Kroměříž

Kroměříž
Town
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname: Athens of Haná
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Zlín
District	Kroměříž
Commune	Kroměříž
River	Morava
Elevation	201 m (659 ft)
Coordinates	49°17′56″N 17°23′35″E
Area	50.97 km2 (19.68 sq mi)
Population	29,374 (2006-10-02)
Density	576 / km2 (1,492 / sq mi)
Founded	1260
Mayor	Miloš Malý
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	217 01 - 768 01
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Name	Gardens and Castle at Kroměříž
Year	1998 (#22)
Number	860
Region	Europe and North America
Criteria	ii, iv
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Kroměříž
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.mesto-kromeriz.cz

Kroměříž (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkromɲɛr̝iːʃ]; German: Kremsier, Polish: Kromieryż) is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. The town's main landmark is the Baroque Kroměříž Bishop's Palace, where some scenes from Amadeus and Immortal Beloved were filmed. The adjacent Lustgarten, or Pleasure Park, is one of the World Heritage Sites.

The city's National Museum is home to The Flaying of Marsyas, a late painting by Titian.

History

The town was founded in 1260 by Bruno von Schauenburg, bishop of Olomouc. Bruno chose Kroměříž to become his see and he also made his castle the centre of his dominion which consisted of more than 60 vassals from the whole of Moravia. Kroměříž is referred to as a market village in a document by Přemysl Otakar II from 1256, but in 1266 it is already called a town. Bruno also established what was to become the famous Archbishops Palace. The town was badly damaged in Thirty Years' War, was plundered twice by Swedish troops (1643 and 1645), after this Black Death came. Bishop Karl II von Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn rebuilt the city and palace after the war. Constitutive Imperial Congress was sitting in Kroměříž in 1848.

Notable people

• Heinrich Ignaz Biber (1644–1704), composer and violinist
• Václav Talich (1883–1961), conductor
• Jaroslav Koutecký (1922–2005), chemist
• Karel Kryl
• Jan Milíč z Kroměříže (d. 1374), ideal predecessor of Jan Hus; initiated the practice of preaching in the Czech language in Prague.
• Martin Miller, (1899–1969), actor
• Josef 'Pepča' Stejskal Graphic designer, poet, surrealist
• Miloslav Gajdos, composer and double bassist

Kroměříž is also a birthplace of Max Švabinský (born September 17, 1873, died February 10, 1962), one of the most important Czech painters of the last century. A permanent exhibition called Max Švabinský Memorial can be seen in the Museum of Kroměříž Region (Czech: Muzeum Kroměřížska), located in the lower part of Big Square (Velké náměstí), near the entrance to the Bishop's Palace (Gallery - Titian´s Marsyas).

Twin towns — Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Kroměříž is twinned with:

• Châteaudun, France
• Nitra, Slovakia
• Krems an der Donau, Austria
• Piekary Śląskie, Poland
• Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania

External links

• Official website
• Kroměříž guide
• FULLSCREEN QTVR virtual tour of Kromeriz
• UNESCO listing for Kroměříž