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Jičín (; or ''Gitschin'') is a town in the
Hradec Králové Region Hradec Králové Region (, ) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic located in the north-eastern part of the historical region of Bohemia. It is named after its capital Hradec Králové. The region neighbours the Pardubice Region in t ...
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 16,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument reservation. The town's history is connected with
Albrecht von Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (; 24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein (), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War (1618–16 ...
who had rebuilt the town, and many sights bear his name.


Administrative division

Jičín consists of 12 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Dvorce (33) *Holínské Předměstí (2,013) *Hubálov (68) *Moravčice (18) *Nové Město (4,659) *Popovice (405) *Pražské Předměstí (244) *Robousy (548) *Sedličky (216) *Soudná (209) *Staré Město (507) *Valdické Předměstí (6,984)


Etymology

The origin of the name Jičín is unknown, but according to the most probable hypotheses, it was derived from the German name of Queen Judith of Habsburg ''Guta'', or from ''Dičín'', derived from the Old Czech word ''dík'' (meaning '
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
', of which many lived here).


Geography

Jičín is located about northwest of
Hradec Králové Hradec Králové (; ) is a city of the Czech Republic. It has about 94,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hradec Králové Region. The historic centre of Hradec Králové is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech R ...
and northeast 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 heart of the
Jičín Uplands The Jičín Uplands () are uplands and a geomorphological mesoregion of the Czech Republic. It is located in the Hradec Králové, Liberec and Central Bohemian regions. Geomorphology The Jičín Uplands are a mesoregion of the North Bohemian ...
. The highest point is the hill Zebín at above sea level. The
Cidlina The Cidlina () is a river in the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Elbe River. It originates in the Liberec Region, but flows mainly through the Hradec Králové and Central Bohemian regions. It is long. Etymology According to one theory ...
River flows through the town. Several other small watercources also flow through the municipal territory, including the streams Valdický potok, Popovický potok, Úlibický potok and Trnávka. There are five fishponds in the territory; the largest of them is Šibeňák. Ponds Kníže and Šibeňák are located right in the urban area. Jičín is sometimes called "Gate to the Bohemian Paradise", however the territory of the
Bohemian Paradise Bohemian Paradise () is a natural and cultural region in the Czech Republic. It is a designated protected landscape area with an area of . Bohemian Paradise is also the name of a geopark with an area of , which is the only UNESCO Global Geopark ...
region begins beyond the borders of the Jičín municipal territory. In the northern part there are two nature monuments, Zebín (comprising the hill's peak) and Libosad-obora (comprising the whole Libosad park).


