Svojkovice (Rokycany District)
Encyclopedia
Svojkovice is a village in the Rokycany District
of the Plzeň Region
of Western Bohemia
in the Czech Republic
. It is situated 4 km northeast of the town of Rokycany
, 394 m. above sea-level. Svojkovice lies on the Borecký potok Stream (also known as the Holoubkovský potok Stream). To the east and south of Svojkovice there are extensive forested areas with elevations of Žďár (629 m.) to the south and Vydřiduch (513 m.) to the east. Another smaller forest called Boreček appears west of Svojkovice. The village lies on the old Prague
-Plzeň road with most of the houses located in proximity to the road. Another part of the settlement rose south of the Borecký potok Stream along the Prague-Plzeň railway which opened in 1862. In 1993 the D5 motorway Prague-Plzeň-Rozvadov opened. The highway runs along Svojkovice's northern periphery. It replaced the old road.
(Prague
) with Plzeň and Bavaria
, though occasionally this location proved inconvenient, especially in times of wars and military campaigns. Thirty Years' War
left Svojkovice completely depopulated. Only by 1712 the village is reported to be settled again. The community was however relatively small and until 1886 it was not administratively independent. In the year 1886 school opened too in Svojkovice too. Life of the village was abruptly afflicted by fire in May 1901 with 16 houses completely destroyed and 2 damaged. By the end of the year the damages were repaired. In 1924 name of the village was officially changed to Svojkovice. In 1923 Svojkovice train station opened. In 1925 Svojkovice inaugurated its cemetery built west of the village in cooperation with neighboring village of Borek. In May 1945 Svojkovice was liberated by the Soviet army
. In 1959 a public swimming pool opened. In 1960 Svojkovice along with Hůrky were merged with the village of Volduchy; in 1970, however, Svojkovice separated. But in 1980 the village lost its administrative independence, again being merged with Rokycany
. Finally in 1990 Svojkovice regained its self-administration.http://www.svojkovice.rokycansko.cz/index.php?page=historie
Rokycany District
Rokycany District is a district within Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Rokycany.- Complete list of municipalities :Bezděkov -Břasy -Březina -Bujesily -Bušovice -Cekov -Cheznovice -Chlum -Chomle -Čilá -Dobřív -...
of the Plzeň Region
Plzen Region
Plzeň Region is an administrative unit in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is named after its capital Plzeň .- Communes :...
of Western 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...
in 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....
. It is situated 4 km northeast of the town of Rokycany
Rokycany
Rokycany , is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies to the East from the region capital of Pilsen on the confluence of the River Klabava and the Holoubkov Brook . Alternatively, the Holoubkovský potok is referred to as the Borecký potok and the section of the Klabava River down...
, 394 m. above sea-level. Svojkovice lies on the Borecký potok Stream (also known as the Holoubkovský potok Stream). To the east and south of Svojkovice there are extensive forested areas with elevations of Žďár (629 m.) to the south and Vydřiduch (513 m.) to the east. Another smaller forest called Boreček appears west of Svojkovice. The village lies on the old 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...
-Plzeň road with most of the houses located in proximity to the road. Another part of the settlement rose south of the Borecký potok Stream along the Prague-Plzeň railway which opened in 1862. In 1993 the D5 motorway Prague-Plzeň-Rozvadov opened. The highway runs along Svojkovice's northern periphery. It replaced the old road.
History
Svojkovice was mentioned for the first time in 1379. Historically it used to be called "Svejkovice". Development of the village was spurred by its location on the main road connecting the capital of BohemiaBohemia
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...
(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...
) with Plzeň and Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, though occasionally this location proved inconvenient, especially in times of wars and military campaigns. Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
left Svojkovice completely depopulated. Only by 1712 the village is reported to be settled again. The community was however relatively small and until 1886 it was not administratively independent. In the year 1886 school opened too in Svojkovice too. Life of the village was abruptly afflicted by fire in May 1901 with 16 houses completely destroyed and 2 damaged. By the end of the year the damages were repaired. In 1924 name of the village was officially changed to Svojkovice. In 1923 Svojkovice train station opened. In 1925 Svojkovice inaugurated its cemetery built west of the village in cooperation with neighboring village of Borek. In May 1945 Svojkovice was liberated by the Soviet army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
. In 1959 a public swimming pool opened. In 1960 Svojkovice along with Hůrky were merged with the village of Volduchy; in 1970, however, Svojkovice separated. But in 1980 the village lost its administrative independence, again being merged with Rokycany
Rokycany
Rokycany , is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies to the East from the region capital of Pilsen on the confluence of the River Klabava and the Holoubkov Brook . Alternatively, the Holoubkovský potok is referred to as the Borecký potok and the section of the Klabava River down...
. Finally in 1990 Svojkovice regained its self-administration.http://www.svojkovice.rokycansko.cz/index.php?page=historie
Demographics
Svojkovice has traditionally been an ethnically Czech settlement. The village underwent some population growth in the late 19th and early 20th century but in recent decades the number of inhabitants has stagnated.| Year | 1900 | 1930 | 1946 | 1961 | 1970 | 1980 | 1991 | 2001 | 2007 |
| Population | 384 | 365 | 306 | 336 | 299 | 344 | 342 | 369 | 369 |