Náchod

History of the town

The town was founded around the 13th century and its purpose was initially to protect the old trade route that led from Prague to Kladsko. A pass with a narrowing path, called Branka, was chosen for the location of Náchod. Historically, the first documented written mention of Náchod mentions the year 1254, when it was still a market village.

The establishment of Náchod was planned, which means that the town is built on a regular colonization plan. At the beginning of the 14th, the city was surrounded by walls with two other fortification lines, which stretched to the local castle.

In later years, the owners of the castle changed quite often. They include, for example, Jan Lucemburský or President Jan Kolda of Žampach. At the time when the owners of the estate were the Smiřič family from Smiřice, the original castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau, which was a symbol of the new expansion of the town of Náchod.

However, the favorable development of the town was interrupted by the Thirty Years' War and the manor began to change owners quite often. Large reconstructions took place here in the Baroque period and very fundamental changes during the 19th century. At that time, industry was developing in Náchod, a municipal self-government was established and a railway line was introduced here. The population grew again, and with it the workforce. Education and construction developed.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Náchod was one of the strongest cotton centers in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and even earned the nickname "Manchester East".

Sights and interesting places

The biggest attraction of Náchod is undoubtedly the local chateau, which can be reached via the castle moat with bears Ludvík and Máša. In the city, the church of St. Lawrence, Baroque and Neo-Renaissance town hall or Regional Museum.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová