Mladá Boleslav
Encyclopedia
Mladá Boleslav (ˈmladaː ˈbolɛslaf; ) is a city in the Central Bohemian Region
of the Czech Republic
, on the left bank of the Jizera
river about 50 km northeast of Prague
.
Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle
. Because there already was a castle known as Boleslav near Prague, this new castle was named Mladá (young) to distinguish it from the older Boleslav, which became known in the 15th century as Stará Boleslav (Old Boleslav). The town received partial city rights in 1334 and 1436, becoming an important site on the road from Prague to northern Bohemia
, Lusatia
, and Brandenburg
. In the 16th century the town was a leading centre of the Unitas Fratrum / Unity of the Brethren / Moravian Church church, hosting the Brethren's bishop
, Renaissance
church, and printing house. After being re-Catholicized in the 17th century, the town's population declined.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Mladá Boleslav was an important Jewish center. In this period, about one half of the town's population was Jewish. In the 19th century (in fact, the period of decline of the Jewish community), Mladá Boleslav was dubbed "Jerusalem on Jizera". In 1634, Jacob Bashevi von Treuenberg (born 1580 in Verona, Italy), the first ennobled Jew in the Habsburg monarchy, was buried on the Jewish cemetery in Mladá Boleslav.
In the 19th century new prosperity came: the town became an important regional centre as new schools, theatres, museums, and the Laurin & Klement
(today Škoda
) automobile
factory were founded. After the communist revolution
in 1948, the town suffered a mass decline, however it has been improving since the 1990s as the factory is making it one of the richest Czech towns.
with: Dieburg
, Germany
King's Lynn
, Great Britain
Pezinok
, Slovakia
Vantaa
, Finland
plays in the Gambrinus liga
(top national division), and qualified for the 2006/7 Uefa Cup
via the Uefa Champions League
and surprisingly beat Olympique de Marseille
4-3 on aggregate in the first round.
The local ice hockey
team, BK Mladá Boleslav
, plays in the Extraliga
(the top division in the country)
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...
of the 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....
, on the left bank of the Jizera
Jizera River
The Jizera is a river that begins on the border between Poland and the Czech Republic and ends in Central Bohemia. Like some other names in Bohemia, the name Jizera is of Celtic origin, as the Celts lived in the area during Roman times .-Geography:It develops from the confluence of the Great Jizera...
river about 50 km northeast 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...
.
Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. Because there already was a castle known as Boleslav near Prague, this new castle was named Mladá (young) to distinguish it from the older Boleslav, which became known in the 15th century as Stará Boleslav (Old Boleslav). The town received partial city rights in 1334 and 1436, becoming an important site on the road from Prague to northern 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...
, Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
, and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. In the 16th century the town was a leading centre of the Unitas Fratrum / Unity of the Brethren / Moravian Church church, hosting the Brethren's bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
church, and printing house. After being re-Catholicized in the 17th century, the town's population declined.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Mladá Boleslav was an important Jewish center. In this period, about one half of the town's population was Jewish. In the 19th century (in fact, the period of decline of the Jewish community), Mladá Boleslav was dubbed "Jerusalem on Jizera". In 1634, Jacob Bashevi von Treuenberg (born 1580 in Verona, Italy), the first ennobled Jew in the Habsburg monarchy, was buried on the Jewish cemetery in Mladá Boleslav.
In the 19th century new prosperity came: the town became an important regional centre as new schools, theatres, museums, and the Laurin & Klement
Laurin & Klement
Laurin & Klement was a bicycle, motorcycle and automobile manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia, at the time also known in German as Jungbunzlau, and a part of Austria-Hungary ....
(today Škoda
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
) automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
factory were founded. After the communist revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
in 1948, the town suffered a mass decline, however it has been improving since the 1990s as the factory is making it one of the richest Czech towns.
