Havířov (Czech pronunciation:[ˈɦaviːr̝of]ⓘ) is a city inKarviná District in theMoravian-Silesian Region of theCzech Republic. It has about 69,000 inhabitants, making it the second largest city in the region. Havířov was founded in 1955 and is the youngest Czech city. It is an industrial city, historically associated with hard coal mining in the region.
In a competition to name the city in 1956, various names were suggested, such asStalin, Gottwaldův Horníkov (afterKlement Gottwald), Zápotockýgrad (afterAntonín Zápotocký) and "Čestprácov" (derived from the socialist-era greetingčest práci). Eventually it was decided that the city should be named Havířov (fromhavíř, i.e. 'miner', with the possessive suffix-ov).[3]
Havířov is located about 8 kilometres (5 mi) east ofOstrava and is urbanistically fused with neighbouringŠenov. It lies in the historical region ofCieszyn Silesia. It lies mostly in theOstrava Basin lowland, but in the south, the municipal territory also extends into theMoravian-Silesian Foothills. TheLučina River flows through the town.
The first written mention of settlements in today's Havířov area is from 1305 (Horní Suchá and Dolní Suchá). Bludovice was first mentioned in 1335 and Šumbark in 1438.[4]
Havířov was founded on top of several villages with significantPolish populations after World War II as acoal mining town to restorehard coal mining in the region. Building of first housing estates for miners and their families began in 1947. Havířov was officially established in 1955 and in the same year received the status of a town.[4]
Today, the original villages are administrative parts of the city and mostly lie on the outskirts of urban Havířov. In 1975–1990,Horní Suchá, now a separate municipality, was a part of Havířov.[4]
Most of the buildings of the new city were built in the style ofsocialist realism.[5]
The city is historically connected with the mining of hard coal in the region. In the territory of Dolní Suchá was theDukla coal mine, which was in operation between 1907 and 2007.
Havířov lies on the railway line of national importance toPrague via Ostrava andOlomouc. It also lies on a railway line heading fromČeský Těšín toOpava.[8]
The city's football club,MFK Havířov, competes in theCzech Fourth Division. In the past, the team appeared for several seasons inCzech 2. Liga. Football club MFK Havířov was founded in 1922 asČSK Moravská Suchá. MFK Havířov has two pitches and one artificial pitch. They have nickname which is "indians" according to American bikers. Their matches are played on pitches inProstřední Suchá.[9]
The most important monument is the memorial to the victims of Nazi terror, protected as anational cultural monument. It was built in 1949. The monument consists of a granite wall with a sandstone sculpture of a woman with a child.[10]
There are three churches, protected as cultural monuments. The Church of Saint Anne was built in the Empire style in 1841–1845. The Church of Saint Margaret the Virgin in Bludovice was built in 1786–1792. It is a typical Baroque rural church. The Lutheran church in Bludovice was built in 1782–1784 and is the oldest church in Havířov. The tower was added in 1850–1852.[11]
The Šumbark Castle was originally a medieval fortress, rebuilt into a Renaissance castle in the 16th century and then rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century.[12] Today it is a hotel.[13]
A unique remnant of the original villages before the founding of the city is Kotula's log cabin. It dates from 1781. Today it is a small museum with an exhibition of folk housing in the region. Next to the log cabin is a barn from the late 17th century and a windmill.[13]
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