Svojanov
Svojanov is a market town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 400 inhabitants.
Svojanov | |
|---|---|
_-_pohled_z_hradu.jpg.webp) Svojanov as seen from the Svojanov Castle | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Svojanov Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates: 49°37′29″N 16°24′37″E | |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Region | Pardubice |
| District | Svitavy |
| First mentioned | 1287 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.89 km2 (5.36 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 460 m (1,510 ft) |
| Population (2023-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 360 |
| • Density | 26/km2 (67/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 569 73, 569 92 |
| Website | mestyssvojanov |
Administrative parts
Villages of Dolní Lhota, Hutě, Předměstí, Starý Svojanov and Studenec are administrative parts of Svojanov.
Geography
Svojanov is located about 15 kilometres (9 mi) south of Svitavy and 63 km (39 mi) southeast of Pardubice. It lies on the border between the Upper Svratka Highlands and Svitavy Uplands. The market town is situated in the valley of the Křetínka river.
History
The Svojanov Castle was built in 1224. During the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia, it was used for protection of the trade route from Bohemia to Moravia. The first written mention of the settlement below the castle called Svojanov is from 1287. It was then owned by Zavis of Falkenstein, who had the small fortress extended into a big Gothic castle. The village of Starý Svojanov ("Old Svojanov") was founded in the 13th century and supposedly is the oldest part of today's municipality.[2]
In 1421, Svojanov was besieged by Jan Žižka and between 1642 and 1645, the market town was occupied by the Swedish army. In December 1798, the Russian legions marched through Svojanov to fight against Napoleon.[2]
Sights
Svojanov Castle is one of the oldest stone castles in the country. Since 1910, it is owned by the town of Polička. The castle ruins and the Empire style palace are open to the public and often are used for cultural purposes.[3]
An interesting sight is the Church of Saint Nicholas with a 13th-century chancel and fresco decoration which dates back to the period of Charles IV.[2]
References
- "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 2023-05-23.
- "Historie" (in Czech). Městys Svojanov. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
- "Hrad Svojanov" (in Czech). Město Polička. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
External links