Visitors sights
- Templ Municipal History Museum - new holographic exhibition in gothic town-palace;
- Škoda Museum - Car museum;
- Brethren renaissance cathedral - public open gallery;
- Regional Museum - Historical, cultural and social history collections
Important personalities
- Ctibor Tovačovský z Cimburka (1437–1494), important law theorist
- Lucas of Prague (1460–1528), Brethren bishop, theologian and writer
- Jiří Kezelius-Bydžovský (1576–1655), historian
- Jan Norbert z Neuberka (1796–1859), politician, co-founder of Bohemian National Museum, historian
- Vincenc Zahradník (1790–1836), writer
- Alois Vojtěch Šmilovský (1837–1883), writer
- Siegfried KapperSiegfried KapperSiegfried Kapper was the literary pseudonym of Isaac Salomon Kapper , a Bohemian-born Austrian writer of Jewish origin. Born in Smichow, Kapper studied medicine at Prague University, later completing a Ph.D. at the University of Vienna...
(1821–1879), writer - František GellnerFrantišek GellnerFrantišek Gellner was a Czech poet, short story writer, artist and anarchist.-Biography:František Gellner was born to a poor Jewish family in Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia. His father was a seller and a keen socialist...
(1881 - after 1914), important poet - Alfréd MeissnerAlfred MeissnerAlfred Meissner was an Austrian poet.-Biography:He is a grandson of the voluminous miscellaneous author August Gottlieb Meissner . He studied medicine, taking his degree at Prague in 1846. To elude the Austrian censorship, he published in the same year at Leipzig his epic poem Ziska...
(1871–1950), law theorist, leader of the Social Democratic PartyCzech Social Democratic PartyThe Czech Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Czech Republic.-History:The Social Democratic Czechoslavonic party in Austria was founded on 7 April 1878 in Austria-Hungary representing the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Austrian parliament...
, justice minister and minister of social welfare in the 1st Czechoslovak republic, deputy Jewish Elder in the Theresienstadt (Terezín) ghetto in 1944 to 1945 - Adina MandlováAdina MandlováAdina Mandlová was a Czech actress, sex-symbol of the 1930s and European movie star....
(1910–1991), actress, was born there. - Mila RechciglMila RechciglMiloslav Rechcigl, Jr., or Mila Rechcigl, is a trained biochemist, nutritionist and cancer researcher, writer, editor, historian, bibliographer and genealogist. He was one of the founders and past President for many years of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences.-Biography:He was born on...
(1930-), scientist and long-term president of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) was born here. - Jan ŽeleznýJan ŽeleznýJan Železný is a Czech javelin thrower, world and Olympic champion and world record holder in javelin throw...
(1966-), three-time OlympicSummer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
gold medalist and three-time world championIAAF World Championships in AthleticsThe World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
in the javelinJavelin throwThe javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon... - Martin HavlátMartin HavlatMartin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(1981-), NHL player for the San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... - Radim VrbataRadim VrbataRadim Vrbata is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(1981-), NHL player for the Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix CoyotesThe Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... - Marek SchwarzMarek SchwarzMarek Schwarz is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the TPS of the SM-liiga.-Playing career:...
(1986-), former NHL goalie for the St. Louis Blues
Twin towns — Sister cities
Mladá Boleslav is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Dieburg
Dieburg
Dieburg is a town in southern Hessen, Germany. It was formerly the seat of the district of Dieburg, but is now part of the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg.-History:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Pezinok
Pezinok
Pezinok is a city in southwestern Slovakia. It is roughly northeast of Bratislava and has a population of 21,334 .Pezinok lies near the Little Carpathians and thrives mainly on viticulture and agriculture, as well as on brick making and ceramic production.-History:From the second half of the 10th...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
Vantaa
Vantaa
Vantaa is a city and municipality in Finland. Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen make up the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.Vantaa, with its population of , is the fourth most populated city of Finland. The biggest airport in Finland, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is located there...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Sports
The local football team FK Mladá BoleslavFK Mladá Boleslav
FK Mladá Boleslav is a Czech football club from Mladá Boleslav.- Recent times :The team was promoted to Gambrinus liga for the first time in its history in 2004 and in their first top-flight season fought against relegation, eventually finishing in 14th place...
plays in the Gambrinus liga
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
(top national division), and qualified for the 2006/7 Uefa Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
via the Uefa Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and surprisingly beat Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
4-3 on aggregate in the first round.
The local ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team, BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. They play their home games at Ško-Energo Aréna.-History:...
, plays in the Extraliga
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
(the top division in the country)