- summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Area 50.56 km² | Elevation 276 m Local time Saturday 10:18 PM | |
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Weather 12°C, Wind S at 27 km/h, 59% Humidity Clubs and Teams ASK Blansko, TJ Spartak ČKD Blansko Points of interest Blansko, Kostel svatého Martina, Rytířská jeskyně, Ježkův most, Minigolf |
Blansko ( [ˈblansko]; German: Blanz) is a town in Blansko District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Blansko is the biggest town in Blansko District to which it lends its name. Blansko is situated in the valley of the river Svitava. The centre of Blansko is 276 metres above sea level, with the majority of the city situated on a slope above the left bank of the Svitava. Blansko currently occupies an area of 18.29 km2 (7.06 sq mi) and has approximately 20,800 inhabitants as of 2015. The town is notable for the proximity of the Moravian Karst.
Contents
Map of 678 01 Blansko, Czechia
History
Blansko was mentioned for the first time as the site of a dispute between Jindřich Zdík, the bishop of Olomouc and Prince Vratislav of Brno regarding the construction of a church in the village on the right bank of the Svitava in 1136. In 1277 the Bishop of Olomouc at the time, Bruno von Schauenburg founded a village on the left bank of the Svitava. Originally known as 'New Blansko' it became the core of the modern city. After the founding of New Blansko, the villages went through a succession of feudal owners. In 1526 the two villages were merged to form Blansko.
From 1698 the Gellhorn family founded the first ironworks in Blansko. After 1766 it belonged to the Salm family, who patronized many artisans and scientists, including Josef Dobrovský. Blansko also underwent significant expansion in tandem with the ironworks under the guidance of Hugo František Salm. In 1905, Franz Joseph I of Austria granted Blansko the status of City, and produced a commemorative certificate which contained the situation in Blansko at that time as relating to industry, education, associations etc. In 1918 Blansko was connected to the Brno-Česka Trebova railway line. In 1949 Blansko became the capital of Blansko District.
Blansko today still has many factories though the significance of the town as an employer locally has dropped. Many manufacturers are still operational in Blansko including: mechanical engineering concern ČKD Blansko, measuring instrument manufacturer Metra Blansko and a Českomoravsky Beton cement factory.
Parts of town
Interesting places
Notable Persons
In addition to the natives of the city there are also other personalities who stayed there for some time and have some link to the city:
At the church of St Martin there is a memorial plaque for Caroline Meineke, who was supposed to be the first wife of William IV of the United Kingdom. She spent the last years of her life at the Château in Blansko, where she died in 1815.