- summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Area 23.95 km² | Elevation 254 m Local time Friday 1:25 AM | |
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Weather 5°C, Wind W at 16 km/h, 90% Humidity Points of interest Pevnost Josefov ‑ Podzemn, Železniční muzeum výtopna J, Městské muzeum v Jaroměři, Muzeum magie | ||
Jaroměř ( [ˈjaromɲɛr̝̊]; German: Jermer) is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 15 kilometers northeast of the district town of Hradec Králové. The town lies at the confluence of three rivers, the Úpa, the Metuje and the Elbe. There are 12,778 inhabitants (1 January 2005).
Contents
Map of Jaromer, Czechia
The town includes the Fortress Josefov, a separate entity until 1948.
History
The historic old town has been inhabited for more than a thousand years. Early in the 11th century a Prince of the Přemyslid dynasty built a fortress and named it Jaroměř. The village was elevated to the status of royal town under King Otakar I of Bohemia.
Over 1780 to 1787, the Emperor Joseph II built on the left bank of the Elbe and Metuje rivers, the imperial fortress Ples. Later this conurbation took the name of Josefstadt (Joseph town). In 1948 the fortress town was renamed Josefov and incorprorated into Jaroměř.
The historic old town with distinct arcades and a Marian column designed by Matthias Braun was constructed over 1723 to 1727. There was only ever a small German-speaking minority and in 1938 the town eluded being incorporated into the Sudetenland. The following year to 1945 it was part of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
The famous painter Josef Šíma was born here in 1891.
Culture
Each summer, the city (or specifically the nearby Fortress Josefov) hosts Brutal Assault, the biggest Central European extreme metal music festival. Over 10.000 metalheads from all over Europe flood the city streets for three days each year.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Jaroměř is twinned with: