Třeboň

Třeboň (Czech pronunciation: [ˈtr̝̊ɛboɲ]; German: Wittingau) is a spa town in Jindřichův Hradec District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 8,200 inhabitants. The historic town centre with the castle complex is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument reservation.

Třeboň
Town
Aerial view of the historical centre
Flag Coat of arms
Třeboň Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°0′13″N 14°46′14″E / 49.00361°N 14.77056°E / 49.00361; 14.77056
Country	Czech Republic
Region	South Bohemian
District	Jindřichův Hradec
First mentioned	1280
Government
• Mayor	Jan Váňa (ODS)
Area
• Total	98.31 km^2 (37.96 sq mi)
Elevation	434 m (1,424 ft)
Population  (2023-01-01)^[1]
• Total	8,242
• Density	84/km^2 (220/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	379 01
Website	www.mesto-trebon.cz

Administrative parts

Třeboň is made up of the town parts of Třeboň I and Třeboň II, and the villages of Branná, Břilice, Holičky, Nová Hlína, Přeseka and Stará Hlína.

Etymology

The name is derived from the personal name Třeboň (shortened variant of the name Třebohost or Třebomysl).^[2]

Geography

 

Rožmberk and Káňov ponds

Třeboň is located about 22 kilometres (14 mi) southwest of Jindřichův Hradec and 19 km (12 mi) east of České Budějovice. It lies in the Třeboň Basin. It is known for its bogs with rich deposits of peat, which led to establishment of peat spa in the town.^[3]

Třeboň is known for its fish ponds, which were established in the region since Middle Ages. Rožmberk Pond is the largest pond in the country and the largest fish pond in the world with surface area of 489 hectares (1,210 acres). It was built between 1584 and 1590.^[4] The urban area of Třeboň is located on the shore of Svět pond, also one of the largest Czech ponds with 201 ha (500 acres). It is primarily a fish pond, but also is used for sport and recreational purposes.

The whole municipal territory lies in the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area. The Lužnice river flows through the eastern part of the territory and supplies Rožmberk pond with water. There are many small watercourses, which supply the other ponds.

History

 

Fortification near Svět pond

Třeboň was established around the middle of the 12th century. Around 1300, Třeboň was already fortified. In 1341, it was first referred to as a town. In 1366, Třeboň's Czech name first appeared, and the Rosenberg family became owner of the estate. During their rule, the town gained importance and wealth. In 1376, Třeboň gained royal town privileges. At the end of the 14th century, the fortifications strengthened, which helped resist attacks during the Hussite Wars.^[5]

The greatest development occurred in the 16th and early 17th centuries, when Jakub Krčín was at the head of the Rosenberg family business and started to establish new ponds in the area. The region became famous as a fish pond farming area. The end of prosperity came with extinction of the Rosenberg family, troop invasions, and several large fires. Třeboň further suffered during the Thirty Years' War, when it was held by a regiment of Scots led by Colonel Sir John Seton from 1620 to early 1622.^[6] From 1660 to the 20th century, the House of Schwarzenberg owned the town and the estate.^[5]

The town slowly recovered and remained economically unimportant until the 19th century, when it became a district town. Until 1918, Třeboň – Wittingau was part of Austria-Hungary, in the district with the same name, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.^[7]

After World War II, the first larger industry (clothing factory and large-scale agricultural production) was established in the town. In 1960, the Třeboň district was abolished and the town received spa status.^[5]

Demographics

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 7,463 —     1880 8,132 +9.0% 1890 7,650 −5.9% 1900 7,755 +1.4% 1910 7,721 −0.4%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 7,461 −3.4% 1930 7,042 −5.6% 1950 6,235 −11.5% 1961 6,988 +12.1% 1970 7,828 +12.0%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 8,850 +13.1% 1991 9,052 +2.3% 2001 9,016 −0.4% 2011 8,554 −5.1% 2021 7,951 −7.0%
Source: Censuses^[8]^[9]

Economy

 

Masarykovo Square, Old Town Hall in the middle

Třeboň is a tourist destination, and this is the area's major economic activity, along with agriculture, the spa industry and other services.

The State Regional Archive for South Bohemia is based here, where genealogical studies about people born in the South Bohemian Region may be conducted.^[10] The archive was held at the 15th-century Třeboň castle for many years,^[11] although a substantial portion was moved to the municipal offices in 2014.

Spa

 

Spa promenade

The spa company Slatinné lázně Třeboň is the largest employer in the town. The peat spa in Třeboň focuses on the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, rheumatic problems, and post-injury and post-surgery reconvalescence.^[12] The first modern spa in Třeboň was opened in 1883.^[3]

Transport

Třebn lies on the major international railway line Prague–Vienna.^[13]

Culture

The International Festival of Animated Films Anifest was held in Třeboň each May between 2002 and 2010; after that, Anifilm took its place.^[14]

Sights

 

Třeboň Castle

 

Church of Our Lady Queen and Saint Giles

The natural centre of the town's historic core is Masarykovo Square. It is surrounded by burgher houses with Renaissance and Baroque facades. In the centre there are a Renaissance stone fountain from 1569, and a Baroque Marian column.^[15] The main landmark is the Old Town Hall, built in 1563. In 1638, a massive quadrangular 31 metres (102 ft) high tower was added to the town hall.^[16]

Třeboň Castle is a Renaissance castle. A small stone castle in Třeboň was first mentioned in 1374. The current castle was created in 1565–1575 by reconstruction of old castle buildings damaged by fire. The castle includes an English-style castle park.^[17]

The Church of Our Lady Queen and Saint Giles is the largest building in the complex of the former Augustinian monastery. The monastery was founded in 1367 by the Rosenberg family and construction of the church began the same year. The monastery was abolished in 1785.^[18]

The entrance to the town was guarded by massive gates, which are together with the fragments of the town walls preserved to this day.^[19]

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Třeboň

• Master of the Třeboň Altarpiece, 14th-century painter
• John Dee and Edward Kelley held a number of seances and conducted alchemical experiments in Třeboň in 1589
• Karel Čurda (1911–1947), Nazi collaborant
• Erwin Scharf (1914–1994), Austrian politician
• Karel Mejta Sr. (1928–2015), rower, Olympic winner
• Stanislav Lusk (1931–1987), rower, Olympic winner
• Jan Jindra (1932–2021), rower, Olympic winner
• Karel Poborský (born 1972), footballer
• Iveta Lutovská (born 1983), Czech Miss 2009

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Třeboň is twinned with:^[20]

•   Freyung-Grafenau (district), Germany
•   Interlaken, Switzerland
•   Schrems, Austria
•   Utena, Lithuania

References

1. "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 2023-05-23.
2. Profous, Antonín (1957). Místní jména v Čechách IV: S–Ž (in Czech). pp. 362–363.
3. "Lázně" (in Czech). Město Třeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
4. "Rybník Rožmberk – největší rybník na světě" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
5. "Historie" (in Czech). Město Třeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
6. Polišenský, Josef (2001). "A Note on Scottish Soldiers in the Bohemian War, 1619–1622". In Murdoch, Steve (ed.). Scotland and the Thirty Years' War, 1618–1648. Leiden: Brill Publishers. pp. 111–114. ISBN 978-90-04-12086-0.
7. Die postalischen Abstempelungen auf den österreichischen Postwertzeichen-Ausgaben 1867, 1883 und 1890, Wilhelm Klein, 1967
8. "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Jindřichův Hradec" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 19–20.
9. "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
10. Hankovec, Martin. "DigiArchiv of SRA Trebon - ver. 18.04.23". digi.ceskearchivy.cz.
11. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Wittingau" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 765.
12. "Třeboň Spa". Czech Tourism. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
13. "Detail stanice Třeboň" (in Czech). České dráhy. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
14. "Festival AniFest a nový Anifilm se perou. Proč vlastně?". iDNES.cz. 22 April 2010.
15. "Masarykovo square". iTřeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
16. "Radnice" (in Czech). Město Třeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
17. "Zámek" (in Czech). Město Třeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
18. "Bývalý augustiniánský klášter" (in Czech). Město Třeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
19. "Městské opevnění" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
20. "Partnerská města" (in Czech). Město Třeboň. Retrieved 2021-09-01.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Třeboň.

• Official website
• Official tourist portal
• Regional tourist portal
• Třeboň Castle