Hradec Kralove

Hradec Kralove is a city in the Czech Republic and capital of the eponymous region, with about 93,534 residents as of January 2026. First recorded in connection with the year 1091, it became a dowry town governed directly by Bohemian queens from 1306, and grew into a regional military and political center; a large fortress built between 1766 and 1789 reshaped the city until its abolition in 1884 prompted major reconstruction that earned Hradec Kralove the nickname Salon of the Republic, and it remains a cultural and educational hub anchored by the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and the University of Hradec Kralove.