Vlachovo Březí
Vlachovo Březí (German: Wällisch Birken, Wällischbirken) is a town in Prachatice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,700 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.
Vlachovo Březí | |
|---|---|
Vlachovo Březí seen from the southwest | |
Coat of arms | |
Vlachovo Březí Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates: 49°4′53″N 13°57′30″E / 49.08139°N 13.95833°ECoordinates: 49°4′53″N 13°57′30″E / 49.08139°N 13.95833°E | |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Region | South Bohemian |
| District | Prachatice |
| First mentioned | 1274 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 19.97 km2 (7.71 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 525 m (1,722 ft) |
| Population (2022-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,703 |
| • Density | 85/km2 (220/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 384 22 |
| Website | www |
Administrative parts
Villages of Chocholatá Lhota, Dachov, Dolní Kožlí, Doubrava, Horní Kožlí, Mojkov and Uhřice are administrative parts of Vlachovo Březí.
Geography
Vlachovo Březí is located about 7 kilometres (4 mi) north of Prachatice and 38 km (24 mi) northwest of České Budějovice. It lies in the Bohemian Forest Foothills. The highest point is the hill Běleč at 923 metres (3,028 ft) above sea level.
History
The first written mention of Vlachovo Březí is from 1274, then called just Březí. Around 1415, Březí was renamed Vlachovo Březí after its owner, knight Vladislav Vlach Malovec. In 1538, the settlement is promoted to a market town by Ferdinand I and received its coat of arms. In 1868, it gained the town status from Franz Joseph I.[2][3]
Sights
Vlachovo Březí Castle was a fortress, rebuilt into a Renaissance castle in 1561. In 1698, it was rebuilt into its current early Baroque form.[3] Today it is unused and the premises are offered for rent.[4]
The first mention of a brewery in Vlachovo Březí is from 1623. The Manor Brewery in its current form was founded around 1670 and its capacity caused the gradual demise of breweries in the surrounding villages.[4][5] The Baroque brewery building with distinctive gables was built in the 18th century and forms the western wing of the castle complex. The beer brewing continued until 1924.[6] In 2014–2015, the valuable building was repaired and now it is owned by the town.[4] The beer brewing was renewed in 2017.[5]
The original Church of the Annunciation was first mentioned in 1359, when it was built in the Romanesque style. In 1659–1669, the church was rebuilt in the Baroque style, in which form it still stands today.[7]
Notable people
- Joseph Drechsler (1782–1852), Austrian organist and composer
- Jakub Bursa (1813–1884), architect; died here
- Karel Traxler (1866–1936), chess master
- Jan Matulka (1890–1972), Czech-American modern artist
Twin towns – sister cities
Vlachovo Březí is twinned with:[8]
- Sankt Oswald-Riedlhütte, Germany
References
- ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2022". Czech Statistical Office. 2022-04-29.
- ^ "Historie" (in Czech). Město Vlachovo Březí. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
- ^ a b "Zámek Vlachovo Březí" (in Czech). Hrady.cz. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
- ^ a b c "Památky" (in Czech). Město Vlachovo Březí. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
- ^ a b "Historie" (in Czech). Březí Koza Brewery. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
- ^ "Budova Panského pivovaru Vlachovo Březí" (in Czech). PRO Šumavsko, z.s. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
- ^ "Historie" (in Czech). Farnost Vlachovo Březí. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
- ^ "Ehrenpreise für Männerchor und Theatergruppe" (in German). PNP.de. 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
External links
- Official website