Luže (Chrudim District)

Luže is a town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 2,600 inhabitants.

Districts

Bělá, Brdo, Dobrkov, Doly, Domanice, Košumberk, Luže, Rabouň, Radim, Srbce, Voletice and Zdislav

History

Luže was founded on the right bank of the river Novohradka. It lies between the woody hills of Českomoravská vrchovina and plentiful Elbe lowlands. The first mention of Luže dates back to 1250 when the old settlement Kamenicza conjugated with the newly formed town Luza. The history of the town is closely linked with the castle Košumberk. In the end of Middle Ages was Luže part of the manor of lords from Chlum and Košumberk, later Slavatas from Chlum and Košumberk. After the establishment of Czechoslovak republic Luže became a spa town. Hamza sanatorium in Luže was founded in 1901 by Professor. MD. Frantisek Hamza. It was the first sanatorium for the tuberculous children in Central Europe. In 1962 the sanatorium ended treatment of tuberculosis and it was adapted for the rehabilitation of patients with mobility impairments. Present-day spa town Luže attracts tourists to many monuments and beautiful nature in peaceful countryside.

Sights

Košumberk castle

Castle was established by Slavatas from Chlum. In the 17th century, the local branch of the family died out. The manor was inherited by wife of last Slavata, countess Hieserle. In 1690 was the property donated to the Jesuits. They managed it until the abolition of the Jesuit friary. The last owner of this estate was a Bavarian family of Thurn und Taxis, who owned the estate until the establishment of an independent republic. In 1922 got Košumberk "Družstvo na záchranu hradu Košumberka" the team for retrieval of Košumberk. Nowadays is Košumberk the property of Luže. There is an historical exhibition of the castle and town.

Pilgrimage Church of the Virgin Mary on Chlumek

Original czech name: Poutní kostel Panny Marie na Chlumku. The founder of the pilgrimage site in the Chlumek was Mary Maximilian Countess of Zdar (Marie Maxmiliána hraběnka ze Žďáru ). She built the church on her expense. 5.8.1668 bishop Matouš Ferdinand Sobek devoted the foundation stone and 8. 9. 1669 was expensive baroque church consecrated to Virgin Mary. The church complex has the rectangular floor plan. The main aisle is demarcated by balustrade interspersed by four larger and four smaller chapels. A Building construction and all architectural motifs are completely accurate. The same high rating applies to a unique set of artistic decoration of the building. It was created round 1700. Some works are undoubtedly the paramount gallery quality.

St. Bartholomew church

Originally a Gothic Church of St. Bartholomew, first mentioned in 1381, has been renovated several times. Part of the aisle retained the Gothic style. In the church are some tombstones, e.g. the tombstone of Divis Slavata from Chlum and Kosumberk.

The synagogue and Jewish cemetery

On the southeast side of town lies a district which was inhabited by Jewish community. Since the late 18th century the city had its Rabbi. Dwellers (309 persons in 1920) were almost exterminated during the Second World War. The building of synagogue from the 18th century is renewed. A large Jewish cemetery about 1 km north of Luže have the oldest graves from 17 century.

Other sights

Baroque house No.87

Plague Column in the Koukal square

Statue of St. Florian (1777)

St.Jan Nepomuk Chapel (1726)

Tree Linduše under Košumberk (protected natural monument)

Paletínská Chapel

huge mounds of incomplete Celtic settlement

protected nature anctuary Poklona with rare flora

Arboretum in Hamza sanatorium area

Big names

Josef Koukal

Vilém Slavatu z Chlumu a Košumberka

External links

• Municipality website (cz, en)
• [1]
• http://www.hamzova-lecebna.cz/