Předhradí (until 1950 Rychmburk) is a municipality and village in

Chrudim District Chrudim District () is a Okres, district in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Chrudim. Administrative division Chrudim District is divided into two Districts of the Czech Republic#Municipalities with extended c ...

in the

Pardubice Region Pardubice Region () is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located mainly in the eastern part of its historical region of Bohemia, with a small part in northwestern Moravia. It is named after its capital Pardubice. As an administrat ...

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 400 inhabitants. The historic centre with the Rychmburk Castle is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone.

Administrative division

Předhradí consists of two municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Předhradí (360) *Dolívka (1)

Geography

Předhradí is located about southeast of Chrudim and southeast of

Pardubice Pardubice (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 92,000 inhabitants. It is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the Elbe River. The historic centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Repub ...

. It lies in an elevated plateau in the

Iron Mountains The Iron Mountains are a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains are located around the common meeting point of Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. A portion of the Appalachian Trail runs the crest of the Iron Mountains ab ...

. The highest point is at above sea level. The municipality is situated on the left bank of the Krounka River, which forms the eastern municipal border.

History

Rychmburk Castle was probably built in the early 13th century. In the first half of the 14th century, it was rebuilt and extended. In 1530–1540, it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. Among its owners belonged Lords of Waldstein (1500–1555), Berka of Dubá family (1555–1709),

Kinsky The House of Kinsky (formerly Vchynští, sg. ''Vchynský'' in Czech; later (in modern Czech) Kinští, sg. ''Kinský''; ) is a prominent Bohemian noble family originating in the Kingdom of Bohemia. During the Thirty Years' War, the Kinsky fam ...

family (1718–1823) and

Thurn und Taxis The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis (, ) is a family of German nobility that is part of the ''Briefadel''. It was a key player in the mail, postal services in Europe during the 16th century, until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and ...

family (1823–1918). The first written mention of the settlement of Rychmburk is from 1654. In 1950, the name of the municipality was changed to Předhradí.

Demographics

Transport

Předhradí is located on the railway line

Svitavy Svitavy (; ) is a town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 16,000 inhabitants. It is the birthplace of Oskar Schindler and the centre of the Czech Esperanto movement. The historic town centre is well pr ...

– Žďárec u Skutče.

Sights

Rychmburk Castle is the main landmark of Předhradí. Today the premises partly serves as retirement house. There is also an exposition of the history of the castle, a chapel, a concert hall, and a castle tower open to the public. The main sight of the village is the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. It was built in 1753. Opposite the church is the manor garden with a gazebo and a bust of Philipp Kinsky (1742–1827), the founder of the garden and the owner of the manor for more than 50 years.

Notable people

Adolf Heyduk Adolf Heyduk (6 June 1835 – 6 February 1923) was a distinguished Czech poet and writer, a representative of the May School. He is best known internationally because of his poem cycle ''Gypsy Melodies'' that were set to music by Antonín Dvoř ...

(1835–1923), poet

References

External links

*
Rychmburk Castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Predhradi Villages in Chrudim District