Davle

Davle is a market town in Prague-West District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,800 inhabitants.

Administrative parts

Villages of Sázava and Sloup are administrative parts of Davle.

Geography

Davle is located about south of Prague. It lies the confluence of the Vltava and Sázava rivers. The highest point of the municipal territory is the hill Suchý vrch with an elevation of .

History

The first historical mention of Davle is the founding of benedictine monastery of St. John the Baptist by Duke Boleslaus II of Bohemia in 999. It became known as Ostrov Monastery, referring to its location on an island (in Czech ''ostrov''). When the important monastery at Sekanka was destroyed in 1278 by Brandenburg, Davle monastic building were enlarged. The site became the centre of religious communities within Upper Davle area.

In 1310 in a papal bull from Pope Clement V, Davle is referred to as a market town. These privilege and coat of arms were conferred on Davle by Ottokar II of Bohemia in the 14th century.

In the second half of the 13th century, gold was mined around the confluence of the Vltava and Sázava rivers, creating a boom period for the area. The village was also an important stopping point for rafters using the two waterways as trade routes. However, after the monastery was abandoned in 1517, Davle reverted to a village.

In 1848, Davle was incorporated into a municipality with nearby villages of Měchenice and Svatý Kilián. In 1900 a railway line connecting Davle to Prague was completed. In the 1930s, the village's statute was again revised. After the end of World War II, it was assigned to the Prague-South District. In the 1950s Svatý Kilián lost its statute of a hamlet.

On 11 March 2008, Davle was given the status of a market town.

Economy

Davle is known for its pottery, metalwork and leather goods such as saddlery and footwear.

In 2006 a new sewage and wastewater treatment plant was built near the town.

Sights

*Archaeological site of former monastery of St. John the Baptist;
*Church of Saint Kilian, the only consecrated example in Bohemia;
*Neo-Baroque Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary (built in 1897);
*Sázava Farm, which has a protected monumental oak.

In popular culture

In the summer of 1968 scenes for the film ''The Bridge at Remagen'' were filmed using the Davle Old Bridge.

Gallery

Starý Davelský most z pravého břehu Vltavy.JPG, Old Davle Bridge seen from the right bank of Vltava
Davle, kaple Navštívení Panny Marie.jpg, Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary
Davle, Jednota.jpg, Jednota Shopping Centre on the square

References

External links

*

{{authority control

Market towns in the Czech Republic
Populated places in Prague-West District