Hrádek (german: Hradek) is a town in
Rokycany District
Rokycany (; german: Rokitzan) is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 14,000 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.
Administrative parts
Rokycany is made up o ...
in the
Plzeň Region of the
Czech Republic. It has about 2,700 inhabitants. It is an industrial centre.
Administrative parts
The village of Nová Huť is an administrative part of Hrádek.
Geography
Hrádek is located about southeast of
Rokycany and east of
Plzeň
Plzeň (; German and English: Pilsen, in German ) is a city in the Czech Republic. About west of Prague in western Bohemia, it is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 169,000 inhabita ...
. Most of the municipal territory lies in the
Å vihov Highlands. The northern forested part extends into the
Brdy Highlands and includes the highest point of Hrádek, the hill Hrádecký vrch at above sea level.
Hrádek is situated in the valley of the Klabava River. It lies in a plateau on the left bank of the river. Hrádek together with Rokycany and
Kamenný Újezd forms a contiguous built-up area along the Klabava River.
History
The first written mention of Hrádek is from 1325, when King
John of Bohemia
John the Blind or John of Luxembourg ( lb, Jang de Blannen; german: link=no, Johann der Blinde; cz, Jan Lucemburský; 10 August 1296 – 26 August 1346), was the Count of Luxembourg from 1313 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of ...
donated Hrádek to Petr of
Rosenberg. The village of Nová Huť (lit. "New Smelter") gained its name in 1854.
Since Middle Ages the Klabava valley region specialized in iron ore mining and iron production. This industrial aspect was further strengthened in the 20th century when both communities (Hrádek and Nová Huť) formed functionally one settlement with their economy centered around the Hrádecké železárny ironworks. Later both villages merged into one municipality.
[
After World War II, local steelworks have expanded filling most of the area along the Klabava river. These investments were accompanied by massive residential construction that completely transformed Hrádek. New housing project grew in area between old Hrádek and Nová Huť villages covering the plateau south of Klabava river. Architecture of earlier stages of this new tenement houses district was inspired by Socialist realism. Main axis of new Hrádek is a wide avenue (1. máje Street) leading from Nová Huť to the southeast where it ends on the central square (9. května Square) with community centre, department store and other public facilities. Rapid population growth followed and Hrádek acquired urban character. In 1970, Hrádek was promoted to a town.][
]
Demographics
Economy
After 1989, Hrádecké železárny ironworks went through transformation. In 1996, it became part of Z-Group Steel Holding company.
In 1998, Borgers company opened new factory in the town. It produces textile components for automotive industry.
Transport
Hrádek lies on the railway line of local importance leading from Rokycany to Mirošov.
Notable people
*VladimÃr Jirásek
VladimÃr Jirásek (2 November 1933 in Hrádek – 14 May 2018) was a Czechoslovak slalom canoeist who competed from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. He won seven medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with five golds (C-1: 1955, 19 ...
(1933–2018), slalom canoeist
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hradek (Rokycany District)
Cities and towns in the Czech Republic
Populated places in Rokycany District