Svitavy

Svitavy consists of four municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): • Lačnov (1,027) • Lány (5,803) • Město (518) • Předměstí (8,894) ==Etymology==

Svitavy was named after the river Svitava. The river's name referred to its clear water and was derived from svítat, which meant "be clear" in Old Czech. ==Geography==

Svitavy is located about southeast of Pardubice and north of Brno. It lies in the Svitavy Uplands. The highest point is at above sea level. The Svitava River originates in the municipal territory and then flows through the town proper. Apart from a few small bodies of water, there are two significant fishponds on the Svitava near the town: Svitavský rybník and Rosnička. They are the remains of the original eleven water works around the town. Rosnička was founded in the first half of the 16th century and Svitavský rybník was established in 1953. In addition to fish farming, they form a suburban recreational area. ==History==

Svitavy was founded during the colonization by Premonstratensian monks from nearby Litomyšl around 1150. They built the Church of Saint Giles and founded a settlement called Stará Svitava near an old trade route. During the second wave of colonization in around 1250, mostly German-speaking settlers came and founded another settlement called Nová Svitava. Svitavy was first mentioned in 1256 when it was taken over by the bishop of Olomouc, Bruno von Schauenburg, and this year is considered to be the year of foundation of the town. In 1389, the town walls were built. They protected the town during the Hussite Wars, however the town was conquered. Svitavy often changed owners. In the 16th century, the town flourished economically. The prosperity was interrupted by the Thirty Years' War. In 1645, the town was looted. In 1781, a large fire destroyed most of the town. During the Napoleonic and Austro-Prussian wars, the town suffered as armies passed through the town. In 1849, the railway was built, which contributed to the development of the town, especially the textile industry. Gradually, over a hundred textile factories were established. Svitavy has retained its industrial character to this day, although the structure has changed significantly. Svitavy was historically a German-speaking town with a Czech minority. At the beginning of the 20th century the town saw tensions between Czech and German speaking people. In October 1938, the town was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland. After the end of World War II in 1945, the German population was expelled as a result of the Beneš decrees. After 1945, the town was resettled by immigrants from the whole Czechoslovakia. ==Demographics==

{{historical populations ==Economy==

There are no major companies based in the town, only middle-sized employers. The largest employers in Svitavy with more than 250 employees are Fibertex Nonwovens (manufacturer and processor of industrial textiles) and Westrock Packaging Systems Svitavy (producer of cardboard packaging). ==Transport==

Svitavy is a transport hub of the area. It is well-connected by rail to other parts of the Czech Republic as it is located on the Prague–Brno railway line. It also lies on a line of local importance to Skuteč. The town has an intercity bus station with services to various destinations. Two first class roads cross just north of Svitavy: the I/43 road (part of the European route E461), which connects the town with Brno, and the I/35 road (part of the European route E442), which replaces the unfinished section of the D35 motorway from Olomouc to the Hradec Králové Region. ==Culture==

The Czech Esperanto Association is based in the town. It is a follower of several clubs from the first half of the 20th century, re-established in 1969. It co-organizes regional Esperanto meetings, organizes Children's Days, and manages the Esperanto Museum in Svitavy. Since 2011, Svitavy hosts the annual music festival Rosnička. The Town Museum and Gallery was founded in 1894 and it is based in its current premises since 1947. It includes permanent exhibition "From the History of Washing Technology" and an exhibition about the life of local native Oskar Schindler. The multifunctional cultural centre Fabrika was created by reconstruction of a former textile factory from 1926. It is a social centre with a theatre hall and a library. ==Sport==

Svitavy is known for the basketball club Tuři Svitavy. Until the relegation in 2024, it played in the National Basketball League (top Czech league). The stadium Svitavský stadion hosts football and athletics. The town is home to the football club TJ Svitavy, which plays in lower amateur tiers. Motorcycle speedway is held in the western outskirts of the town at the Areál Chihelna Svitavy. The stadium held a final round of the Czechoslovak Individual Speedway Championship from 1967 to 1973 and continues to hold qualifying races for the event. ==Sights==

Svitavy has a valuable historical core. Its centre includes the almost long main square with architecturally noteworthy civic buildings. It is the fourth longest square in the Czech Republic and has the second longest arcade in the country. The Renaissance houses from the 16th century were reconstructed in the Baroque style after the fire in 1781. The town walls from 1389 were demolished during the 19th century. A semi-circular bastion is the only remnant. Langer's Villa houses the present town hall. It is historicist building with rich stucco ornamentation, built in 1892. It was designed by architect Germano Wanderley, who also designed the Ottendorfer House. The house belonged to one of the richest families in Svitavy, local businesspeople. During the Depression, it was rented out to the town treasury, which in turn in 1933 rented the house to the town authorities, who bought the house and transferred the town hall to it. ==Notable people==

• Hermann Edler von Zeissl (1817–1884), Austrian dermatologist • Oswald Ottendorfer (1826–1900), German-American journalist, editor and philanthropist • Alexander Makowsky (1833–1908), Austrian botanist, geologist and paleontologist • Maximilian Felzmann (1894–1962), Austrian general • Oskar Schindler (1908–1974), German industrialist credited with saving almost 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust • Heidi Lück (born 1943), German politician • Jiří Pernes (1948–2025), historian • Jan Moravec (born 1987), footballer ==Twin towns – sister cities==

Svitavy is twinned with: • Lądek-Zdrój, Poland • Perechyn, Ukraine • Stendal, Germany • Strzelin, Poland • Žiar nad Hronom, Slovakia ==References==