Pardubice

The administrative city of the Pardubice Region, with more than ninety thousand inhabitants, is situated at the confluence of the rivers Elbe and Chrudimka, just an hour by train from Prague. The first preserved evidence about the town existence dates from 1295.

In 1340, when already having its status of a town, Pardubice was inherited by Ernest of Pardubice who became the first Archbishop of Prague later on. In 1491 Pardubice was purchased by William of Pernštejn, the most powerful nobleman of the Bohemian Kingdom at that time. In addition to developing the town and his estate, he launched a late-Gothic reconstruction of the local water castle. His sons, Adalbert and John, continued with it in the Renaissance style. This unique conversion of a defensive water castle into a large and comfortable chateau can be admired till the present times. However, we can thank the Pernštejn family for the whole historical town centre with its Renaissance town square, picturesque narrow alleys and the dominant of Pardubice - the Green Gate from which you can observe the whole city during the tourist season. The Old Town of Pardubice became an urban conservation area in 1964.

Pardubice is known as a town of sports. The Great Pardubice Steeplechase Is the hardest hurdle horse-race on the European continent. The Gold Helmet, a speedway race which is over 80 years old, is no less important. Extraligue ice-hockey and basketball matches, tennis and chess tournaments are also a traditional part of the sports activities in Pardubice.

Since the 16th century, the smell of gingerbread exported to the whole worlds has also wafted through the town.

Recommended Sightseeing/Main Attractions:

Green Gate - The Green Gate dominates the urban conservation area.

Pardubice Chateau - The Chateau is the seat of the East Bohemian Museum and the East Bohemian Gallery. A few permanent exhibitions which are really worth seeing, including the largest Central European Collection of Picture Postcards - Orbis Pictus, and a unique Collection of Czech Atelier Glass of the 20th Century, are installed here, a valuable Collection of Weapons is also exhibited here and a Numismatic Collection has been newly opened as well.
More info - www.vcm.cz

Pernštýn square - you will appear in an entirely different world where time has come to a stand still

More info - www.pardubice.eu/eng/touristinfo/places-of-interest/sightseeings

Recommended Hotels For The Event:

Hotel Euro - www.hoteleuro.cz

Hotel Zlata Štika - www.zlatastika.cz/cs

Hotel Arnošt  - www.hotel-arnost.cz/lang/ang

Hotel Trim - www.hosteltrim.cz/en/

Hotel Labe - www.hotellabe.cz/

Hradec Kralove

In ancient times the elevation between two rivers formed a natural barrier, protecting the inhabitants of this region. The first signs of the settling of farmers here in the later Stone Age date back to the third century B.C.

In 1225 Hradec became a free royal town of the Premysl family. It grew rapidly, new trades sprang up, and the size of its population and its importance soon made Hradec the wealthiest and largest Czech town after Prague.

At the beginning of the 14th century it became the dower town of the Czech Queens and later the word Králové was added to its name. A famous chapter in the history of Hradec Králové was the Hussite period. In 1420 it became a Hussite town for a long period and a year later it welcomed the great military commander, Jan Žižka of Trocnov, at its gates. The town burned down three times during the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the first third of the 19th century Hradec Králove became the centre of patriotic activity among the Czechs in the north-east of Bohemia and, for a time, the most important centre of Czech literature. At the turn of the century Hradec became the centre of famous Czech architecture. The architecture Professor Jan Kotera and the architect Josef Gocar enriched the town with several buildings, which are very famous around the country. The city reached its pinnacle of modern architecture during the twenties and thirties when it became renowned as "The Salon of the Republic".

