Starý Plzenec

Coordinates: 49°41′52″N 13°28′25″E / 49.69778°N 13.47361°E / 49.69778; 13.47361 Starý Plzenec Town Starý Plzenec as seen from the Radyně Hill Flag Coat of arms Country  Czech Republic Region Plzeň District Plzeň-City Commune Plzeň Municipality Starý Plzenec Parts Sedlec, Starý Plzenec River Úslava Center Masaryk Square  - elevation 343 m (1,125 ft)  - coordinates 49°41′52″N 13°28′25″E / 49.69778°N 13.47361°E / 49.69778; 13.47361 Highest point Radyně Hill  - elevation 567 m (1,860 ft) Area 18.38 km² (7.1 sq mi) Population 4,628 (2006-10-02) Density 252 /km² (653 /sq mi) First mentioned 976 Mayor Zdeněk Matas Timezone CET (UTC+1)  - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Postal code 332 02 Location in the Czech Republic Wikimedia Commons: Starý Plzenec Statistics: statnisprava.cz Website: www.staryplzenec.cz

Starý Plzenec Municipality with Commissioned Local Authority Rotunda of St Peter above the town Country Czech Republic Region Plzeň Little District Plzeň Municipalities 11  - Chválenice  - Letkov  - Lhůta  - Losiná  - Mokrouše  - Nezbavětice  - Nezvěstice  - Starý Plzenec  - Šťáhlavy  - Štěnovický Borek  - Tymákov Area 96.52 km² (37 sq mi) Population 11,347 (2005-12-31) Density 118 /km² (306 /sq mi)

Starý Plzenec (Czech pronunciation: [ˈstariː ˈpl̩zɛnɛts]; German: Altpilsen) is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies some 9 km (6 mi) to the southeast from the region capital of Plzeň on the Úslava River.

Starý Plzenec is also the seat of the Municipality with Commissioned Local Authority within the Plzeň Municipality with Extended Competence.

History

First mention of the settlement dates back to 976 when, according to Thietmar of Merseburg, Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia, defeated a Bavarian army under local stronghold, then called Plzeň. The urban settlement below the castle evolved into administrative and merchant centre of western Bohemia, but this came to end in 1295 when King Wenceslas II founded new city of Plzeň in a more suitable location at nearby confluence of the Mže and Radbuza rivers. The new city soon took over functions of old Plzeň and became known as Nová Plzeň (New Plzeň), later simply as Plzeň while the older settlement on the Úslava river was called Stará Plzeň (Old Plzeň) since then, in more recent variant Starý Plzenec.

Sights

The Radyně Castle (a ruin of a medieval castle from 14th century open to public) is on the Radyně Hill above the town (southwards). On the Hůrka Hill above the town (northwards) there is the St Peter and Paul Rotunda, a Romanesque church from late 10th century and bottoms of other buildings of the old stronghold.

Resources

Masaryk Square with church of St John The Baptist (left) and Town hall (right).

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