra. This slight touch of the local culture is an excellent addition to the overall look and feel of the place.

Halfway through the stairway, you can stop in a small green oasis right in the heart of the city – the Karel Otčenášek terraces. On the other side of the small park, you can take Gočár’s staircase back to the main square.

This concrete landmark is one of the works of the famous local architect Josef Gočár, who designed some of the most impressive buildings in Hradec Králové in the first half of the 20th century. You can find his distinctive works in other cities in the Czech Republic as well, such as Prague (House of the Black Madonna) and Pardubice (Automatic Mills).

One of my highlights of Hradec Králové was the Gallery of Modern Art, located in the beautiful Art Deco building right on the main square. Not only is it the most important institution of its kind in the Czech Republic, but the building itself, a former bank, is also worth a visit.

The art collection here is really good, too. During my visit, the gallery hosted an exhibition featuring works in various styles, where visitors could vote for their favorite items. At the entrance, everyone received two sets of tokens, which were used for voting on which works you would like to see in a proper exhibition and which you would like to have at home. I found it so engaging and entertaining; it made me focus more on the works I admired.

Another bonus of visiting the Gallery of Modern Art is the terrace on the top floor from which you can see the main square from a different perspective.

Once you are done exploring the main square and its attractions, you can wander around the Old Town. It’s a truly pleasant place, with winding lanes and beautiful architecture all around. There are also plenty of cafes and restaurants where you can sit down and relax before continuing your Hradec Králové sightseeing.

The lower part of the center is home to some impressive modernist, secessionist, and functionalist architecture, dating back to the city’s reinvention as the “Salon of the Republic”. The most amazing one is the hydroelectric power station Hučák on the Elbe River. It was built in 1909 and is still working today.

While you are there, be sure to wander around the park near the power station. You can find there the remnants of the fortress, as well as the wooden Church of St. Nicholas, which was initially built in 1605 in Eastern Slovakia and relocated to Hradec Králové in 1935.

If you would like to see more of functionalist architecture, you can start your excursion on the other side of the Elbe River, across the power station. There’s a school complex and Priest Ambrose’s choir, both designed by Josef Gočár and built between 1926 and 1929.

A bit further (but only a short walk away), you can stop at Masarykovo Square, another impressive project by Josef Gočár, with numerous interesting buildings surrounding the triangular area. Closer to the train station, you can see the concrete Church of the Divine Heart of Jesus, a great example of functionalist religious architecture.

Visiting Hradec Kralove – practical information

How to get to Hradec Kralove

Hradec Králové is located 110 km east of Prague and is well-connected with the capital. There are direct trains departing from the central train station in Prague every hour, with a travel time of 1 hour and 40 minutes. You can also take the train with a change in Pardubice – this way, you can get to Hradec Králové a bit faster (this train uses a different line, hence the difference). You can check connections and purchase tickets on the official Czech Railways website here.

How to get around Hradec Kralove

Most of the attractions in Hradec Králové are located within walking distance of each other. The train station is around 20 20-minute walk from the tourist information. The city has a good network of public transport, so you can use buses and trolleybuses to get around.

How much time for visiting Hradec Kralove

You can spend one day in Hradec Kralove and see all its attractions. The city is a perfect destination for a day trip from Prague, and that’s most likely how you will visit Hradec Králové, too.

Where to stay in Hradec Kralove

If you would like to stay overnight in Hradec Kralove, there are some decent accommodation options you can choose from. Here are the recommended ones:

Where to go next

If you plan to visit Hradec Kralove as part of your trip around the Czech Republic, there are some other interesting places nearby which you can include in your Czech itinerary. Here are the best ones:

Further reading

I published many articles about the Czech Republic that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in Central Europe and ask your questions there.

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