Blevice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈblɛvɪtsɛ]; German: Blewitz) is a municipality and village in Kladno District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 300 inhabitants.

Blevice
Aerial view from the east
Aerial view from the east
Flag of Blevice
Coat of arms of Blevice
Blevice is located in Czech Republic
Blevice
Blevice
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°12′35″N 14°14′10″E / 50.20972°N 14.23611°E / 50.20972; 14.23611
Country Czech Republic
RegionCentral Bohemian
DistrictKladno
First mentioned1282
Area
 • Total
4.25 km2 (1.64 sq mi)
Elevation
233 m (764 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total
285
 • Density67/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
273 28
Websitewww.obecblevice.cz

Geography

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Blevice is located about 10 kilometres (6 mi) northeast of Kladno and 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Prague. It is located in the Prague Plateau. The highest point is at 281 m (922 ft) above sea level. The village lies at the end of a small valley whose slopes are partially covered by forest.

History

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The location has been inhabited a long time. 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 the 2nd millennium BC) to Slavic period of early Middle Ages (second half of the 1st millennium AD).[2]

The first written mention of Blevice is from 1282. In the 14th century, it was owned by the Vyšehrad Chapter.[3]

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
1869342—    
1880398+16.4%
1890436+9.5%
1900453+3.9%
1910478+5.5%
YearPop.±%
1921488+2.1%
1930480−1.6%
1950419−12.7%
1961349−16.7%
1970356+2.0%
YearPop.±%
1980316−11.2%
1991281−11.1%
2001282+0.4%
2011285+1.1%
2021286+0.4%
Source: Censuses[4][5]

Transport

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Municipal office in the centre of Blevice

The municipality is located away from all major roads. The bus service to Kladno and Kralupy nad Vltavou operates on working days only. There is no railway in the municipality, the closest is the railway station in Zákolany.

Culture

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Between 1865 and 1907, Blevice was a cultural centre that hosted several important concerts. The first public performance of Czech violin virtuoso Jan Kubelík was held in Blevice in 1891. The most significant concert was Kubelík's second concert in 1899, when he was already famous.[6]

Sights

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Jewish cemetery

Blevice has a Jewish cemetery located in the southern part of the municipality. Within an enclosure of about 0.24 ha (0.59 acres) there are about 300 preserved tombstones dating from the early 18th century until 1945. The neighbouring gravedigger's house from 1884 is well preserved and today serves as a private residence. Only a small number of Jewish families lived in Blevice in the 19th century, the cemetery was used mainly by Jews from the nearby town of Velvary.[7][8]

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

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References

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  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. ^ Sklenář, Karel (1993). Archeologické památky Čechy Morava Slezsko (in Czech). Optys. p. 44. ISBN 80-85819-08-2.
  3. ^ "O nás" (in Czech). Obec Blevice. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  4. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21.
  5. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "Historie – Blevické koncerty" (in Czech). Obec Blevice. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  7. ^ "Židovský hřbitov" (in Czech). Obec Blevice. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  8. ^ Rozkošná, Blanka; Jakubec, Pavel (2004). Židovské památky Čech (in Czech). Era. p. 86. ISBN 80-86517-64-0.
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