Hluboká nad Vltavou (Czech pronunciation: [ˈɦlubokaː ˈnad vl̩tavou]; until 1885 Podhrad, German: Frauenberg) is a town in České Budějovice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,600 inhabitants. The town is known for the Hluboká Castle.

Hluboká nad Vltavou
Centre of the town with Church of Saint John of Nepomuk
Centre of the town with Church of Saint John of Nepomuk
Flag of Hluboká nad Vltavou
Coat of arms of Hluboká nad Vltavou
Hluboká nad Vltavou is located in Czech Republic
Hluboká nad Vltavou
Hluboká nad Vltavou
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°3′5″N 14°26′9″E / 49.05139°N 14.43583°E / 49.05139; 14.43583
Country Czech Republic
RegionSouth Bohemian
DistrictČeské Budějovice
First mentioned1378
Government
 • MayorTomáš Jirsa
Area
 • Total
91.11 km2 (35.18 sq mi)
Elevation
394 m (1,293 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total
5,597
 • Density61/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
373 41
Websitewww.hluboka.cz

Administrative parts

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The villages of Bavorovice, Buzkov, Hroznějovice, Jaroslavice, Jeznice, Kostelec, Líšnice, Munice, Poněšice and Purkarec are administrative parts of Hluboká nad Vltavou.

Etymology

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The name of the town was taken from the name of the local castle. The castle was named Frauenberg in German, which was derived from Old German vrôburg (i.e. "Lord's castle"). The Czech name Hluboká literally means "deep" and originated from the location of the castle above a deep valley.[2]

Geography

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Hluboká nad Vltavou is situated about 7 kilometres (4 mi) north of České Budějovice, on both banks of the Vltava river. There are many fish ponds in the municipal territory. The town itself lies on the shore of the largest of them, which is Munický pond with an area of 108 ha (270 acres).[3]

Hluboká nad Vltavou lies mostly in the Tábor Uplands, but the southern part with the ponds lies in the České Budějovice Basin, and the eastern part extends into the Třeboň Basin. The northern part of the large municipal territory is covered by forests. The highest point is the hill Velký Kameník with 575 m (1,886 ft) above sea level.

History

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Church of Saint John of Nepomuk

History of the town is connected with a castle, which was founded together with the city of České Budějovice by King Ottokar II on a rocky promontory above the Vltava river. A settlement was founded under the castle and named Podhrad (literally "Undercastle").[4]

The castle later passed to the Vítkovci dynasty.[5] Held by the local noble Vilém II of Pernštejn from 1490 onwards, the castle and the town prospered. In 1496, Podhrad was promoted to a market town.[4]

The acquisition by the Schwarzenberg family in 1661 brought even greater wealth to the area. After a brief capture by French forces and a blaze in 1742, during the War of the Austrian Succession, the medieval fortress was slighted and rebuilt into a Renaissance castle, then between 1839 and 1871 into the current Neo-Gothic castle.

The first Jews came into the market town around 1724. The old synagogue was replaced by a new one in 1907, but it ceased to serve its purpose after its interior was destroyed by the Nazis during World War II.[6]

The present-day municipality arose in 1850. The majority of the population was Czech-speaking. The market town was renamed after the Hluboká Castle in 1885. In 1907, Hluboká became a town by decision of Franz Joseph I.[4]

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
18694,845—    
18805,628+16.2%
18905,442−3.3%
19005,353−1.6%
19105,578+4.2%
YearPop.±%
19215,391−3.4%
19305,151−4.5%
19504,263−17.2%
19614,485+5.2%
19704,236−5.6%
YearPop.±%
19804,373+3.2%
19914,277−2.2%
20014,538+6.1%
20114,982+9.8%
20215,310+6.6%
Source: Censuses[7][8]

Transport

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The I/20 road (part of the European route E49) from České Budějovice to Plzeň and Karlovy Vary passes through the southern part og the municipal territory.

Hluboká nad Vltavou is located on the railway lines České Budějovice–Písek and České Budějovice–Strakonice.[9]

Education

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The Townshend International School has been based in the town since 1992.

Sights

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Hluboká Castle
 
Ohrada Castle

The main landmark of Hluboká nad Vltavou is the Tudor-style Hluboká Castle. Every year it is one of the most visited castles in the country.[10]

The second significant castle in Hluboká nad Vltavou is Ohrada Castle. It is a Baroque hunting castle built in 1708–1713. In 1842, the Hunting Museum, one of the oldest museums in the country, was established here. It still exist under the name Museum of Forestry, Hunting and Fishing, and is administered by National Museum of Agriculture in Prague.[11]

Next to the castle is a zoological garden, colloquially known as Ohrada Zoo. It breeds about 300 species of animals.

Notable people

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Twin towns – sister cities

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Hluboká nad Vltavou is twinned with:[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. ^ Profous, Antonín (1947). Místní jména v Čechách I: A–H (in Czech). pp. 642–643.
  3. ^ "Munický rybník" (in Czech). Klub českých turistů Tábor. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  4. ^ a b c "Hluboká nad Vltavou" (in Czech). Město Hluboká nad Vltavou. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  5. ^ "Výlet za příběhem lásky Záviše z Falkenštejna a královny Kunhuty aneb poprava ozdoby českého rytířstva" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  6. ^ "Hluboká nad Vltavou". Holocaust.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  7. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21.
  8. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  9. ^ "Detail stanice Hluboká n.Vltavou" (in Czech). České dráhy. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  10. ^ "Nejnavštěvovanější místa v kategorii Hrady a zámky: Pražský hrad, Český Krumlov a Hluboká nad Vltavou" (in Czech). CzechTourism. 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  11. ^ "Zámek Ohrada – Muzeum lesnictví, myslivosti a rybářství v Hluboké nad Vltavou" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  12. ^ "Partnerská města" (in Czech). Město Hluboká nad Vltavou. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
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