Mlada Boleslav: the Hometown of Skoda

Mlada Boleslav is located at around 60 kilometres northeast from Prague; this is the birth city of the famous Czech car brand Skoda (pronounced Shkoda). 

I am sure you have already heard of Skoda cars and probably seen one in your surroundings. Mlada Boleslav hosts the Skoda Auto Museum, which is a major attraction for this area of the country. Skoda is also one of the country’s most known brands in Eastern Europe and worldwide. The headquarters of Skoda are located in the same town. The Skoda Auto in Mlada Boleslav is one of the biggest engineering companies in Czechia. 

The History of Skoda

The history of Skoda cars dates back to 1895, when they were originally founded by Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement, under the name Laurin & Klement. The founding fathers shared a great passion for bicycles, hence their first product was not even a car, but a bicycle called Slavia. They moved on to motorcycle production and then cars. The first car to be made in the Mlada Boleslav factory was in 1905. Today, the production of Skoda has spread also to other countries including China, Russia and Ukraine. 

The museum has been a great investment for the company, as it represents an important part of the Skoda brand today. The premises of the museum have a modern touch, and are equipped with cars from various periods, as well as bikes and motorcycles. At the museum you can choose and have the option of visiting three permanent exhibitions, which will guide you through the birth of the company and its evolution in over 100 years. The museum also shows short films, photographs and documents about the history of Skoda vehicles and its key milestones. You can explore the museum by yourself or book a guided tour. 

Visiting Mlada Boleslav

While you are in Mlada Boleslav you may also, want to check out some of the historic sights and eat a delicious meal at Galatea. Mlada Boleslav is located in the central Bohemian region of the country- it is not only known as a carmaker town but it also has a rich history, with numerous museums, a Gothic castle and a leaning tower similar to the one in Pisa (Italy), called Punta.    

Galatea restaurant, which is also part of a hotel, offers various dining locations within its premises, including a summer terrace. This place is especially peaceful and cosy, due to its calm surroundings filled with nature, greenery and a pond. You can choose from a variety of international and Czech dishes, beef broth and traditional bread made dumplings.