Benátky nad Jizerou
Benátky nad Jizerou (Czech pronunciation: [ˈbɛnaːtkɪ ˈnad jɪzɛrou]; German: Benatek) is a town in Mladá Boleslav District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 7,400 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.
Benátky nad Jizerou | |
|---|---|
 Husovo Square | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Benátky nad Jizerou Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates: 50°17′22″N 14°49′52″E | |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Region | Central Bohemian |
| District | Mladá Boleslav |
| First mentioned | 1052 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Karel Bendl (ODS) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.51 km2 (13.71 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 225 m (738 ft) |
| Population (2022-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 7,410 |
| • Density | 210/km2 (540/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 294 71, 294 72 |
| Website | www |
Administrative parts
The town is made up of town parts of Benátky nad Jizerou I–III and villages of Dražice and Kbel.
Geography
Benátky nad Jizerou is located between Stará Boleslav and Mladá Boleslav. It lies on the Jizera River in the Jizera Board lowland. The highest point of the municipal territory is the hill Benátecký vrch with an elevation of 251 metres (823 ft).
History
The first written mention of the village of Obodř (today part of Benátky nad Jizerou III) is from 1052. In 1264, the Dražice Castle was founded. In 1346 Lord Jan of Dražice obtained permission to establish a town on a nearby hill. The town was named Nové Benátky (lit. "New Venice"). In 1349 the monastery and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary were built.[2]
Economy
The town part of Dražice is known for the manufacturer of water heaters DZ Dražice. It is the biggest company of its focus in the country, known throughout Europe. The company was founded in 1900, originally as grain warehouse, craft roller mill and bakery, later also a hydroelectric power plant. The water heaters are produced since 1956.[3]
Sights
The town is the site of a castle and observatory built by astronomer Tycho Brahe. Johann von Klenau, the Habsburg general, was born at the castle in 1758. His old Bohemian family owned the castle at the time.[4] Later it was owned by the counts Thun und Hohenstein.
Notable people
The Benda brothers were born here. They were to later find fame as composers and performers in Germany where many of their descendants also became successful musicians.
- Johann von Werth (1591–1652), German general; lived and died here
- Franz Benda (1709–1786), violinist and composer
- Johann Georg Benda (1713–1752), violinist and composer
- Georg Benda (1722–1795), violinist and composer
- Joseph Benda (1724–1804), violinist and composer
- Johann von Klenau (1758–1819), field marshal
Twin towns – sister cities
References
- "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2022". Czech Statistical Office. 2022-04-29.
- "Historie města" (in Czech). Město Benátky nad Jizerou. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- "About Us". DZ Dražice. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- (in German) Friedrich Bernau. Studien und Materialien zur Specialgeschichte und Heimatskunde des deutschen Sprachgebiets in Böhmen und Mähren. Prague: J.G. Calve, 1903, pp. 7–8, 151–165, 601. Other sources date the Klenau family to the early twelfth century. See (in German) Norbert (or Enoch) Heermann, Johann Matthäus Klimesch, and Václav Březan. Norbert Heermann's Rosenberg'sche chronik. Prag, Köngl. Böhmische gesellschaft der wissenschaften, 1897, p. 102.
- "Partnerská města" (in Czech). Město Benátky nad Jizerou. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
