Are you thinking about what souvenir to take home from the Czech Republic? Bohemian glass is definitely the right choice. If you love Bohemian glass, you should definitely visit these five places, where you will see the only Czech museum of glass and jewellery, the manufacture of hand-blown and hand-cut glass, as well as the purest crystal in the Czech Republic.
1. Jablonec: tradition and museum
When you say Bohemian glass, most people will think of Jablonec nad Nisou. The city right next to Liberec is famous for glass and bijouterie production. In Jablonec, there is the one and only museum of glass and jewellery in the Czech Republic. The local Glass and Jewellery Museum was founded in 1904. Today, there are still companies in Jablonec that benefit from the local glassmaking history, such as Preciosa, a Czech manufacturer of crystal glass, unique light fixtures and jewellery, following the century-old tradition of glassmaking companies that merged in 1948 to create Preciosa. Another company, G&B beads continues in the tradition of manufacturing original glass jewellery pearls and components. 2. Nový Bor: leading domestic glass manufacturer
Nový Bor is near Česká Lípa in the north of Bohemia. Thanks to the glass industry, the city is well known both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Crystalex, a local company, manufactures domestic glass. It is the largest and leading world manufacturer of beverage glass. The glass products by the manufacturer from Nový Bor can be purchased in 60 countries throughout the world. Nový Bor is a city of glass and there are even several glassmaking schools. There is a special restaurant connected to a glass workshop: Ajeto. The unique restaurant was designed by famous Czech artist and architect Bořek Šípek.3. Nižbor: family-owned glass factory with tradition
In Central Bohemia near Beroun, in the municipality of Nižbor, there is the Rückl glass factory, founded by Antonín Rückl in 1903, a member of an old glassmaking family with roots dating back to the 17th century. The glass factory soon became famous all over Europe and it had sales representatives in several countries. Today, the factory makes hand-cut crystal glass and has many state awards (e.g. the award for Queen Elizabeth II or John Paul II). We definitely recommend visiting the glass factory and taking a tour of the whole production process: starting with the glassworks and ending with the glass-cutting shop. You can see the production of hand-blown and hand-cut glass with your own eyes. 4. Světlá nad Sázavou: the most modern European glassworks
Světlá nad Sázavou is a small town in Vysočina at the border of Bohemia and Moravia. The local glassmaking tradition ended in 2008 after more than a hundred years. However, the Bomma Company was founded there four years later, betting on modern trends and top designers. Leading Czech and foreign designers work for Bomma. The glass made there can be found on the deck of the largest ship in the world and Novak Djoković, the king of tennis, has the local glass in his collection of trophies. The Company gradually developed several special glassmaking machines for its production, which make it the most modern glassworks in Europe. However, glass is also hand-blown here – and as Bomma proudly says, its crystal is the purest in the whole country thanks to modern technology.5. Karlovy Vary: factory that manufactured for the Emperor
The Moser glassworks in the west of Bohemia exclusively focuses on hand-made crystal without any lead additions. The factory was founded in 1857 in the world-famous Karlovy Vary spa and, twenty years later, it delivered glass to Franz Joseph I, the Emperor of Austria, and later also to Persian Shah Mozaffar ad-Din, and Eduard VII, the King of England. Thanks to the unique beauty, quality and trustworthiness of the Moser brand, Moser crystal glass works became the symbol of recognition and awards for extraordinary people of the world. The factory has four brand stores in the Czech Republic (two in Prague and two in Karlovy Vary), but you can find their network stores all over the world. When visiting Karlovy Vary, do not miss a visit at the Moser Glassworks Museum where you will learn about the extraordinary 160-year-long history of the Moser glassworks and crystal.
