National symbols of the Czech Republic

National flag of the Czech Republic, which was also national flag of former Czechoslovakia

The national symbols of the Czech Republic are flags, heraldry, cultural expressions and other symbols that represent the Czech Republic, Czech people and their history, culture and nationhood. There are six official symbols which are declared in the Constitution of the Czech Republic. However many other historical, cultural and geographical symbols of the Czech republic and Czech people do exist.

Constitutional symbols

Article 14 of the Constitution of the Czech Republic lists national symbols: the coat of arms, the official colours (including white, red and blue, also Pan-Slavic colors), the national flag, the flag of the president, the official seal and the national anthem. Act No. 3/1993 refers to the national symbols and their usage.^[1]

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  Coat of arms
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  small coat of arms
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  Official tricolor (trikolora)
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  National flag
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  Flag of the president
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  Official seal
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  National anthem

Symbols of Czech lands

The Czech republic includes three historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Each region has got its own symbols.

Flags

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  Flag of Bohemia
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  Banner of Arms of Moravia
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  Another version of Moravian flag (used in the second half of 19th century)
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  Flag of Czech Silesia

Coats of arms

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  Coat of arms of Bohemia
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  Coat of arms of Moravia
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  Coat of arms of Czech Silesia

Unofficial symbols

Landmarks

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  Prague and the Prague castle, former seat of Czech kings and the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic
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  The Charles Bridge, famous Prague's historical sight
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  Říp Mountain, a legendary place where the first Slavs, led by Forefather Čech, settled

People

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  Forefather Čech (Czech: Praotec Čech), the legendary founder of Czech nation
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  Přemysl, the Ploughman, the legendary founder of original Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty
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  Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, the saint patron of the Czech state
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  Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, one of the most significant Czech sovereigns^[2]
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  Jan Hus, religious reformist from the 15th century and spiritual father of the Hussite Movement
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  Josef Dobrovský and other figures of Czech National Revival, such as Josef Jungmann or František Palacký
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  Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, philosopher and the first Czechoslovak president
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  Václav Havel, dissident and the first Czech president and main figure of the Velvet Revolution

Food

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  Svíčková na smetaně, national Czech dish
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  Vepřo knedlo zelo (pork roast with dumplings and sauerkraut), another national dish
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  Koláč, famous Czech dessert
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  Buchta, popular Czech sweet pastry
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  Czech beer

Arts and crafts

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  Bohemian glass and bohemian crystal

Folk costumes

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  Kroj, national Czech costume, which has got many regional variations
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  Another variation of kroj from Vlčnov, Moravian Slovakia

Dance and music

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  Polka, a dance and a genre of dance music which originated in Bohemia

References