Czech Glass - The World's Best Glass

Czech Republic, also known as Bohemia, has historically been recognized for quality glass and crystal. An important condition for glass making in medieval times was a sufficient amount of wood, water and siliceous sand. All these conditions were well fulfilled in Bohemian border areas.

Initially glass was made by the churches and especially by Benedicts monks, who made glass for windows of churches and monasteries. The earliest evidence of this dates to the ninth century. The first glass making factories came into existence in Bohemian forests in the thirteenth century.

The first written evidence of glass making in Bohemian area is from the fourteenth century. The first direct records are purchase contracts, and indirect evidence is the names of towns and villages, which mostly exist until today.

Medieval glassblowers were not only excellent craftsmen but also great designers and artists. After some time there was a surplus of products, and Bohemian glassblowers began to export their products to neighboring countries. The oldest written evidence about trade with glass is from 1376. During the early fourteenth century gothic chalices were renowned.

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