History

The area of Jičín has been inhabited for almost 8,000 years thanks to the convenient geographical and climatic conditions. The settlement in the area of today's town is first mentioned in 1143 in deed of foundation of the Strahov Monastery. The town of Jičín was founded in the 13th century on the place of the village Staré Místo near the Veliš Castle. It was moved northward to its present location shortly afterward, which was better protected by the
Cidlina The Cidlina () is a river in the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Elbe River. It originates in the Liberec Region, but flows mainly through the Hradec Králové and Central Bohemian regions. It is long. Etymology According to one theory ...
River. The first written mention of Jičín comes from a document by Queen Judith of Habsburg, the wife of King
Wenceslaus II of Bohemia Wenceslaus II Přemyslid (; ; 27 SeptemberK. Charvátová, ''Václav II. Král český a polský'', Prague 2007, p. 18. 1271 – 21 June 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278–1305), Duke of Cracow (1291–1305), and King of Poland (1296–130 ...
, dated 1 August 1293. The town was built with a regular street layout around a rectangular square and was surrounded by wooden fortifications with reinforced bastions and a trench. Jičín was first the royal town, but in 1337 King
John of Bohemia John of Bohemia, also called the Blind or of Luxembourg (; ; ; 10 August 1296 – 26 August 1346), was the Count of Luxembourg from 1313 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of Poland. He is well known for having died while fighting ...
sold it to the Wartenberg family, who owned it until the middle of the 15th century. 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 ...
did not affect the town much. During the 15th century, Jičín changed its lords several times until 1487, when it became a property of the House of Trčka of Lípa. With the succession of Vilém Trčka in 1540, the town began to be rebuilt in stone. The fortifications were rebuilt as well, with three gates connecting the centre with peripheries: the western Pražská Gate, the northern Holínská Gate, and the eastern Valdická Gate (1568–1578), which is the only one preserved today. After a large fire in 1572, most of the wooden houses were replaced by stone Renaissance buildings, often decorated with sgrafitti; the parish church was rebuilt as well. In 1587, Burjan Trčka had built a small castle. In 1607, Jičín was acquired by Zikmund Smiřický. The Smiřický family had built here a new larger castle, which replaced the castle of the Trčka family. The biggest expansion of the town started in 1621 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 ...
, when the town became a property of the
generalissimo ''Generalissimo'' ( ), also generalissimus, is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the states where they are used. Usage The word (), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative ...
Albrecht von Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (; 24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein (), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War (1618–16 ...
, who made it the centre of his
Duchy of Friedland Duchy of Friedland (Czech: ''Frýdlantské vévodství'', German: ''Herzogtum Friedland'') was a de facto sovereign duchy in Bohemia. It was created in 1627 and disappeared in 1634 after death of the ruler Albrecht von Wallenstein (1582 - 16 ...
and minted his own coins there. Several architects worked for him, notably Giovanni de Galliano Pieroni, Giovanni Battista Marini, Andrea Spezza, and Nicolo Sebregondi. He had the castle and the Church of St. James rebuilt completely in the North-Italian style and connected them via a roofed footbridge. The town was to be rebuilt completely into a modern town with separated representative and craftsman parts. The parish Church of St. Ignatius together with the college was given to 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 ...
in 1627. Wallenstein also had a summer house with a court of honor, farm buildings, and a game park built in the northern part of the town near Valdice, and a linden alley along the path leading to the summer house. After the early death of Wallenstein in 1634, the town lost much of its importance. In 1710 the town became a property of the House of
Trauttmansdorff Trauttmansdorff Castle is located in northern Italy and has been owned by the Trauttmansdorff family for roughly 500 years. The castle and gardens are of many different architectural styles as construction happened prior to the 1300s, in the 1500s a ...
, which meant the arrival of the period of High Baroque, during which many constructions were completed. Many statues and sculptures in the town today come from this period. In 1784 Jičín became the seat of a new region. During the first half of the 19th century the town spread quickly, especially eastward. The
Battle of Gitschin The Battle of Gitschin or Jičín () took place during the Austro-Prussian War on 29 June 1866, ending with a Kingdom of Prussia, Prussian victory over the Austrian Empire, Austrian forces. There is a memorial there today at Jičín in the Czec ...
was fought nearby during the
Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War (German: ''Preußisch-Österreichischer Krieg''), also known by many other names,Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Second War of Unification, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), ''Deutsc ...
of 1866. Until 1918, the town was part of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
, head of the Jicin – Jičín District, one of the 94 ''Bezirkshauptmannschaften'' 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 ...
. In 2019, the village of Hubálov, originally part of Tuř, was joined to Jičín. The transfer of the entire cadastral territory is unique in the modern history of the country.


Demographics


Transport

Jičín lies at the crossroad of two main road: the I/16 (the section from
Mladá Boleslav Mladá Boleslav (; ) is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 47,000 inhabitants. It lies on the left bank of the Jizera (river), Jizera River. Mladá Boleslav is the second most populated city in the region. I ...
to
Trutnov Trutnov (; ) is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 30,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. Administrative division Trutnov consists of 21 ...
) and the I/35 (the section from
Liberec Liberec (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 108,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse River, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preserved and is pr ...
to Hradec Králové). The I/32 road splits from the I/16 and connects Jičín with the D1 motorway. Jičín is located on the railway lines Prague–
Turnov Turnov (; ) is a town in Semily District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 15,000 inhabitants. It is a traditional centre for gemstone polishing, glass craftsmanship and arts. The historic town centre is well preserved and ...
and Hradec Králové–Turnov.


