Starý Plzenec

Starý Plzenec (IPA2|ˈstari: ˈpl̩zɛnɛts; _de. Altpilsen) is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies some Unit length|km|9 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 settlemet 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 cenrury 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

*citation
last = Czech Statistical Office
year = 2005
title = Vybrané údaje podle správních obvodů obcí s rozšířenou působností a správních obvodů obcí s pověřeným obecním úřadem k 31. 12. 2005
url = http://www.czso.cz/xp/redakce.nsf/i/B78124165F6D1D93C1256F1800285EDB/$File/1-vybr.xls
accessdate = 2005-03-08