Blevice

Blevice
Blewitz
Village
Blevice as seen from northwest
Flag
Coat of arms
Country Czech Republic
Region Central Bohemian
District Kladno
Commune Kladno
Elevation 233 m (764 ft)
Coordinates 50°12′36″N 14°14′12″E / 50.21000°N 14.23667°ECoordinates: 50°12′36″N 14°14′12″E / 50.21000°N 14.23667°E
Highest point
 - elevation 287 m (942 ft)
Lowest point
 - elevation 213 m (699 ft)
Area 4.24 km2 (1.64 sq mi)
Population 287 (1.1.2013)
Density 68 / km2 (176 / sq mi)
First mention 1282
Mayor Václav Čermák
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 273 28
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Blevice
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.obecblevice.cz

Blevice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈblɛvɪtsɛ]) is a village and municipality in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located about 20 km northwest of Prague, 12 km northeast of Kladno and 6 km southwest of Kralupy nad Vltavou. The population as of December 31, 2006 was 283.[1]

The village

The village is located away from all major roads at the end of a small valley, whose slopes are partially covered by forest. The forest covers 1/6 of the cadastral area which is quite a high ratio in comparison with most villages which are surrounded by open fields.

Blevice was first mentioned in 1282, but the location has been inhabited a long time before that. As a group of 7 or 8 (today barely noticeable) prehistoric burial barrows in the wood southeast of the villages testifies. They were archaeologically explored in the 19th century. No definite opinion of the age of the barrows can be stated. Estimates vary from late Bronze Age (second half of 2nd millennium BC) to Slavic period of early Middle Ages (second half of 1st millennium AD).[2]

Population

According to the 2001 census.[3] the population was 282, which is almost exclusively Czechs with two people declaring themselves to be of Ukrainian and Vietnamese ethnicity. 82% of population was without religion, 8% belonged to Roman Catholic Church, 2% to other religious groups, 9% gave no response. With no significant employment opportunities in the village, over 90% of economically active population commute to neighbouring towns. The bus service to Kladno and Kralupy nad Vltavou operates on working days only. The same connection by train from Zákolany station (2.5 km by road from Blevice) is available every day.

The Jewish cemetery, which was in use until the Holocaust.

Blevice has a Jewish cemetery located in the southern (upper) end of the village, beside the Zákolany road. Within an enclosure of about 2,400 m² there are about 300 preserved tombstones dating from early 18th century until the Holocaust. The neighbouring gravedigger's house from the 1880s is well preserved and today serves as a private residence. Only a small number of Jewish families lived in Blevice proper in the 19th century, the cemetery was used mainly by Jews from the nearby town of Velvary and the village of Ješín.[4] There are no longer any Jews in Blevice.

In the centre of the village there is a small chapel dating from 1746 which has a memorial plaque on its side wall which lists the local victims of World War I.

The first public performance of Czech violin virtuoso Jan Kubelík was held in Blevice in 1891.[5]

Blevice between 1869 and 2001 [6]
Population
1869 1880 1890 1900 1910 1921 1930 1950 1961 1970 1980 1991 2001
342 398 436 453 478 488 480 419 349 356 316 281 282
Houses
1869 1880 1890 1900 1910 1921 1930 1950 1961 1970 1980 1991 2001
44 45 52 59 64 82 101 114 96 96 94 106 106

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Veřejná databáze ČSÚ - Vybrané statistické údaje za obec
  2. ↑ Karel Sklenář a kol., Archeologické památky Čechy Morava Slezsko. Opava 1994, s. 44. ISBN 80-85819-08-2
  3. ↑ Sčítání lidu, domů a bytů 2001
  4. ↑ Blanka Rozkošná, Pavel Jakubec, Židovské památky Čech. Brno, 2004, s. 86. ISBN 80-86517-64-0
  5. ↑ Středočeská vědecká knihovna Kladno - Blevice (Česko)
  6. ↑ Jiřina Růžková, Josef Škrabal a kol., Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869-2005 I. Český statistický úřad, Praha, 2006. ISBN 80-250-1310-3

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blevice.