Part of the region’s northeast border is also the Czech-Polish state border. The region is also geographically defined by the southern section of the
Eagle Mountains and the extreme western slopes of the
High Ash Mountains.The south and southeast is bordered by the highland area of
Žďárske vrchy and the
Iron Mountains, the centre and western part of the region is made up of the Elbe River and the fertile Elbe lowland. The Eagle Mountains, Žďárské vrchy and the Iron Mountains are protected landscape areas within the Pardubice Region. The area of
Králický Sněžník was declared a national nature reservation.
The Pardubice Region is an unusually important region from the water management aspect. It has surplus water sources, it is the spring area of several rivers (the Elbe and the Orlice). The three largest bodies of water in the region are the Sečská Reservoir on the Chrudimka River, the Bohdaneč Pond on the Opatovice Canal and Pastviny on the Divoka Orlice River.
The Pardubice Region has a beautiful landscape of both level and mountainous types, a favourable climate and provides a number of opportunities for bathing, water sports, hiking, bicycle tourism and winter sports. Agro-tourism is developing throughout the whole region (particularly in the region’s foothill areas), and specialises mainly in traditional horse breeding. Cross-country skiers can ski along trails on Králický Sněžník, while the lowland character of the landscape in the area surrounding the Elbe is ideal for cycling and also for roller-skating.
The region also offers plenty of cultural activities of an international character, for example the
Smetana’s Litomyšl (map) International Opera Festival or the
Kocian Violin Competition. Apart from several important music festivals the Pardubice Region also attracts visitors interested in film culture –the “František Filipovsky Prize“ for film dubbing is regularly awarded in
Přelouč0
(map). We must also mention the world-renowned
Velká pardubická steeplechase1 and the speedway
Golden Helmet2 as sports events held in the region.
The Pardubice Region, or more precisely the town of Skuteč, gained fame due to manufacture of sports shoes and primarily
Botas3 skates. The small town of
Proseč4
(map), not far from
Skuteč5
(map), is also worth mentioning for two reasons. Smoking pipes have been manufactured here since 1842 and are successfully exported worldwide. And Proseč also has cultural political merit – the town conferred honorary citizenships to the famous writers Heinrich and Thomas Mann as they fled across the Czech Republic from Nazism in Germany. The Pardubice Region is also distinguished by the glassmaking tradition of the Eagle Mountains, which is depicted by the exhibition of the East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice. The region is also famous for its long tradition in gingerbread making. You can find more information about the Pardubice Region
here.