Louňovice pod Blaníkem () is a market town in

Benešov District Benešov District () is a Okres, district in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Benešov. Administrative division Benešov District is divided into three Districts of the Czech Republic#Municipalities wit ...

in the

Central Bohemian Region The Central Bohemian Region ( ; ) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located in the central part of its historical region of Bohemia. Its administrative centre is in the Czech capital Prague, which lies in the centre of the regio ...

of the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. It has about 700 inhabitants.

Administrative division

Louňovice pod Blaníkem consists of five municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Louňovice pod Blaníkem (585) *Býkovice (38) *Mrkvová Lhota (16) *Rejkovice (5) *Světlá (10)

Geography

Louňovice pod Blaníkem is located about southeast of

Benešov Benešov (; ) is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 17,000 inhabitants. The town is known for the Konopiště Castle. Administrative division Benešov consists of 15 municipal parts (in brackets population ...

and southeast of

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. It lies in the

Vlašim Uplands Vlašim (; ) is a town in Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 11,000 inhabitants. Vlašim is known for the Vlašim Castle and its English park. Administrative division Vlašim consists of seven muni ...

. The highest point is the mountain of Velký Blaník at above sea level, notable as the object of one of the most popular national legends. The Blanice River flows through the municipal territory. The entire territory lies within the Blaník Protected Landscape Area.

History

The first written mention of Louňovice is from 1149, when there was founded a women's

Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular in the Catholic Chur ...

monastery. In 1420, the monastery was burned down by the

Hussites upright=1.2, Battle between Hussites (left) and Crusades#Campaigns against heretics and schismatics, Catholic crusaders in the 15th century upright=1.2, The Lands of the Bohemian Crown during the Hussite Wars. The movement began during the Prag ...

. From 1436 to 1547, Louňovice was property of the town of

Tábor Tábor (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 34,000 inhabitants, making it the second most populated town in the region. The town was founded by the Hussites in 1420. The historic town centre is well pres ...

. The then-owner of Louňovice Oldřich Skuhrovský had built a Renassaince fortress in the second half of the 16th century. From 1672 until the 20th century, Louňovice was owned by the

archbishopric of Prague The Archdiocese of Prague (Praha) (; ) is a Metropolitan Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Bohemia, in the Czech Republic. The cathedral archiepiscopal see is St. Vitus Cathedral, in the Bohemian and Czech capital Prague, entirely sit ...

Demographics

Transport

There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality.

Sights

The Louňovice pod Blaníkem Castle is located on the town square. The former fortress was extended into the current castle in 1652. Today it houses the tourist infocentre and a museum. The second landmark of Louňovice pod Blaníkem is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is a Baroque building with a Gothic core. The most popular tourist destination is the mountain Velký Blaník with an observation tower on its top. On the top of Malý Blaník is a ruin of the Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene.

Notable people

Jan Dismas Zelenka Jan Dismas Zelenka (16 October 1679 – 23 December 1745), baptised Jan Lukáš Zelenka was a Bohemian composer and musician of the Baroque period. His music is admired for its harmonic inventiveness and mastery of counterpoint. Zelenka was ...

(1679–1745), Baroque composer and musician *

Petr Borkovec Petr Borkovec (April 17, 1970, Louňovice pod Blaníkem) is a Czech poet, translator and journalist. He studied Czech language and literature at the Philosophical Faculty of the Charles University but did not finish his studies. His poems have ...

(born 1970), poet, translator and journalist

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lounovice Pod Blanikem Populated places in Benešov District Market towns in the Czech Republic