Slaný

Slaný
Town
The centre of Slaný with the St. Gotthard Church from the SE
Flag
Coat of arms
Country Czech Republic
Region Central Bohemian
District Kladno
Commune Slaný
Elevation 234 m (768 ft)
Coordinates CZ 50°13′50″N 14°4′53″E / 50.23056°N 14.08139°E / 50.23056; 14.08139Coordinates: CZ 50°13′50″N 14°4′53″E / 50.23056°N 14.08139°E / 50.23056; 14.08139
Area 35.11 km2 (13.56 sq mi)
Population 15,502 (2015-01-01)
Density 442/km2 (1,145/sq mi)
First mentioned 1239
Mayor Martin Hrabánek
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 250 11 - 274 01
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Slaný
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.meuslany.cz

The Royal town[lower-alpha 1] of Slaný (Czech pronunciation: [ˈslaniː]; German: Schlan) is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, located about 25 km northwest of Prague. The town is part of the Prague metropolitan area.

The town is situated in the Slaný Plain (the northwestern part of a geomorphologic whole called the Prague Plain). A creek called Červený potok (Red creek) flows through it from the southwest to the northeast. Its dominant feature is Slaný Hill.

History

The Bohemian Chronicle of Václav Hájek records Slaný as having been founded in 750, at the site of a salt spring below Slaný Hill. (slaný is Czech for "salty".) The Benedictines established a hospital and church in 1136. Wenceslas II chartered the settlement as a town either in 1295 or 1305. The town was captured by the Taborites in 1425, during the Hussite Wars, and remained in their hands until 1434. It also participated in the Bohemia revolt that opened the Thirty Years' War, and suffered greatly after the nearby battle of White Mountain.

Since the middle of the 19th century, Czech has been the dominant language there. Industrial development was delayed until around 1860. An important engineering factory was built in 1872 and more followed. A factory producing batteries was founded in 1918. The infrastructure and amenities of a modern city have been gradually added since the second half of the 19th century.

Slaný today

The villages of Dolín, Želevčice, Lotouš, Blahotice, Netovice, Kvíc, Kvíček, Trpoměchy and Otruby are all administrative parts of Slaný.

The town of Slaný is situated at the crossing of the Prague - Louny, Prague - Karlovy Vary roads. The Prague - Most railway also goes through the town.

Slaný a Slánská hora

Important buildings and tourist sights

Famous people

References

  1. The granting of Royal town (Královské město) status signified important privileges during medieval times.
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