Bystré (Svitavy District)
Encyclopedia
Bystré (ˈbɪstrɛː; ) is a town in the Czech Republic
. It is located in Svitavy District (part of Pardubice Region) approximately 12 kilometers south east from Polička
. As of August 2006 Bystré had 1668 inhabitants.
After the original settlement was burnt out, a new market village Bystré was built up on the Trstenice trail (mentioned in 1349). The village was shaped as a horseshoe and the first owner of the village Bystré were the Lords of Mokošín. Since 1213 the village belonged to Svojanov
manor. Bystré received the town right during the reign of Charles IV
. In the later period the city gained a number of privileges, such as toll collection right and the right for a weekly market. Jan Bezdružický z Kolovrat became the town owner in the 16th century. Under his rule, a local fort was constructed. Jan died in 1604 and was buried in a tomb in the local church.
The following owners, lords of Martinice, started mining of iron ore in Hamry (currently a part of the municipality of Bystré). During the Thirty Years War the city was devastated. In 1624 Albrecht von Wallenstein
passed through the town. Leopold of Valderode bought the manor of Bystré in 1686. In 1707 the manor was sold again, this time in an auction. The new owner (Jakub Hanibal, the count of Hohenems) let built the town hall. During the rule of his son, Franz Rudolph, the construction of a new church started and spa Balda was founded in the neighborhood. As the counts of Hohenems died out in 1869, Bystré manor was passed to Emperor Franz Joseph I
who owned it until the establishment of Czechoslovakia
in 1918.
A legend says that in the period when Bystré formed a part of Svojanov
manor the tax
revenues from Bystré and surrounding villages were taken away to Svojanov. The money was carried by a collector – most probably by one of the town councilors. Once, the collector was attacked by a bear
during his journey through the forest between Hartmanice
and Svojanov. The collector succeeded to kill the bear with a spear. This event became the symbol of the town, being depicted on the coat of arms and the city seal.
The flag has dark red background with two wavy stripes – a black and a golden one. These stripes symbolize two streams (Zlatý and Bysterský) between which Bystré was founded. The flag was introduced in 1998.
.
’s movie All My Compatriots
(Czech
: Všichni dobří rodáci) was in 1968 filmed in Bystré and its surroundings. Also the filming of a stand-alone sequel Návrat ztraceného ráje partially took place in Bystré in 1999.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It is located in Svitavy District (part of Pardubice Region) approximately 12 kilometers south east from Polička
Policka
Polička is a town on Bohemia-Moravia borderline in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 10,000 inhabitants. It is about 17 km west of Svitavy.- History :Polička was founded in the year 1265 by Bohemian king Přemysl Otakar II...
. As of August 2006 Bystré had 1668 inhabitants.
History
The first written mention about the town dates back to year 1200. The Czech Chronicle by Wenceslaus Hajek of Libočan (which cannot be taken as a credible source though) mentions a village which in 1021 should have been situated in place called U kostelíčka (about one kilometer to the west from the present town). The name of the town is derived from Bystrý, a stream flowing through the town.After the original settlement was burnt out, a new market village Bystré was built up on the Trstenice trail (mentioned in 1349). The village was shaped as a horseshoe and the first owner of the village Bystré were the Lords of Mokošín. Since 1213 the village belonged to Svojanov
Svojanov
Svojanov is a market town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 404 ....
manor. Bystré received the town right during the reign of Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
. In the later period the city gained a number of privileges, such as toll collection right and the right for a weekly market. Jan Bezdružický z Kolovrat became the town owner in the 16th century. Under his rule, a local fort was constructed. Jan died in 1604 and was buried in a tomb in the local church.
The following owners, lords of Martinice, started mining of iron ore in Hamry (currently a part of the municipality of Bystré). During the Thirty Years War the city was devastated. In 1624 Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
passed through the town. Leopold of Valderode bought the manor of Bystré in 1686. In 1707 the manor was sold again, this time in an auction. The new owner (Jakub Hanibal, the count of Hohenems) let built the town hall. During the rule of his son, Franz Rudolph, the construction of a new church started and spa Balda was founded in the neighborhood. As the counts of Hohenems died out in 1869, Bystré manor was passed to Emperor Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
who owned it until the establishment of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1918.
The flag and coat of arms
- Coat of arms
A legend says that in the period when Bystré formed a part of Svojanov
Svojanov
Svojanov is a market town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 404 ....
manor the tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
revenues from Bystré and surrounding villages were taken away to Svojanov. The money was carried by a collector – most probably by one of the town councilors. Once, the collector was attacked by a bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
during his journey through the forest between Hartmanice
Hartmanice
Name Hartmanice have more sites in Czech Republic:* Hartmanice – town in Klatovy District* Hartmanice - village in České Budějovice District* Hartmanice - village in Svitavy District...
and Svojanov. The collector succeeded to kill the bear with a spear. This event became the symbol of the town, being depicted on the coat of arms and the city seal.
- Flag
The flag has dark red background with two wavy stripes – a black and a golden one. These stripes symbolize two streams (Zlatý and Bysterský) between which Bystré was founded. The flag was introduced in 1998.
Demographics
The number of inhabitants of Bystré (categorized by gender and age category) on 31 December 2010 is summarized in the table below (source: Czech Statistical OfficeCzech Statistical Office
The Czech Statistical Office is the main organization which collects, analyzes and disseminates statistical information for the benefit of the various parts of the local and national governments of the Czech Republic...
.
| Males | Females | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 14 or less | 132 | 123 | 255 |
| Aged 15-64 | 606 | 549 | 1155 |
| Aged 65 or more | 96 | 119 | 215 |
| Total | 834 | 791 | 1625 |
Interesting facts
Vojtěch JasnýVojtech Jasný
Vojtěch Jasný is a Czech director who came to prominence in the sixties. He won a Cannes Special Jury Prize for Až přijde kocour/The Cassandra Cat ....
’s movie All My Compatriots
All My Compatriots
All My Compatriots is a 1968 Czechoslovak film directed by Vojtěch Jasný. It was entered into the 1969 Cannes Film Festival where Jasný won the award for Best Director.-Cast:* Radoslav Brzobohatý - peasant František...
(Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
: Všichni dobří rodáci) was in 1968 filmed in Bystré and its surroundings. Also the filming of a stand-alone sequel Návrat ztraceného ráje partially took place in Bystré in 1999.