Bechyně | |
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.jpg) T. G. Masaryka Square with the Church of Saint Matthew | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Bechyně Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates:49°17′50″N14°28′15″E / 49.29722°N 14.47083°E /49.29722; 14.47083 | |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Region | South Bohemian |
| District | Tábor |
| First mentioned | 993 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Štěpán Ondřich |
| Area | |
• Total | 21.29 km2 (8.22 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 406 m (1,332 ft) |
| Population (2025-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 4,815 |
| • Density | 226.2/km2 (585.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 391 65 |
| Website | www |
Bechyně ([ˈbɛxɪɲɛ]ⓘ;German:Bechin) is a town inTábor District in theSouth Bohemian Region of theCzech Republic. It has about 4,800 inhabitants. The town is known for its mud spa and its tradition of pottery production, which continues today in the form of sanitary ware production. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as anurban monument zone.
Bechyně consists of three municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):[2]
The name is derived from the Czech personal name Bech, meaning "Bech's".[3]
Bechyně is located about 19 kilometres (12 mi) southwest ofTábor and 34 km (21 mi) north ofČeské Budějovice. It lies in theTábor Uplands. The highest point is at 475 m (1,558 ft) above sea level. The town lies on a promontory above the confluence of theLužnice andSmutná rivers. A brook called Židova strouha also flows into the river in the municipal territory.
The area of today's town was settled in the prehistoric era. The oldest evidence of settlement in this area comes from lateBronze Age (c. 1800–1600 BC). In the 8th or 9th century, a Slavicgord was built here.[4]
The first written mention of Bechyně is from around 1120 fromChronica Boemorum, when there was written about settlement of the Bechyně gord in 993. In 1268, Bechyně was boughts by KingOttokar II of Bohemia, who decided to have a stone castle built here. In 1323, KingJohn of Bohemia promoted the market village around the castle to a town, redefined its borders and have the fortification built.[4][5]
In 1422 and then again in 1428, the town was conquered and burned down by theHussites. From 1340 to 1569, the town was alternately owned by various aristocratic families, including Sternbergs and Schwambergs. In 1569, Bechyně was acquired byPeter Vok of Rosenberg, under whose rule the town experienced a renaissance boom and the reconstruction of the castle. In 1596, Peter Vok sold Bechyně to Adam of Sternberg.[4][5]
Bechyně was damaged and looted during theThirty Years' War. The town recovered and grew up to the north. In the 18th century, it developed to a spa town.[4][5]
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| Source: Censuses[6][7] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The economy is oriented to services. No major industrial employers have headquarters in Bechyně.[8] However, there is a large production plant of the sanitary ceramic producer Laufen CZ, part of Keramik Holding AG Laufen (today owned byRoca). The factory was established in 1961 and fused into the AG Laufen holding in 1991. The production of sanitary ceramic continues the tradition of ceramic production in the town, which was established in the mid-16th century.[9][10]
Bechyně Spa is one of the oldest spas in the country. The first mention of the healing spring is from 1576, and in 1647, the first spa house was built. In 1727, healing effects were proven by water analysis, and in 1939, healing effects of localpeat were also discovered.[11]
Today the spa is specialized in body treatment using therapeutic mud. It treatsarthritis andosteoarthritis,ankylosing spondylitis, metabolic diseases affecting the joints, pre-operative and postoperative conditions, neurological disorders and several other diseases.[12]
The town is the terminus of theTábor–Bechyně railway line. This railway was built in 1903 and was the first electrified railway in theAustria-Hungary. The original passenger train is preserved and operates several times each summer.[13]
On the eastern part of Bechyně is a unique rail and road arch bridge, theBechyně Bridge.
There is the oldest vocational school of ceramics in Bohemia, which is still functioning. Among its famous student were people likeKarel Roden,Karel Kryl andJan Kačer.[14]
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Bechyně Castle is the main landmark of the town. The castle was built in the 13th century, although almost none of that original structure remains today. In 1581, Peter Vok of Rosenberg let the late gothic castle rebuilt into a comfortable Renaissance residence with a rich fresco decoration.[15]
Bechyně Monastery was founded in the 15th century and built in the late Gothic style, after the previous monastery was burned down by Hussites in 1422. It is still the property of the Franciscan Order. The monastery complex include the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and a monastery garden open to the public.[16]
The Church of Saint Matthew is the landmark of the town square. It was built in the 13th century and rebuilt several times, most notably in the early 17th century. It has preserved interiors from 16th–18th centuries.[16]
The Church of Saint Michael is an early Baroque cemetery church from 1670. Today it serves cultural purposes.[16]
The Firefighter Museum is the oldest museum of its kind in Bohemia. It presents exponates up to 400 years old.[17] The International Museum of Ceramics is located in the former brewery and in the adjacent castle bastions. It follows the history of the industry in Bechyně and includes exhibitions of artists from around the world.[18] The Tourism Museum is located in the former synagogue and reflect tradition of tourism in the Czech Republic and activities of theCzech Tourist Club. In the castle complex there is theVladimír Preclík Museum with works of this sculptor. In the town centre, there is the Town Museum Bechyně, which presents history of the town.
In the United States state of Minnesota is a little town calledBechyn, probably established by people from Bechyně who emigrated to the US to work there. They still say they have Czech origin and celebrate it every year by organizing "Czech Heritage Festival", where they keep old traditions.[19]
Heřmanův Městec, Czech Republic
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