Dobruška

Coordinates: 50°17′33″N 16°9′45″E / 50.29250°N 16.16250°E / 50.29250; 16.16250
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dobruška
Marian column in the town square
Marian column in the town square
Flag of Dobruška
Coat of arms of Dobruška
Dobruška is located in Czech Republic
Dobruška
Dobruška
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°17′33″N 16°9′45″E / 50.29250°N 16.16250°E / 50.29250; 16.16250
Country Czech Republic
RegionHradec Králové
DistrictRychnov nad Kněžnou
First mentioned1320
Government
 • MayorMiroslav Sixta
Area
 • Total34.44 km2 (13.30 sq mi)
Elevation
287 m (942 ft)
Population
 (2023-01-01)[1]
 • Total6,571
 • Density190/km2 (490/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
518 01
Websitewww.mestodobruska.cz

Dobruška (Czech pronunciation: [ˈdobruʃka]; German: Gutenfeld) is a town in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,600 inhabitants. The town is known as the birthplace of Czech patriotic writer František Ladislav Hek, whose career was described in Alois Jirásek's novel F. L. Věk. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Administrative parts[edit]

Villages of Běstviny, Chábory, Domašín, Křovice, Mělčany, Pulice and Spáleniště are administrative parts of Dobruška.

Geography[edit]

Dobruška is located about 24 kilometres (15 mi) northeast of Hradec Králové. It lies mostly in the Orlice Table. The eastern part extends into the Orlické Foothills and includes the highest point of Dobruška, the hill Tábor at 470 m (1,540 ft) above sea level. The town is situated at the confluence of two watercourses, the Dědina River (also called Zlatý Stream) and the Brtevský Brook.

History[edit]

The predecessor of Dobruška was a market settlement Lešno, located on the crossroads of two trade routes. The first written mention is from 1320. In 1495, with the arrival of the noble family of Trčka of Lípa, the town began to develop. The houses were reconstructed in the Renaissance style and a representative town hall was built. The prosperity and importance of the town ended with the Thirty Years' War.[2]

The large fires in 1806 and 1866 damaged Dobruška and the reconstructions changed the character of the town. At the end of the 19th century, the industry developed, especially the textile industry. In 1908, Dobruška was connected with Opočno by railway.[2]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18694,786—    
18804,913+2.7%
18904,851−1.3%
19004,828−0.5%
19105,445+12.8%
YearPop.±%
19215,334−2.0%
19305,350+0.3%
19504,736−11.5%
19615,712+20.6%
19706,204+8.6%
YearPop.±%
19806,982+12.5%
19916,893−1.3%
20017,181+4.2%
20116,876−4.2%
20216,395−7.0%
Source: Censuses[3][4]

Economy[edit]

The Military Geographical and Hydrometeorological Office is located in Dobruška.[5]

Culture[edit]

The International Music Festival of F. L. Vek is organized in Dobruška every year.

Sights[edit]

Šubertovo Square with the synagogue

The historic centre is formed by F. L. Věka Square and adjacent streets. Its main landmark is the Renaissance town hall with a 45 metres (148 ft)-high tower. In the tower is the town museum and gallery with early works of F. Kupka. In the middle of the square is a Marian column from 1733.[6]

The Church of Saint Wenceslaus was first mentioned in 1350. Its part is an early Baroque belltower. The cemetery Church of Holy Spirit was built in Renaissance style in the 16th century.[6]

The former Jewish synagogue in Dobruška is nowadays part of the town museum. The synagogue was built in the 18th century and then rebuilt in the Neogothic style in 1867, after it was damaged by a fire. There is also the Jewish cemetery with the oldest preserved tomb from 1688.[6]

Notable people[edit]

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

Dobruška is twinned with:[7]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 2023-05-23.
  2. ^ a b "Historie a současnost" (in Czech). Město Dobruška. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  3. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Rychnov nad Kněžnou" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 5–6.
  4. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  5. ^ "Geografická služba AČR" (in Czech). Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  6. ^ a b c "Významná místa Dobrušky" (in Czech). Kulturní a sportovní zařízení města Dobrušky. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  7. ^ "Partnerská města" (in Czech). Město Dobruška. Retrieved 2023-06-28.

External links[edit]