Culture

Jičín is connected with the popular
fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
character,
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
-like robber Rumcajs. The town hosts the annual festival called "Jičín – The Town of Fairy Tale" established in 1990.


Sights

The historic centre is built around a rectangular square with a regular Gothic street layout, remnants of fortifications and arcade
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
and
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
houses. The historic core is formed by Valdštejnské Square, where is the Valdštejnský Castle. The castle houses the Regional Museum and Gallery, a library and a primary art school, among others. There is also a castle park. Next to the castle is the Church of Saint James the Great. The church, intended as a seat of a never-established bishopric, has never been completed, so it lacks a
spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spire ...
and a
cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...
. North of the town is the Baroque summer house of Albrecht von Wallenstein called Valdštejnská
Loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
. The original game park around it is nowadays a park called Libosad. The loggia is connected with the town by a -long alley of linden trees. The loggia, the park and the alley together with the town centre are parts of so-called Wallenstein's Baroque composed landscape (designed landscape axes connecting sacral buildings, landscape landmarks and the town) which was unfinished due to early death of von Wallenstein. There are several Jewish sights in the town. The most notable is the former synagogue, which was first documented in 1773.


Notable people

* Jacob Bassevi (1580–1634), Jewish court financier *
Albrecht von Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland (; 24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein (), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War (1618–16 ...
(1583–1634), generalissimo and town lord * Josef Gočár (1880–1945), architect *
František Kaván František Kaván (10 September 1866, Víchovská Lhota near Jilemnice - 16 December 1941, Libuň near Jičín) was a Czechs, Czech painter and poet. Kaván studied at the gymnasium in Hradec Králové, which he finished in 1888. During 1889 to ...
(1866–1941), painter and poet * Karl Kraus (1874–1936), writer *
Vlastislav Hofman Vlastislav Hofman (6 February 1884 – 28 August 1964) was an artist and architect who lived and worked first in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later in Czechoslovakia. Though he was a painter, set designer, graphic artist, furniture designe ...
(1884–1964), artist and architect *
Josef Váchal Josef Váchal (23 September 1884 in Milavče near Domažlice – 10 May 1969 in Radim (Jičín District), Studeňany) was a Czechs, Czech writer, painter, printmaker and book-printer. Váchal was the son of Josef Aleš-Lyžec and Anna Váchalová ...
(1884–1969), writer and painter * Jaroslav Řezáč (1886–1974), ice hockey player * Luděk Frýbort (1933–2019), writer * Michal Suchánek (born 1965), actor and comedian * Miluše Bittnerová (born 1977), actress *
Jana Plodková Jana Plodková (sometimes Jana Plodek; born 5 August 1981, Jičín) is a Czech actress. She studied at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts. She speaks German fluently. Theatre Janáček Academy of Musical Arts *''Monster'' *''Ch ...
(born 1981), actress * Jaroslav Soukup (born 1982), biathlete


Twin towns – sister cities

Jičín is twinned with: *
Erbach im Odenwald Erbach () is a town and the district seat of the Odenwaldkreis (district) in Hesse, Germany. It has a population of around 14,000. Geography Location The town lies in the ''Mittelgebirge'' Odenwald at elevations between 200 and 560 m in t ...
, Germany *
Martin Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * M ...
, Slovakia *
Świdnica County __NOTOC__ Świdnica County () is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms pa ...
, Poland


Gallery

Jicin1.jpg, Valdštejnovo Square with the Valdická Gate and the castle Czechia, Jicin, Wallenstein's square aerial.jpg, View of the Valdštejnovo Square from the Valdická Gate Czechia, Jicin, Wallenstein's alley.jpg, Linden alley connecting the Libosad park with the centre Robousy - kostel Nalezení svatého Kříže.jpg, Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross in Robousy


Notes


References


External links

*
Official tourist portal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jicin Cities and towns in the Czech Republic Populated places in Jičín District Cultural heritage in the Jičín District