Horní Benešov

Horní Benešov (Czech pronunciation: [ˈɦorɲiː ˈbɛnɛʃof]; until 1926 Benešov, German: Bennisch) is a town in Bruntál District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,300 inhabitants. Horní Benešov has a long mining tradition.

Horní Benešov
Town
Mírové Square
Mírové Square
Flag of Horní Benešov
Flag
Coat of arms of Horní Benešov
Coat of arms
Horní Benešov is located in Czech Republic
Horní Benešov
Horní Benešov
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°58′0″N 17°36′10″E
Country Czech Republic
RegionMoravian-Silesian
DistrictBruntál
First mentioned1226
Government
 • MayorPavel König
Area
 • Total20.40 km2 (7.88 sq mi)
Elevation
568 m (1,864 ft)
Population
 (2023-01-01)[1]
 • Total2,253
 • Density110/km2 (290/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
793 12
Websitewww.hbenesov.cz

Administrative parts
Luhy village

The village of Luhy is an administrative part of Horní Benešov.

Geography

Horní Benešov is located about 10 kilometres (6 mi) east of Bruntál and 20 km (12 mi) west of Opava. It lies in the Nízký Jeseník range. The highest point is at 619 m (2,031 ft) above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Horní Benešov is from 1226, when it was a mining settlement. The silver mines were one of the oldest in Czech lands. The town of Benešov was founded on the site of the settlement in 1253, and the town rights were confirmed in 1271 by King Ottokar II.[2]

The town was destroyed by a Hungarian invasion in 1474 and then during the Thirty Years' War. The mining was in decline since 17th century. During the 19th and 20th centuries, economic development of Benešov was driven mostly by textile industry.[2]

According to the Austrian administration census of 1910 the town had 3,826 inhabitants, 3,800 (99.9%) were German-speaking. Most populous religious groups were Roman Catholics with 3,766 (98.4%), followed by Protestants with 30 (0.8%) and the Jews with 25 (0.6%).[3]

Before World War I, the town was part of the Austrian Silesia region. After World War I, the town was within the state of Czechoslovakia and in 1926 was given its present name. From 1938 to 1945 Horní Benešov was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as a part of Reichsgau Sudetenland. After the war, the German population was expelled.

In 1902–1914 and in 1951–1992, baryte was mined here.[2]

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18694,256—    
18804,200−1.3%
18904,442+5.8%
19004,367−1.7%
19103,826−12.4%
YearPop.±%
19213,376−11.8%
19303,409+1.0%
19501,727−49.3%
19612,199+27.3%
19702,499+13.6%
YearPop.±%
19802,631+5.3%
19912,602−1.1%
20012,483−4.6%
20112,299−7.4%
20212,176−5.4%
Source: Censuses[4][5]

Sights
Church of Saint Catherine

The Church of Saint Catherine was built in the Neoclassical style in 1719. It has preserved elements from the original building from the 16th century.[6]

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Horní Benešov is twinned with:[7]

References
  1. "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 23 May 2023.
  2. "Historie města" (in Czech). Město Horní Benešov. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  3. Ludwig Patryn (ed): Die Ergebnisse der Volkszählung vom 31. Dezember 1910 in Schlesien, Troppau 1912.
  4. "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Bruntál" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 21 December 2015. pp. 3–4.
  5. "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 27 March 2021.
  6. "Kostel sv. Kateřiny" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  7. "Partnerská spolupráce" (in Czech). Město Horní Benešov. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
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