The most people are attracted to the monuments of Central Bohemia, South Bohemia, and South Moravia

PRAGUE - According to statistical data from 2004, over 250 monitored heritage sites in the Czech Republic were visited by nearly 11.5 million people. Each year, the most visitors are attracted by castles and chateaux in Central and Southern Bohemia and in Southern Moravia. At the top of the list of the most visited sites are those inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Most Visited Castles and Chateaux:

Prague Castle - The complex was visited by over 1.4 million people in 2003, and the following year it was 400,000 more. Prague Castle has been a national cultural monument (NKP) since 1962 and has been listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1992. Visitors are drawn to the Saint Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, the Saint George’s Basilica, the Powder Tower, and the Golden Lane.
Cesky Krumlov - Interest in the castle and chateau in the most visited South Bohemian town continues to grow. In 2003, it attracted 292,000 people, and the following year visits were just shy of 330,000, and last year this threshold was surpassed. The current appearance of the former representative residence of the Rosenbergs features Renaissance and Baroque elements. It has been a national cultural monument since 1989, and in December 1992, it was added to the UNESCO list alongside Prague Castle.
Lednice - The Lednice-Valtice area, covering 200 square kilometers, was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1996, just a year after its designation as an NKP. Visitor numbers to Lednice and its surroundings are also increasing, with 320,000 tourists last year (after 274,000 and 288,000 in the previous two years). Visitors are attracted not only by the Neo-Gothic styled chateau with its famous historical greenhouse but also by its surroundings, especially the well-known park.
Karlštejn - The Central Bohemian castle, built by Charles IV to house the imperial coronation jewels and important documents, has attracted more and more visitors in recent years. Last year, there were over 273,000, the year before 283,000, and in 2003 over 246,000. Interest has not diminished even though only a small portion of visitors can access the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The castle has been an NKP since 1962, but the Czech Republic has so far unsuccessfully sought its inclusion on the UNESCO list.
Hluboká nad Vltavou - The second most visited South Bohemian monument, a Baroque chateau from the early 18th century that has been preserved without significant alterations. It has been on the national cultural monuments list since 2002. Last year, attendance reached 215,000 people, which is roughly the same as the year before, but an increase of 30,000 visitors compared to 2003.
Konopiště - A chateau near Benešov, most famously associated with its last owner, Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este. It has been a national cultural monument since 2002. Visits to Konopiště have remained relatively stable in recent years, attracting 184,000 people in 2003, 191,000 two years ago, and nearly 180,000 last year.
Kroměříž - Tourists are attracted mainly by the Baroque Archbishop's Chateau with the Podzámecká and Květná Gardens - the complex has been a national cultural monument since 1995 and has been inscribed on the UNESCO list since 1998. Annual attendance in Kroměříž has hovered around 150,000 to 160,000 people in recent years, making this area the most visited monument in the Zlín Region.
Český Šternberk - A castle towering above the Sázava River, which was returned in restitution in 1992 to a descendant of the former owners, Zdeněk Šternberk, is the most visited monument in private hands. Interest from tourists has significantly increased in recent years, rising from 92,000 visitors in 2003 to nearly 130,000 last year. Also in private hands is the South Bohemian chateau Orlík, which belongs to Karel Schwarzenberg, but the last known attendance figures are from 2003 when it attracted 108,000 tourists.
Ratibořice - A chateau and the adjacent mill area and Old bleaching plant, which are known thanks to Božena Němcová's novel Babička, are among the most visited tourist sites in the region, attracting 110,000 tourists two years ago and just 8,000 less last year. Part of the area is, however, in a dilapidated state. Descendants of the last owner, Bedřich Schaumburg-Lippe, are working on the preservation of the chateau, which has been an NKP since 1958.
Sychrov - A Neo-Gothic chateau, a national cultural monument since 1995, is one of the largest tourist attractions in the Liberec Region. In recent years, attendance has remained stable at around 110,000 people annually; in addition to the chateau itself, built on the site of a Gothic fortress, the local collections and the park, established in the early 19th century with a number of exotic trees, also attract tourists.