Mělník (; ) is a town 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 20,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an
urban monument zone.
Mělník lies in one of the most important agricultural areas of the country. The town is known for its production of
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
.
Etymology
The name is derived from the Slavic word ''mělnit'', here meaning 'to crumble'. Originally, ''Mělník'' was the name of a hill formed by crumbling
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...
rocks.
Geography

Mělník is located about north 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 is situated on the right bank of the
Elbe
The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper Sorbian, Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Ge ...
, at the confluence of the Elbe and
Vltava
The Vltava ( , ; ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Elbe River. It runs southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague. It is com ...
rivers.
The town lies in the
Polabí lowlands. The southwestern part of the municipal territory lies in the
Central Elbe Table
The Central Elbe Table () is a plateau and a geomorphological mesoregion of the Czech Republic. It is located mostly in the Central Bohemian Region, but due to its size, it also extends to other regions. The axis of the plateau is the Elbe River, ...
, the northeastern part lies in the
Jizera Table. The highest point is the hill Chloumeček at above sea level.
History
In the 5th and 6th century, many
Slavic tribes lived here and the tribe of Pšovans created its main settlement in Mělník.
Saint Ludmila (the grandmother of
Saint Wenceslaus), who married the Bohemian prince
Bořivoj I, belonged to this tribe. Coins of the princess
Emma, who died in 1005 or 1006, are the first demonstration of the existence of Mělník. In November 1274, Mělník gained the status of town from King
Ottokar II and later became a
dowry town belonging to queens of Bohemia.
In 1449, the town gained the right to decide on its own affairs, through councilors headed by the mayor. The town gained fame in the first half of the 16th century thanks to
viticulture
Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine ...
, the origins of which date back to the end of the 9th century, but the preconditions for its real development were created only by
Charles IV, who brought vines from
Burgundy
Burgundy ( ; ; Burgundian: ''Bregogne'') is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. ...
to Mělník.
[
The town suffered from the events of 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 ...
. Mělník became moderately involved in the Bohemian Revolt
The Bohemian Revolt (; ; 1618–1620) was an uprising of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Bohemian Estates of the realm, estates against the rule of the Habsburg dynasty that began the Thirty Years' War. It was caused by both religious and power dispu ...
(1618–1620), and was punished by confiscation of property and gradual re-Catholicization. In 1628, its population was predominantly Catholic. Mělník had to deal with enemy military incursions, especially the Saxons and the Swedes; it was also affected by devastating fires (1646, 1652, 1681) and by plague. The church, castle and town hall were damaged.[
The wars in the 18th century brought considerable damage to the town, but it was most affected by the fire in 1765, which destroyed 42 houses including the town hall and Capuchin monastery. It was followed by another stage of the Baroque transformation of the town.][
In 1850, Mělník became a district town. In 1869, a sugar factory was established, for a long time the only industrial company in the town. In 1874 a railway line was brought to Mělník, which helped its economic development. In 1888 a bridge over the Elbe was built, and at the end of the 19th century a transhipment depot was built, the basis of the later port.][
]
Demographics
Economy
The largest industrial employers based in the town are Erwin Junker Grinding Technology (manufacturer of grinding tools) and Vibracoustic CZ (manufacturer of rubber products), both employing more than 500 people. The largest non-industrial employer is the hospital.
Viticulture
Mělník gives its name to the Mělnická wine region, one of the most northerly in Europe. Every year, at the end of September, a wine festival is held in Mělník on the Feast of St. Wenceslaus.
According to legend, the Great Moravian Prince Svatopluk I sent the Bohemian Prince Bořivoj I a barrel of wine to celebrate the birth of his son Spytihněv I. It is said that Ludmila subsequently had vines brought from Moravia and planted not far from her birthplace, the fortified settlement of Pšov, today's Mělník. Ludmila's grandson St. Wenceslaus personally took care of the vineyards, and became the patron saint of winemakers.[
]
Transport
Mělník is situated on the crossroads of two first-class roads: the I/9 (which connects the D8 motorway with Česká Lípa
Česká Lípa (; ) is a town in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 37,000 inhabitants, making it the most populated Czech town without city status. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monume ...
and the Czech-German border) and the I/16 (the section from the D8 motorway to 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 ...
).
Mělník is located on the railway lines Ústí nad Labem
Ústí nad Labem (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 91,000 inhabitants and is the capital of the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is a major industrial centre and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction.
...
–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 ...
and Prague–Mělník.
Mělník is one of the largest river ports in the Czech Republic and a place of container transshipment.
Sights
Míru Square is the historic centre of Mělník. It is lined with valuable 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 Neo-Renaissance houses. The landmark of the square is the town hall with Renaissance archways, Gothic bay window of the Chapel of St. Barbara, and Baroque tower. The Church of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
The Fourteen Holy Helpers (, ) are a group of saints venerated together by Catholics because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective, especially against various diseases. This group of ''Nothelfer'' ("helpers in need") orig ...
with the building of former Capuchin monastery are also located on the square.[
Mělník Castle is one of the most important sights of the town. The castle is built in the Renaissance style. Below the castle there are large wine cellars. Confiscated by the ]communists
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...
