Golčův Jeníkov
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Golčův Jeníkov (; ) is a town in
Havlíčkův Brod District Havlíčkův Brod District () is a district in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Havlíčkův Brod. Administrative division Havlíčkův Brod District is divided into three administrative districts of municip ...
in the
Vysočina Region The Vysočina Region (; ) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Jihlava. The region is located in the central part of the country. It is one of just three in the country (the others being Prague and the Central Boh ...
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 2,800 inhabitants.


Administrative division

Golčův Jeníkov consists of seven municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Golčův Jeníkov (2,268) *Kobylí Hlava (64) *Nasavrky (52) *Římovice (60) *Sirákovice (76) *Stupárovice (52) *Vrtěšice (21)


Etymology

The initial name of the settlement was just Jeníkov. The name was derived from the personal name Jeník (a diminutive form of
Jan Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...
), meaning "Jeník's (court)". In the second half of the 17th century, the name Golčův Jeníkov ("Goltz's Jeníkov") began to be used to distinguish it from other places with the same name.


Geography

Golčův Jeníkov is located about north of
Havlíčkův Brod Havlíčkův Brod (, until 1945 Německý Brod; ) is a town in Havlíčkův Brod District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 24,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban mon ...
and southwest 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 the
Upper Sázava Hills Upper may refer to: * Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot * Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both * ''Upper'', the original film title for the 2013 found fo ...
. The highest point is at above sea level. Inside the built-up area is a system of three fishponds, suuplied by the stream Vohančický potok and its nameless tributary.


History


12th–16th centuries

The first written mention of Jeníkov is in a letter from the Olomouc Bishop
Jindřich Zdík Jindřich Zdík (also anglicized as ''Henry Zdík''; – 1150 in Prague) was a Czech bishop and diplomat. He served as bishop of Olomouc from 1126 to 1150. He was a promoter of church reforms and is considered one of the most educated Czechs of ...
not older than from 1150. The settlement was probably founded in the 10th century. The next mention of Jeníkov is in the list of the Prague Diocese from the years 1344–1350. The first mentions of surrounding villages, now parts of Golčův Jeníkov, are from the 14th century; Podmoky was mentioned in 1360, a fortress in Římovice in 1372, and Kobylí Hlava in 1391. At the beginning of the 14th century, the first Jews settled in the village. At the and of the 14th century, Jeníkov was owned by the Chlum family and then briefly the Podhořany family. In 1417, Jeníkov is first referred to as a market town. During the
Hussite Wars The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...
, it was a centre of the insurgency. From 1468 until 1580, Jeníkov was almost continuously owned by the Slavata of Chlum and Košumberk family. During the 16th century, crafts and trade were developed. The Jeníkov estate became rich and prospered. In 1580, Václav Robmháp of Suchá and from Seč bought Jeníkov and the neighbouring estate of Zábělčice, and merged them.


17th–18th centuries

During the
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
, Jeníkov was burned several times, for the first time by the troops of General Charles Bonaventure, Count of Bucquoy in 1619 and last time by the army of General
Johan Banér Johan Banér (23 June 1596 – 10 May 1641) was a Swedish field marshal in the Thirty Years' War. Early life Johan Banér was born at Djursholm Castle in Uppland. As a four-year-old he was forced to witness the execution of his father, the ...
. From 1632 to 1636, the Jeníkov estate was owned by Jan Rudolf Trčka of Lípa. In 1636, the estate was given to General Martin Maxmillian of Goltz by the Emperor as a reward for services. During the rule of General Goltz and his wife, Jeníkov was rebuilt and improved. A significant part of theirs activities was motivated by the effort to re-Catholicize the
Utraquist Utraquism (from the Latin ''sub utraque specie'', meaning "under both kinds"), also called Calixtinism (from chalice; Latin: ''calix'', borrowed from Greek ''kalyx'', "shell, husk"; Czech: ''kališníci''), was a belief amongst Hussites, a pre-P ...
estate. Goltz had the stone town hall, tower fortress, Loreta chapel and deanery built. In 1640, he had the Church of the Holy Cross rebuilt and consecrated it to the Virgin Mary. Goltz later also invited the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
to Jeníkov and had started construction of the Jesuit college, finished after his death in 1653 by his wife. For his contribution to the market town, it became known as Golčův Jeníkov. After Goltz and four years later his wife died without offspring, they inherited Golčův Jeníkov to their nephew Johann Dietrich of Ledebour possession with order to build a bell tower and give 1,000
guilder Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' (" gold penny"). This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Rom ...
s to the Jesuits every year. After failing the will and losing the lawsuit in 1672, he was forced to sell the estate to Countess Barbara Eusebia Caretto-Millesimo. In 1766, Golčův Jeníkov was acquired by Filip
Kolowrat-Krakowsky The House of Kolowrat-Krakowsky () is an old, historic Bohemian nobility, Bohemian noble family from Central Europe. It is a branch of the Kolowrat family, House of Kolowrat. History The Kolowrat family originated in Central Bohemian Region, Ce ...
. His son Leopold Kolowrat-Krakowsky converted the old castle to a tobacco factory. He also founded here the first needle factory in Europe and introduced the cultivation of
alfalfa Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial plant, perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, ...
, clover and potatoes. In 1773, he received confiscated property of Jesuits from
Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure, in her own right. She was the ...
. On 21 October 1784, half of the market town was destroyed by a fire, including Loreta chapel and deanery.


