České Velenice | |
---|---|
Town centre | |
Coordinates: 48°46′7″N 14°57′49″E / 48.76861°N 14.96361°ECoordinates: 48°46′7″N 14°57′49″E / 48.76861°N 14.96361°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | South Bohemian |
District | Jindřichův Hradec |
First mentioned | 1387 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Jaroslav Slíva |
Area | |
• Total | 12.09 km2 (4.67 sq mi) |
Elevation | 489 m (1,604 ft) |
Population (2021-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 3,522 |
• Density | 290/km2 (750/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 378 10 |
Website | www |
České Velenice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈtʃɛskɛː ˈvɛlɛɲɪtsɛ], German: Unterwielands, Gmünd-Wielands, Gmünd-Bahnhof, 1938–45: Gmünd III)) is a town in Jindřichův Hradec District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,500 inhabitants. It lies on the border with Austria and shares the railway and pedestrian border crossing with Gmünd.
History[edit]
Until 1870, there were only small settlements of Česká Cejle, Josefsko and Dolní Velenice in the area constituting current České Velenice, and it was part of the Austrian town of Gmünd. In 1868 the main railway station and the factory for repairing rolling stock and locomotives were established. The development of this border area was decisively increased by the inauguration of the Emperor Franz Joseph Railway connecting Vienna to Prague in 1869. Due to the construction, housing estates were built and the population grew, especially of Czech nationality.[2]
At the end of World War I, the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919) awarded the territory to Czechoslovakia. On 31 July it was officially attached to Czechoslovakia and became the new municipality, at first under the names Cmunt v Čechách and Český Cmunt, and since 1922 under the name České Velenice. Until 1938, České Velenice was a prospering municipality with an important railway junction.[2]
During World War II, České Velenice changed to a town with 95% of population being of German nationality. On 23 March 1945, the town and the railway workshops were severely damaged by American-English air strikes. This caused a mass exodus from the town of people who lost both their homes and their employment. After the war, the depopulated town was partially inhabited by the original residents.[2]
Transport[edit]
Today, the railway line has only regional significance, as the main line runs via Wien Meidling and Brno, along the first Czech railway corridor.
Notable people[edit]
- Adolf Born (1930–2016), painter, cartoonist and illustrator
References[edit]
- ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2021". Czech Statistical Office. 2021-04-30.
- ^ a b c "Začátky města" (in Czech). Město České Velenice. Retrieved 2021-09-02.
External links[edit]