Christmas Markets in Ostrava

Ostrava's recorded history stretches back to the 13th century, though settlement existed earlier as a crossing point on the Ostravice River. For centuries it remained a modest market town until coal deposits discovered in the 18th century transformed it into an industrial center. By the 19th and early 20th centuries, Ostrava had become the heart of Czechoslovakia's coal mining and steel production, earning the nickname 'Steel Heart of the Republic.' Waves of workers from across Central Europe created a diverse, working-class culture that still shapes the city's character. After 1989, heavy industry declined and Ostrava reinvented itself as a cultural center, preserving industrial monuments while developing vibrant arts scenes and public spaces.