19th–20th centuries

A hereditary dispute broke out, which lasted until 1817 and brought Golčův Jeníkov to decline. The needle factory was closed and the tobacco factory was moved to Sedlec. In 1817, Kolowrat's daughter Louise of Herberstein eventually bought the estate. Her property was inherited by under-age minor son and the estate was administered by his trustee Hugo of Eger. He founded the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, had the former tobacco factory rebuilt into a castle, and founded an English style park. After the abolishment of serfdom in 1848, Golčův Jeníkov became an independent municipality. In 1913, Golčův Jeníkov was promoted to a town.


Demographics


Transport

The I/38 road (the section from Havlíčkův Brod to
Kutná Hora Kutná Hora (; ) is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 22,000 inhabitants. The history of Kutná Hora is linked to silver mining, which made it a rich and rapidly developing town. The centre of Kutná Hora, i ...
) passes through the town. Golčův Jeníkov is located on the railway
Kolín Kolín (; ) is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 33,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument reservations, urban monume ...
Žďár nad Sázavou Žďár nad Sázavou (; ) is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 20,000 inhabitants. The town is an industrial and tourist centre. It is known for the Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk, which is a UNESCO Wor ...
. It is served by two railway stations: ''Golčův Jeníkov'' and ''Golčův Jeníkov město''.


Sights

Among the main landmark is the Goltz Fortress. It is a late Renaissance rectangular two-story tower fortress. It was originally used for defensive purposes, but today it houses a gallery. The castle complex is formed by the Old Castle and the New Castle. They are simple former feudal residences. They were originally built in the Baroque style in the 18th century, but later were modified in the Empire style. The Church of Saint Francis of Assissi was built in the
Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 duri ...
in the mid-19th century next to a Loreto chapel from the 17th century. The church complex is also formet by an enclosured garden between the buildings. The Church of Saint Margaret is located on a hill above the town. It has an early Gothic core. It was rebuilt in the Neoclassical style at the beginning of the 19th century. The Jewish community is commemorated by the former synagogue and Jewish cemetery. The synagogue was first documented in 1659. After it was destroyed by a fire in 1871, the new synagogue was built in 1873. Today it is owned by the Jewish Community in Prague and used as depository of the
Jewish Museum in Prague The Jewish Museum in Prague () is a museum of Jewish heritage in the Czech Republic and one of the most visited museums in Prague. Its collection of Judaica is one of the largest in the world, about 40,000 objects, 100,000 books, and a copious a ...
. The cemetery is one of the oldest in
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
. It is large and was founded probably in the 14th century. The oldest preserved readable tombstone is from 1705.


Notable people

*
Zsigmond Kornfeld Zsigmond Kornfeld (1902) Zsigmond Kornfeld (27 March 1852 – 24 March 1909) was a Bohemian-born Jewish Hungarian banker, economist, and baron. Life Kornfeld was born on 27 March 1852 in Golčův Jeníkov, Bohemia, Austrian Empire. His uncle wa ...
(1852–1909), Hungarian banker and baron * Friedrich Weleminsky (1868–1945), physician, scientist and microbiologist *
Zbyněk Šidák Zbyněk Šidák (24 October 1933 – 12 November 1999) was a Czech mathematician. He is known for developing the Šidák correction. Early life and education Šidák was born and raised in Golčův Jeníkov. He completed his undergraduate stud ...
(1933–1999), mathematician *
Jarmila Kratochvílová Jarmila Kratochvílová (; born 26 January 1951 in Golčův Jeníkov) is a Czechoslovak former track and field athlete. She won the 400 metres and 800 metres at the 1983 World Championships, setting a world record in the 400 m. In 1983, she s ...
(born 1951), track and field athlete


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Golcuv Jenikov Cities and towns in the Czech Republic Populated places in Havlíčkův Brod District Jewish communities in the Czech Republic