Turnov | |
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.jpg) Českého ráje Square | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Turnov Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates:50°35′14″N15°9′25″E / 50.58722°N 15.15694°E /50.58722; 15.15694 | |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Region | Liberec |
| District | Semily |
| First mentioned | 1272 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Tomáš Hocke |
| Area | |
• Total | 22.71 km2 (8.77 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 260 m (850 ft) |
| Population (2025-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 14,577 |
| • Density | 641.9/km2 (1,662/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 511 01 |
| Website | www |
Turnov (Czech pronunciation:[ˈturnof];German:Turnau) is a town inSemily District in theLiberec Region of theCzech Republic. It has about 15,000 inhabitants. It is a traditional centre forgemstone polishing, glass craftsmanship and arts. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as anurban monument zone.
Turnov lies near theBohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area which makes it a place for tourists and summer residents. The town is an important traffic crossroads. Turnov has a large museum, three galleries, six churches and a synagogue. The small old town of Middle Ages urbanism is surrounded by modern garden neighbourhoods and large parks representing an organic connection between urban areas and nature.
Turnov consists of 13 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):[2]
The origin of the name is unknown. According to one theory, the initial name of the settlement was Trnov and the name was derived from the adjectivetrnový (i.e. 'thorny'), referring to the local vegetation, but there is no evidence.[3]
Turnov is located about 19 kilometres (12 mi) south ofLiberec. TheJizera River flows through the town. It lies in theJičín Uplands. The highest point is the hill Cestník at 421 m (1,381 ft) above sea level. Turnov lies at the edge of theBohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area.
The first written mention of Turnov is in a deed of KingOttokar II from 1272.[4] Turnov was founded around 1250 by Jaroslav andHavel of Markvartice on a spur of rock overlooking the Jizera River.[5] A Dominican cloister was founded bySaint Zdislava, wife of Sir Havel. During the latermedieval period, Turnov came into the possession of the Wartenberg and Smiřický noble houses. The medieval town was frequently vulnerable to fires – it was burnt byLusatian crusaders in 1468 and during theThirty Years' War bySwedes in 1643, as well as a conflagration in 1707.
Turnov has long been known for its expertise with gemstones. It attracted many medievalcraftsmen andartisans who producedjewelry out the local Bohemiangarnet. The first European technical school for the processing of gemstones, metals and jewelry, nowadays the Applied Arts Secondary School, was founded in Turnov in 1884 and still exists as one of the best schools of this type in the world.[5]
The Turnov Jewish community was first documented in 1527. After it ceased to exist at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, new Jewish settlers were invited to the town byAlbrecht von Wallenstein in 1623. The Jewish ghetto was established in 1647. Most of the Jewish population were killed duringthe Holocaust and only 19 of them returned to Turnov after World War II. The Jewish community officially ceased to exist in 1961.[6]
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| Source: Censuses[7][8] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnov is an important traffic crossroads. TheD10 motorway fromPrague ends just beyond the municipal limits and runs through the town as the I/10 road (part of theEuropean route E65). The I/35 road (the section fromLiberec toHradec Králové, part of theEuropean route E442) also runs through the town.
Turnov is the terminus of the railway line Prague–Turnov. The town is also located on the interregional railway line from Liberec toHradec Králové andPardubice.[9]
TheRenaissance town hall in Turnov dates from 1562, while its three historical churches date from throughout the 14th–19th centuries. In a suburb lies theHrubý Rohozec Castle, built in 1250 and later reconstructed into achâteau; today it is admissible to the public. The municipality itself is now the owner of theValdštejn Castle, the cradle of the famousWaldstein family, which is also open for tourists.
The former synagogue in Turnov dates from 1779. Between the 1950s and 2003, the building was used as a warehouse. In 2003, the building was bought by the Town of Turnov and it was restored to become a concert place and a memorial.[10] The Jewish cemetery was founded in the 17th century. The oldest preserved tombstone dates from 1649.[11]
Museum of the Bohemian Paradise in Turnov has a significant collection of gemstones and jewelry, as well as exhibits ongeology,archaeology andfolklore. It was founded in 1886.[12]
Alvesta, Sweden
Idar-Oberstein, Germany
Jawor, Poland
Keszthely, Hungary
Murska Sobota, SloveniaNiesky, Germany
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