Jablonec nad Nisou ([ˈjablonɛtsˈnadɲɪsou]ⓘ;German:Gablonz an der Neiße) is a city in theLiberec Region of theCzech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It is the second-largest city in the region. It is a local centre for education, and is known for itsglass andjewelry production, especially forbijou. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as anurban monument zone.
The nameJablonec is ofCzech origin and means 'little apple tree' (jablonče was a diminutive of the old Czechjabloň – 'apple tree'), for the village was founded on a place where an apple tree grew. German-speaking settlers who came to the village during the 16th century adjusted the name toGablonz. During the 19th century, the attribute "German" was often added to the name (like in the 1848Jablonec německý, German:Deutsch-Gablonz). In 1904, the official attribute in both Czech and German became 'on the Neisse', which described the location of the city upon theLusatian Neisse River.[3]
Jablonec nad Nisou as viewed across the Mšeno Reservoir
Jablonec nad Nisou is located about 7 km (4 mi) southeast ofLiberec and 83 km (52 mi) northeast ofPrague. Most of the built-up area lies in the eastern tip of theZittau Basin, and it is surrounded with theJizera Mountains in the north, east and south. The northern part of the municipal territory also belongs into the Jizera Mountains Protected Landscape Area. The highest point of Jablonec nad Nisou is located on the slopes in the southeastern part of the territory, with an altitude of 758 m (2,487 ft).
Jablonec nad Nisou is situated at the confluence of the riversLusatian Neisse and Bílá Nisa. TheMohelka River originates in Jablonec nad Nisou-Kokonín. The Mšeno Reservoir in the city belongs to the largest inner city areas in Europe. It was built in 1906–1909 and has an area of around 42 ha (100 acres).[4][5]
The first written mention of Jablonec was in a Latin document from 1356 asJablonecz. According to this document, Jablonec was founded in the 14th century. In August 1469, the village was burned to the ground by troops of rebellingLusatians in the war between them and KingGeorge of Poděbrady. The village was then resettled in the 1530s and 1540s by mostly German-speaking colonists.[3][6]
In the first half of the 17th century, Jablonec was owned byAlbrecht von Wallenstein, who sold it to theDesfours family. In 1643, during theThirty Years' War, Jablonec was burned down for the second time. Glass production began to flourish in the second half of the 17th century and Jablonec began to develop rapidly. In the 18th century, the firstbijou was produced and the first exporter, J. F. Schwann, spread the villages's name throughout Europe. Jablonec was promoted to amarket town by EmperorFrancis II on 21 April 1808.[6]
Further development followed the construction of the road in the 1840s. Jablonec was then promoted to a town by EmperorFranz Joseph I on 28 March 1866.Franco-Prussian War in 1870–1871 damaged competitors in the production of glass and jewelry, and the Jablonec traders seized the foreign markets. A steady supply of a wide range of glass and artificial jewellery products flowed out of the town. This industrial advancement also improved the quality of life, and Jablonec's appearance changed dramatically.[6]
Historian Peter Hinks, writing about the various types of Late Victorian jewellery sold by British and American companies at the turn of the 20th century, noted that "The Bohemiangarnet jewellery sold by Moore and Evans [in Chicago] was the product of an industry based in the town of Gablonz, now Jablonec. These very effective jewels were set with locally mined garnets, rose cut and set in gold mounts of very formal design."[7]
However, the worldwide economic crisis resulting from theWall Street crash of 1929 damaged the glass and jewellery industry and the crisis of the 1930s. Changing trends and the growth of foreign competition also hurt the local industry. In October 1938, Jablonec was annexed toNazi Germany after theMunich Agreement, and was administered as a part ofReichsgau Sudetenland until 1945.[6]
Between 1945 and 1949, most of the Germans wereexpelled under the terms ofBeneš decrees. After the war, some of the expelled German-speaking citizens of Jablonec founded a new settlement inBavaria and called in remembrance of their hometownNeugablonz ("New Jablonec"). Today, it is one of the districts of the city ofKaufbeuren.[8]
The biggest industrial employers with headquarters in the city arePreciosa (glass products manufacturer) andTI Automotive AC (production of car air conditioners).[11]
TheLiberec-Jablonec agglomeration was defined as a tool for drawing money from theEuropean Structural and Investment Funds. It is an area that includes the cities of Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou and their surroundings, linked to the cities by commuting and migration. It has about 227,000 inhabitants.
Jablonec has a swimming pool, threefootball and athletic stadiums, and anice hockey arena.
The city is represented byFK Jablonec in theCzech First League. The club has been a stable member of the league since 1994.
Before the World War II, a number of ethnic German football clubs existed in Gablonz,Fortuna,DSK andBSK. These were merged intoNSTG Gablonz in 1939 by the Nazis,NSTG standing forNationalsozialistische Turngemeinde.NSTG played in theGauliga Sudetenland but disappeared with the end of the war.[12]BSK however was reformed in 1950 in Bavaria, under the name ofBSK Neugablonz.[13]
The historical city centre is formed by squares Dolní, Mírové, Horní, and Anenské, which lies close to each other, and their surroundings. The Old Town Hall with a typical square tower was built on Dolní Square in 1867–1869. Today it serves as a library.[14]
The current city hall is called New Town Hall and is located on Mírové Square. It is afunctionalistic building, built in 1930–1933. It is an excellent example of interwar modern architecture. For its value, it has been protected as anational cultural monument since 2024.[15]
There are several churches in the city: Church of Saint Anne (built in the Baroque style in 1865–1867), Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (a brick building, built 1930–1931), Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (built in theArt Nouveau style in 1900–1902; one of the most important sacral Art Nouveau buildings in Europe), and Protestant Dr. Farský Church (apseudo-Gothic building from 1892).[14]
The tradition of costume jewellery production is presented in the Museum of Glass and Costume Jewellery. It was founded in 1904 and it is located in an Art Nouveau building.[14]
