Kourim
Encyclopedia
Kouřim (ˈkou̯r̝ɪm) is a small town
in the Central Bohemian Region
, Czech Republic
. It is located 45 km east of Prague
and has a population of 1,769 (2005).
From the 13th to the 16th century, Kourim used to be among one of the most important towns in Bohemia
, but later it experienced a decline and a long stagnation. As a result Kouřim, has retained its antique look, for which it is now sought out by tourists and film-makers alike.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Central Bohemian Region
Central Bohemian Region
Central Bohemian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the central part of its historical region of Bohemia. Its administrative center is placed in the Czech capital Prague , which lies in the center of the region...
, Czech Republic
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 45 km east of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and has a population of 1,769 (2005).
From the 13th to the 16th century, Kourim used to be among one of the most important towns in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, but later it experienced a decline and a long stagnation. As a result Kouřim, has retained its antique look, for which it is now sought out by tourists and film-makers alike.
Sights
- remains of a Slavic fortified settlementGord (Slavic settlement)Gord is a medieval Slavic fortified settlement. This Proto-Slavic word for town or city, later differentiated into grad , gard, gorod , etc. The ancient peoples were known for building wooden fortified settlements...
from the 9th-10th century on a hill east of town, today called Stará Kouřim (Old Kouřim) - church of St Stephen from the 13th century, a prominent example of early Gothic architectureGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
- town walls from the 13th-16th century (1,250 m in circumference) with the Gothic Prague Gate
- skansenOpen air museumAn open-air museum is a distinct type of museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors. The first open-air museums were established in Scandinavia towards the end of the nineteenth century, and the concept soon spread throughout Europe and North America. Open-air museums are variously known as...
(Museum of folk architecture)