, it has been restored to its traditional owners, the House of Lobkowicz.[
Church of Saints Peter and Paul was rebuilt three times. Construction began at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries, but the oldest preserved part is from the 1480s. The opulent presbytary is from around 1520. Other major reconstructions were made and the fires in 1555 and 1681, when renaissance gables and the baroque dome of a gothic tower were damaged. The current appearance of the church is the result of extensive repairs in 1910 and 1913–1915. The church is still used primarily for religious functions, but it is open for the public. Starting in 2007, the public will be allowed access to the reconstructed church tower. There is a large and elaborate ossuary inside the church. Anthropologist Jindřich Matiegka conducted research here between 1915 and 1919, during which he arranged the remains of 10–15,000 people.][
Behind the church there is a building of the old school, formerly the seat of the Mělník's chapter. It used to be a part of the town's fortifications. Remains of the fortifications are still preserved, including a 20m high water tower from the 16th century. The most preserved part is the Prague Gate from the 1530s. Near the castle there is Villa Carola, where the town library is located, which is a part of the Culture Centre of Mělník.][
]
Notable people
*Ludmila of Bohemia
Ludmila of Bohemia ( 860 – 15 September 921) is a Czech saint and martyr venerated by the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics. She was born in Mělník as the daughter of the Sorbian prince Slavibor. Saint Ludmila was the grandmother of ...
(–921), martyr and saint
*Emma of Mělník
Emma (Hemma) (bef. 950 – 1005/06) was a Bohemian duchess consort as the second wife of Boleslaus II of Bohemia.
Her origins are uncertain. Historian Gelasius Dobner (1719–90) thought she was a princess of Kingdom of Burgundy, Burgundy, a ...
(bef. 950–1005/06), wife of Boleslaus II; died here
* John Henry (1322–1375), Count of Tyrol and Margrave of Moravia
*Barbara of Cilli
Barbara of Cilli or Barbara of Celje ( Hungarian: ''Cillei Borbála'', German: ''Barbara von Cilli,'' Slovenian and Croatian'': Barbara Celjska,'' 1392 – 11 July 1451), was the Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia by marriage ...
(1392–1451), queen; lived and died here
* Viktor Dyk (1877–1931), poet and writer
* Bohumil Rameš (1895–1974), cyclist
* Pavel Zářecký (born 1940), politician and lawyer
* Kateřina Jacques (born 1971), politician
* Pavel Verbíř (born 1972), footballer
* Rudolf Kraj (born 1977), boxer
* Jitka Čvančarová (born 1978), actress
*Václav Drobný
Václav Drobný (9 September 1980 – 28 December 2012) was a Czech footballer who notably played for Sparta Prague having spent time in their youth team as well as spells at Czech, Slovak, French and German sides. Drobný played twice f ...
(1980–2012), footballer
* Jiří Prskavec (born 1993), canoeist, Olympic winner
Twin towns – sister cities
Mělník is twinned with:
* Lučenec
Lučenec (; ; ; ; Lelkes György (1992), Magyar helységnév-azonosító szótár, Balassi Kiadó, Budapest, 508 p.) is a town in the Banská Bystrica Region of south-central Slovakia. Historically, it was part, and in the 18th century the capital ...
, Slovakia
* Oranienburg
Oranienburg () is a town in Brandenburg, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Oberhavel.
Geography
Oranienburg is on the banks of the River Havel, 35 km north of the centre of Berlin.
Division of the town
Oranienburg consists of ni ...
, Germany
* Przeworsk
Przeworsk (; ; ) is a town in south-eastern Poland with 15,675 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. Since 1999 it has been in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, and is the capital of Przeworsk County. The ancient Przeworsk culture was named after the town ...
, Poland
* Sandanski
Sandanski ( ; , formerly known as Sveti Vrach, , until 1947) is a town and a recreation center in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Blagoevgrad Province. Named after the Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary Yane Sandanski, it is situated in Sanda ...
, Bulgaria (the municipality also includes Melnik)
* Wetzikon, Switzerland
Gallery
MELNIK3.jpg, Míru Square, centre of the town
Melnik castle above the confluence of the rivers Vltava and Labe, Czech Republic.JPG, Castle above the confluence of the Vltava and Elbe
The confluence of the rivers Vltava and Labe near Melnik castle, Czech Republic.JPG, Confluence of the Vltava and Elbe
References
External links
*
Culture in Mělník
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melnik
Cities and towns in the Czech Republic
Populated places in Mělník District
Populated riverside places in the Czech Republic
Populated places on the Elbe