Kdyně

49°23′26″N 13°2′18″E / 49.39056°N 13.03833°E / 49.39056; 13.03833Country Czech RepublicRegionPlzeňDistrictDomažliceFirst mentioned1369Government • MayorOskar HamrusArea • Total28.74 km² (11.10 sq mi)Elevation455 m (1,493 ft)Population • Total5,235 • Density180/km² (470/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal codeWebsitewww.kdyne.cz

Kdyně (Czech pronunciation: [ˈɡdɪɲɛ]; German: Neugedein) is a town in Domažlice District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,200 inhabitants.

Administrative parts

The villages of Branišov, Dobříkov, Hluboká, Modlín, Nové Chalupy, Podzámčí, Prapořiště, Smržovice and Starec are administrative parts of Kdyně.

Geography

Kdyně is located about 9 kilometres (6 mi) southeast of Domažlice and 44 km (27 mi) southwest of Plzeň. It lies mostly in the Cham-Furth Depression. The northeastern part of the municipality extends in to the Švihov Highlands and contains the highest point of Kdyně, the hill Koráb at 775 m (2,543 ft) above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Kdyně is from 1396, but the settlement was founded at the latest in the 13th century. In 1508, for the first time Kdyně is referred as a town. The oldest textile manufactory in Bohemia was founded here in 1696. Kdyně has been involved in textile production for hundreds of years.^[2]

Demographics

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 4,189 —     1880 4,456 +6.4% 1890 4,266 −4.3% 1900 4,646 +8.9% 1910 5,022 +8.1%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 4,856 −3.3% 1930 5,138 +5.8% 1950 4,025 −21.7% 1961 4,193 +4.2% 1970 4,784 +14.1%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 4,802 +0.4% 1991 4,369 −9.0% 2001 4,900 +12.2% 2011 5,197 +6.1% 2021 4,999 −3.8%
Source: Censuses[3][4]

Transport

The I/22 road (the section from Klatovy to Domažlice) runs through the town.

Kdyně is located on the railway line Klatovy–Domažlice.

Sights

Church of Saint Nicholas is a landmark of the town and one of its most significant buildings. It was founded in the 2nd half of the 14th century and enlarged in 1763–1768.^[5]

The Borderland Museum has exhibitions dedicated to the history of the sub-region, the specifics of the border (trade, smuggling, etc.) and crafts, especially the tradition of the textile industry in the town.^[5]

Dům v kožichu (lit. "House in a fur coat") from around 1780 is one of the oldest preserved houses in Kdyně. It is a cultural monument and part of the Borderland Museum, which illustrates the living of previous generations in this house and the way of life.^[5]

The Jewish synagogue was opened in 1863 and it served religious life until 1936. Today it serves cultural purposes and contains an exhibition on the history of the town's Jewish population.^[5] The Neoromanesque synagogue contains a unique mikveh. After the mikveh was abolished in 1940, it was rebuilt in 2008 and it is the only mikveh in Central Europe from the 21st century.^[6]

Rýzmberk Castle is a ruin of a castle on the Rýzmberk hill from the 2nd half of the 13th century. It contains a 13 m (43 ft) high stone lookout tower built in 1848.^[5]

On the top of the Koráb hill, there is the 30 m (98 ft) high Koráb observation tower.^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Town square
• 
  The synagogue
• 
  The train station
• 
  Koráb hill with the observation tower
• 
  Kdyně as viewed from the observation tower

References

External links