Bohem

Bohem, also Böhmen in German and Bohemia in English, is the western part of the Czech Republic and one of its historic lands. It is the largest historical region of the Czech lands, and it includes the central Bohemian Basin where the Vltava River flows through Prague, the region’s capital and largest city. Other major urban centers include Plzeň (Pilsen) and Liberec. Bohemia is bounded by the Sudetes mountain range to the north and east, by the Ore Mountains and Bavarian Forest to the west, by the Bohemian Forest to the south, and by the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands toward the southeast.

Historically, Bohemia was settled in the early medieval period and developed as a Slavic duchy within the Great Moravia sphere. It gained prominence as the Kingdom of Bohemia within the Holy Roman Empire in the late 12th century and remained a core crown land under the Habsburgs. It became part of the Austrian Empire and later Austria-Hungary, until Czechoslovakia was established in 1918. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Bohemia became the western portion of the Czech Republic. The region has a long industrial heritage, with mining and metallurgy playing important roles, and is renowned for beer brewing, notably in Plzeň.

Culture and identity in Bohemia are closely tied to Czech history, language, and architectural tradition. Bohemia includes several UNESCO-listed sites beyond Prague, such as Kutná Hora and Český Krumlov, reflecting its rich medieval and renaissance heritage.