Hradec Králové

Hradec Králové (in German Königgrätz ) east is a town of Tchéquie, the regional capital of the homonymous area ( Kraj Královéhradecky ), located at the confluence of the Elba and river Orlice.

History

The city is located at the center of a very fertile area called the Road of Gold, with the confluence of Elba and Orlice; many buildings have a historical and architectural interest there. The cathedral was founded in 1303 by Élizabeth Ryksa, the wife of the duke of Bohemia Venceslas II, and the Midsummer's Day church, built in 1710, occupies the site of the old castle. In the beginning Hradec Králové, one of the oldest localities of the Czech Republic, was called only Hradec (the Castle). Králové (i.e. of the queen), was added when the city became one of the cities of the Douaire of the queen Élizabeth Ryksa, who lived thirty years there. It remained a town of douaire until 1620. Hradec Králové was the first of the cities to be declared for the national cause during the Guerres hussites.

After the Battle of the White Mountain (1620), most of the Protestant population left it. In 1639 it was occupied for eight month by the Swedes. Several churches and convents were demolished to leave the place to the fortifications set up under Joseph II of Austria. The fortress was finally dismantled in 1884. The Bataille of Sadowa, decisive for the exit of the Guerre austro-Prussian took place on July 3rd, 1866 close to Hradec Králové.

The old city

The place Velké náměstí, of triangular form, is the center of the old urban core. One finds there inter alia the vault Saint-Clement, the church of the Holy Spirit (1307) and the white Tower, the Sainte-Marie church (XVIIe century) and an important gallery of modern art, the gallery Moderního Umění. A building of three stages was drawn by the architect praguois disciple of Jugendstil Osvald Polívka. One also finds on the place a column of the Virgin (1714) and a Jugendstil monument with a hydrograph, a thermometer and a barometer.

The living room of the Republic

František Ulrich, mayor of Hradec Králové of 1895 to 1929 plays an important role in the revival of the city at the beginning of the 20th century. He convinces of important architects to take part in it. Jan Kotěra then draws up projects for buildings. Its most important work is the regional museum (1909-1912).

Josef Gočár, disciple of Jan Kotěra offers to Hradec Králové its achievement and town-planning many:

  • the staircase of the Notre-Dame church in 1910 replaces the Kropáčka tower demolished.
  • the place Jan Hus, later Tomáš Masaryk
  • Hotel of Area (Okresní dům) 1924-25
  • College of State (Státní gymnázium) 1924-27 (sculpture of the Victorious by J. Štursa)
  • Technical training school (Koželužská škola, today strojnická průmyslovka škola) 1923-24
  • elementary School (Obecné měšťanské školy) 1925-27
  • Nursery school (Mateřská škola) 1926-27
  • Protestant Temple (Ambrožův sbor církve československé) 1926-29
  • Plan of occupation of the grounds (Regulační plán) 1926-28
  • Bureaux for the direction of the Czechoslovakian Railroads, 1927-32, on the Ulrich place.
  • Restoration of the Tyrš bridge, 1931-33
  • the national school of tannery
Václav Rejchl continues the work of Josef Gočár, with buildings such as:
  • law courts (1933-34)
  • the new station (1929-1935)

During these years, the city develops quickly. Because of its many buildings to the modern architecture, Hradec Králové received the nickname of “Living room of the Republic”.
the Second world war stops this evolution abruptly.

The current city

Surrounding the old center the urban walls are bordered of parks which provide the green areas necessary.

Between the old city and the bus stop, on banks of Elba, are commercial streets with inter alia a “Irish pub” and branches of foreign shops of mode.

Hradec Králové is a university town with the university of Hradec Králové and the departments of medicine and pharmacy of the Université Charles of Prague installed here.

Economy

According to Martin Dvořák, mayor of the city, Hradec Králové forever be an industrial town, but a shopping mall and financier.

Tourism

Personalities

Twinning

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