Pardubice

Pardubice
City
The main square as seen from the Green Tower
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Pardubice
District	Pardubice
Rivers	Elbe, Chrudimka
Elevation	237 m (778 ft)
Coordinates	50°02′19″N 15°46′45″E / 50.03861°N 15.77917°E / 50.03861; 15.77917
Area	77.71 km2 (30 sq mi)
Population	90,831 (As of 2010-12-31[update])
Density	1,169 / km2 (3,028 / sq mi)
First documented	1295
Mayor	Štěpánka Fraňková
Postal code	530 01
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Pardubice
Website: Pardubice city

St Bartholomew's Church on Republic Square in Pardubice

Pardubice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈpardubɪtsɛ] ( listen); German: Pardubitz) is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 96 kilometres east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle. Factories include the Synthesia chemical factory (manufacturer of Semtex, a plastic explosive), an oil refinery Paramo, a heavy machinery factory and an electronic equipment plant.

The Czech Open Chess Tournament is the biggest in Europe, with roughly 1200 players from all over the world competing in the main groups, and many side-events such as a team championship, a Rubik's Cube competition and a Go-tournament.
Pardubice is home to one of the top hockey teams in the Czech Extraliga, HC Pardubice (former Tesla). The local hockey club has bred international stars such as Vladimír Martinec, Dominik Hašek, Otakar Janecký, Aleš Hemský, Jan Bulis (all natives of Pardubice) and Milan Hejduk. Ex- NBA player Jiří Welsch is also a native of the city.
It's also home of a famous steeplechase, the Velká pardubická.

The Green Tower (Zelená brána) and the historical city centre

History

The area had a monastery beginning in the early 13th century, and the city was founded c. 1340. Arnošt of Pardubice, the first archbishop of Prague, was born^{[citation needed]} in Pardubice in 1297. Since 1874, the Great Pardubice Steeplechase (Velká Pardubická) horse race has taken place every autumn (second Sunday in October).

The Fanto Werke refinery at Pardubice was repeatedly bombed during the Oil Campaign of World War II, and forced labor was provided by a concentration camp.^[1][2] The Tesla electronics manufacturer operated from 1921–1989, and the Foxconn factory was established in June 2000.

Notable people

• Edita Adlerová, classical mezzo-soprano
• Gustav Gärtner (1855-1937), pathologist
• Dominik Hašek, former NHL goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks.^[3][4]
• Aleš Hemský, NHL hockey player for the Edmonton Oilers
• Jiří Welsch, NBA player for the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Milwaukee Bucks
• Jaroslav Stark, Mathematician who worked mostly in the fields of Chaos Theory and Systems Biology.^[5]
• Iva Kramperová, classical violinist

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Pardubice is twinned with:

• Doetinchem, Netherlands
• Merano, Italy
• Pernik, Bulgaria
• Rosignano Marittimo, Italy
• Schönebeck, Germany
• Selb, Germany
• Sežana, Slovenia
• Skellefteå, Sweden
• Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia
• Waregem, Belgium

References

Further reading

• Movsesian, Sergei; Klima, Lukas (2009). Czech Open: Pardubice Phenomenon. Caissa Hungary. ISBN 978-80-86725-08-6. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pardubice

• Pardubice at the official website of the Czech Republic, Czech.cz
• Tourist guide of Pardubice written by local insider
• Refinery PARAMO Pardubice
• University of Pardubice
• Pardubice Public Transport

v t e Administrative seats of Czech regions Brno České Budějovice Hradec Králové Jihlava Karlovy Vary Liberec Ostrava Olomouc Pardubice Plzeň Prague Ústí nad Labem Zlín