Recommended Sightseeing/Main Attractions

White tower - located in the town centre with a great view around all Hradec, the tower is 71.5 metres high,
more info - www.bilavez.cz

Museum of Eastern Bohemia - the monumental museum building, a national cultural landmark, was realised according to the project of the architect Jan Kotěra in 1909 - 1912. Opening hours: daily except Mon: 9 AM - 12 AM, 1 PM - 6PM
More info - www.muzeumhk.cz

Elbe Steamers - unique steamers such as Primator and Queen Eliška or Pirate´s sailling boat plough through the waters of the Elbe River.
Opening hours: May-Oct, Mon-Fri: 3 PM-8 PM; Sat-Sun: 10 AM - 8 PM
More info - www.paroplavba.wz.cz

Observatory and Planetarium - apart from evening observations of the sky this establishment also offers numerous programmes. For children astronomic fairy tales, the "planetary trail" and the „galactic trail". Opening hours: Wed and Fri 7 PM and 8.30 PM, Sat 2 PM, 3 PM, 7 PM and 8.30 PM apr-aug
More info - www.astrohk.cz

More information on Hradec Kralove at www.hradeckralove.org/tourists/highlights

Recommended Hotels For The Event:

Grand hotel - www.grandhk.eu
Amas accommodation - www.amashk.cz
Boromeum residence - http://www.boromeum.cz/eng/
Hotel house - www.hotelovydum.cz
Queen Eliska hotel - www.euroagentur.com

More information, hotels and pensions on www.hradeckralove.cz

The closest airport is Prague International Airport. It is the hub for the Czech Republic with connections to all over Europe.

The distances to the host cities are 140km to Hradec Kralove and 145km to Pardubice.

Good and frequent train connections to both cities from Prague station are also available.

Dukla Gym (Preliminary & Qualifying Round)
Capacity: 750
Address: V Raji 311
530 02 Pardubice
Phone: +420 466 303 206

Trebes Gym (Preliminary, Qualifying & Classification Round)
Capacity: 500
Address: Skolska; 500 11 Hradec Kralove

CEZ Arena (Final round)
Capacity: 10,300
Address and contact: Sukova trida 1735
530 02 Pardubice
web: www.arenapce.cz

Pardubice
First associations and clubs appeared in Pardubice before World War II, though the number of them grew significantly during the course of war. In the fifties, Tatran became the first successful club, whose mostly football oriented management did not favour basketball much. So the decisive moment in the development of basketball in Pardubice came in the year 1956, when the best players were concentrated in Rudá Hvězda. Under this heading they stayed for nearly 34 years and attained some major successes. The first of them was a historical step into the highest competition of men in 1962.

The next era is „framed" with the number 4. In 1964 they advanced again to the highest level, 10 years later they won the first silver medal for Pardubice basketball, then in 1984 they won the first and so far only title for Pardubice and finally in 1994 victory in The Czech Cup already under the name of BHC SKP Pardubice.

The next turning-point does not have something in common with the magic number four. The new Incorporated company, established in 2006, has accomplished to provide so far unprecedented financial support. New results of the club, since 1998 under the name of BK Pardubice, have come up from that time. Three bronze medals of men from 2008, 2010 and 2011 and moving into modern Pardubice ČEZ Arena should be the guarantee that the capital inflow will not run dry and that Pardubice basketball will flourish from now on.

Similar assurance is also in a systematic work with youth, which is unparalleled in the Czech Republic these days.

The club has won 8 from 11 possible championships in the category of cadets in the new millennium. They also won in the age categories of U12, U14 and U16 this year and at the same time have achieved to be second place among 18 and 13 years old.

Hradec Kralove
The basketball team Sokol Hradec Králové Pražské předměstí was founded in 1924.
The team got in the I.  Division in 1940, but in 1941 Sokol was abolished and basketball in Hradec Kralove was in doldrums. After the restoration of the Sokol organisation in the year 1945, the team started to return to previous successes.
In 1977 the team won promotion to the II. league and in the 1990s the team moved ahead to the I. league where they played 3 seasons.
Now the team plays in II. league and finished the last season in the semi-finals. A lot of young talented players from the I. league team Pardubice gain valuable experience in Hradec Kralove.