Dvůr Králové nad Labem

Dvůr Králové nad Labem
Town
Flag
Coat of arms
Name origin: Queen consort's court on the Elbe
Country Czech Republic
Region Hradec Králové
District Trutnov
Commune Dvůr Králové nad Labem
River Elbe
Elevation 298–482 m (978–1,581 ft)
Coordinates 50°25′59″N 15°48′44″E / 50.43306°N 15.81222°E / 50.43306; 15.81222Coordinates: 50°25′59″N 15°48′44″E / 50.43306°N 15.81222°E / 50.43306; 15.81222
Area 35.82 km2 (13.83 sq mi)
Population 16,282 (2010-12-10)
Density 455/km2 (1,178/sq mi)
First mentioned 1270
Mayor Ing. Jan Jarolím (ANO 2011)
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 544 01 - 544 04
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Dvůr Králové nad Labem
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.mudk.cz

Dvůr Králové nad Labem (Czech pronunciation: [ˈdvuːr ˈkraːlovɛː ˈnad labɛm], German: Königinhof an der Elbe) is a town in the Czech Republic in Hradec Králové Region, in the Labe (Elbe) river valley. It is located in the Eastern Bohemia close to the Czech highest mountains Krkonoše.

Features

Dvůr Králové is a center of the textile and machinery industries.

Dvůr Králové Zoo with its African safari theme lies near the town. Visitors may admire well over 2000 animals of 500 species of mostly African hoofstock which makes this zoo one of the largest in Europe. As one of the most successful breeders of many endangered species it is of note that within the last 30 years more than 200 giraffes were born there.

Outside the city, visitors can view an old residence of the Jesuits in Žireč and a hospital in Kuks, both with many Baroque statues by famous sculptor Matthias Braun.

History

Bohemia

Dvůr Králové was first mentioned in 1270. It was a dowry town, owned by the King's wife and responsible for her expenses when her husband died. Until 1918, the town was part of the Austrian monarchy (Austria side after the compromise of 1867), head of the Königshof an der Elbe - Dvůr Králové nad Labem district, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.[1]

Austrian KK 2 kronen stamp cancelled in a nearby village in 1918

Textile Industry

Dvůr Králové allowed Jews to settle there in 1848. Various Jewish families arrived in the early 1860s and began developing a local textile industry (the soft water of the Elbe was essential for the dying and printing for the textile industry). By 1930 there were some 200 to 300 Jews living in the town. The textile industry had grown to some 17 textile firms (Sohorts, Neuman, Mautner, Deutsch etc.) By the end of 1945 there were no Jews left in the town.

Manuscript affair

On 16 September 1817 Václav Hanka allegedly discovered a manuscript appearing to be from the 13th century in the tower of a local church. The Manuscript of Dvůr Kralové, probably in fact created by Hanka, was intended to help Czech patriots in the struggle against German culture. It was proven to be a forgery at the end of the 19th century by Professor Tomáš Masaryk and confirmed as such by later examinations.[2] A minority of historians still consider it genuine.

Twin towns — sister cities

Dvůr Králové nad Labem is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Die postalischen Abstempelungen auf den österreichischen Postwertzeichen-Ausgaben 1867, 1883 und 1890, Wilhelm KLEIN, 1967
  2. ↑ http://kix.fsv.cvut.cz/rkz/
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