Hořovice
Template:Geobox Hořovice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈɦor̝ovɪtsɛ]; German: Horschowitz or Horowitz) is a small Czech town in Central Bohemian Region in the Beroun district. It is the administrative and economical center of the surrounding area. The town is surrounded by lots of historical and natural sights, including Brdy, Křivoklátsko and Český kras. Its most known building is Hořovice Castle.
History
Archaeological excavations show early settlement in the 10th century. This settlement grew at the end of the 13th century and beginning of the 14th century when a trading post was established. This trading post was later rebuilt and expanded into a castle in the gothic style (the so-called "Old Castle").
The family of Hořovice named itself after the village. The first members to use the name were siblings Neostup and Habart Hořovice in 1233.
The village was incorporated as a town in 1322. The "Old Castle" and the church remained outside of the town walls, forming the borough of Velká Víska. This division remained until the 20th century; in 1919 Velká Víska became a part of Hořovice.
The common Jewish surnames Horovitz/Horowitz/Gurvich/Hurwicz/Hurwitz, etc., derive from Hořovice, which during the late Middle Ages had a substantial Jewish population.[1]
Notable people
- Josel of Rosheim (1480–1554), advocate of the German Jews, lived here
- Josef Labor (1842–1924), musician
- Otto Hönigschmid (1878–1945), chemist
- Alfred Seifert (1850-1901), Czech-German painter
- Jiří Fischer (born 1980), hockey player
- Petr Koukal (born 1985), badminton player
International relations
Twin towns—Sister cities
Hořovice is twinned with:
References
- ^ "Origin of Horowitz name". Horowitz Family Association in Israel. 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
External links
