Zbiroh (Czech pronunciation: [ˈzbɪrox]) is a town in Rokycany District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,500 inhabitants.

Zbiroh
Zbiroh Castle with the town
Zbiroh Castle with the town
Flag of Zbiroh
Coat of arms of Zbiroh
Zbiroh is located in Czech Republic
Zbiroh
Zbiroh
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°51′37″N 13°46′22″E / 49.86028°N 13.77278°E / 49.86028; 13.77278
Country Czech Republic
RegionPlzeň
DistrictRokycany
First mentioned1230
Government
 • MayorJosef Štícha
Area
 • Total
31.94 km2 (12.33 sq mi)
Elevation
414 m (1,358 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total
2,527
 • Density79/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
338 08
Websitewww.zbiroh.cz

Administrative parts

edit

The villages of Chotětín, Jablečno, Přísednice and Třebnuška are administrative parts of Zbiroh.

Geography

edit

Zbiroh is located about 18 kilometres (11 mi) northeast of Rokycany and 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Plzeň. It lies in the Křivoklát Highlands. The highest point is the Kohoutov hill at 596 m (1,955 ft) above sea level. The stream Zbirožský potok flows through the town.

History

edit

The first written mention of Zbiroh is from 1230. It was a market village which was promoted to a market town in 1369. During the rule of the Rosenberg family, Zbiroh developed and acquired various rights. In 1897, Zbiroh was promoted to a town by Franz Joseph I.[2]

The first kill house in Czechoslovakia was built in 1947 in a police school in Zbiroh by World War II veterans of the Czechoslovak Army that had been trained in Great Britain.[3]

Demographics

edit
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18692,577—    
18802,484−3.6%
18902,317−6.7%
19002,212−4.5%
19102,236+1.1%
YearPop.±%
19212,082−6.9%
19301,999−4.0%
19501,852−7.4%
19612,220+19.9%
19702,053−7.5%
YearPop.±%
19802,560+24.7%
19912,437−4.8%
20012,593+6.4%
20112,567−1.0%
20212,420−5.7%
Source: Censuses[4][5]

Transport

edit

There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality. The D5 motorway from Prague to Plzeň runs south of the town just outside the municipal territory.

Sights

edit
 
Church of Saint Nicholas

The most important monument is the Zbiroh Castle. The original Romanesque-Gothic castle was built at the end of the 12th century[6] or in the early 13th century,[2] and belongs to the oldest aristocratic residences in the country. At the end of the 16th century, it was rebuilt into its current appearance of a large Renaissance castle. The landmark of the original castle part is the oldest detached watch tower in the Czech Republic.[6] The well located in Zbiroh Castle, 163 m (535 ft) deep, is one of the deepest castle wells in Europe.[7]

The Church of Saint Nicholas was originally a Gothic building, rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1719–1720.[8]

Notable people

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. ^ a b "Historie" (in Czech). Město Zbiroh. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  3. ^ "Kdo vystřelí první, ten vyhrává!" (in Czech). Armádní noviny. 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  4. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21.
  5. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ a b "Zbiroh Chateau" (in Czech). Zbiroh Chateau. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  7. ^ "Zbiroh – Mysterious Castle of Three Emperors". TresBohemes. 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  8. ^ "Kostel sv. Mikuláše" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
edit