Urbanice (Hradec Králové District)

Urbanice
Village
Flag Coat of arms
Urbanice Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°10′49″N 15°43′31″E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Hradec Králové
District	Hradec Králové
First mentioned	1465
Government
• Mayor	Josef Andrašovský
Area
• Total	2.25 km2 (0.87 sq mi)
Elevation	250 m (820 ft)
Population  (1.1.2013)
• Total	341
• Density	150/km2 (390/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	503 27
Website	www.urbanice.cz/

Urbanice is a village in the Czech Republic.

Urbanice

It is a small village in the Czech Republic which is located approximately seven kilometres southwest of Hradec Králové. It is in Eastern Bohemia. The village has got ninety-two houses which are registered. The neighbouring villages are Praskačka and Libčany. A very interesting thing in this village is that about four or five families have got twins.

HISTORY

The first mention of the village Urbanice dates back to 1549. When Mr Henry V ( knight of the Vysoká) bought Libčany. In 1561 he bought Praskačka, Sedlice, Chrástnice (nowadays Krásnice) and Drbanice (today Urbanice) which then became a part of Libčany. After his death, his wife Anna was the owner until 1574 . It is not known who bought the village from the Royal Chamber. Many years later the estate fell into hands of Count Jan Straka (lord of Nedabilice). Is the legend about Straka which saying that his subject was very bad. Earl Straka died in 1720. The estate became the property of the Royal Chamber again.

The name of Count Straka was engraved on one bell in the church Praskačka. It was built at that time and belonged under the auspices of Libčanský. His name was on the bell until 1917. In this year the bells, as well as many other old Austrian bells were commandeered by Government for military purpose. They were taken to Vienna and spillaged. Only in 1872 the village was bought by Count Jan Harrach.

At a time when the greater part of the village lands belonged to the Royal Chamber. The greater part of this land was bought by some citizens of Urbanice. At a time when the estate passed to Mr. Count Harrach, nothing left of our village under Libčanský estate. In house no.1, which was the first to have been built, which stood on the site today obviously Urbanice, was established coach pub. Pub no longer remembers the year of 1818 when the ´Imperial Highway´ was built.

MONUMENTS

Švehlova lime

In honour of the great statesman Antonín Švehla who was of peasant origin and later he became a Prime Minister, a lime tree was planted in the village in 1936. The lime was opposite of the monument of President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk.

Statue of Virgin Mary

The statue representing the Virgin Mary was built in 1908 thanks to the money from the rich landowners. They provided an amount of 360 CZK in order to pay damages from their hunting.

http://www.urbanice.cz/ (16.4.2012)

External links

• Municipal website