Bělá nad Radbuzou explained

Bělá nad Radbuzou
Settlement Type:Town
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Plzeň
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Domažlice
Pushpin Map:Czech Republic
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates:49.5933°N 12.7133°W
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Libor Picka
Established Title:First mentioned
Established Date:1121
Area Total Km2:83.32
Elevation M:442
Population As Of:2024-01-01
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:1729
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal codes
Postal Code:345 25, 345 26

Bělá nad Radbuzou (German: Weißensulz) is a town in Domažlice District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,700 inhabitants.

Administrative parts

The villages of Bystřice, Čečín, Černá Hora, Doubravka, Hleďsebe, Karlova Huť, Nový Dvůr, Pleš, Smolov, Újezd Svatého Kříže and Železná are administrative parts of Bělá nad Radbuzou.

Etymology

Bělá nad Radbuzou got its name probably from the Radbuza River, which was called here Bílý potok ('white stream').[2]

Geography

Bělá nad Radbuzou is located about 9km (06miles) north of Domažlice and 37km (23miles) southwest of Plzeň. The town is situated at the confluence of the Radbuza River and the stream Bezděkovský potok. The built-up area lies in the Upper Palatine Forest Foothills, but most of the municipal territory lies in the Upper Palatine Forest and borders Germany in the west.

History

The first written mention of Bělá nad Radbuzou is from 1121, when the near Přimda Castle was built. Until 1600, Bělá nad Radbuzou was a part of the Přimda estate.[2] In the 16th century, it became a property of Lamminger of Albenreuth, a Bavarian noble family. In 1614 the Lamminger family built a small Renaissance castle and a brewery. After the Battle of White Mountain, in 1623, the estate was merged with Újezd Svatého Kříže and the castle ceased to serve as the seat of the estate. In 2014, the castle burned down.[3]

Transport

Bělá nad Radbuzou is located on the railway line Domažlice–Planá.[4]

Sights

The main landmark of the town centre is the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. It was built in 1721 on the site of a chapel from the late 17th century. The church was completely rebuilt into its current Neoclassical form in 1826–1846.[5]

A cultural monument is the stone bridge over the Bezděkovský potok from 1820.[6]

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic. Bělá nad Radbuzou is twinned with:[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024. Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. Web site: Historie. Město Bělá nad Radbuzou. cs. 2021-06-13.
  3. Web site: Zámek Bělá nad Radbuzou . Hrady.cz. cs. 2021-06-13.
  4. Web site: Detail stanice Bělá nad Radbuzou. České dráhy. cs. 2023-06-30.
  5. Web site: Kostel Panny Marie Bolestné. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-02-17.
  6. Web site: Silniční most. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-02-17.
  7. Web site: Základní údaje. Město Bělá nad Radbuzou. cs. 2020-08-05.