Czech Republic Public Holidays 2027

About Czech Republic Public Holidays

The Czech Republic observes 13 official public holidays each year, governed by Act No. 245/2000 Coll. on Public Holidays, Other Holidays, Significant Days and Days of Rest. Czech public holidays are divided into two legal categories: státní svátky (state holidays), which carry the strongest legal status, and ostatní svátky (other holidays). On both categories, employees are entitled to a paid day off. If a public holiday falls on a workday, employers must either grant paid leave or pay a compensatory wage supplement if an employee is required to work. Public holidays that fall on weekends are not automatically moved to the following weekday in Czech law, unlike some other European countries.

The Czech holiday calendar reflects the country's rich history and cultural identity. The fixed holidays span national milestones such as the restoration of Czech independence on January 1, 1993, the founding of Czechoslovakia on October 28, 1918, and the Velvet Revolution of November 17, 1989 — a defining moment in the country's transition to democracy. Religious observances include Good Friday and Easter Monday (both moveable feasts tied to the lunar calendar), as well as the three-day Christmas period covering December 24, 25, and 26. Cultural heritage is honoured through Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (July 5), commemorating the 9th-century missionaries who brought literacy and Christianity to Great Moravia, and Jan Hus Day (July 6), marking the 1415 execution of the Czech religious reformer at the Council of Constance.