Horní Pěna Explained

Horní Pěna
Settlement Type:Municipality
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:South Bohemian
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Jindřichův Hradec
Pushpin Map:Czech Republic
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates:49.1044°N 15.0422°W
Established Title:First mentioned
Established Date:1354
Area Total Km2:14.85
Elevation M:496
Population As Of:2024-01-01
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:589
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal codes
Postal Code:377 01, 378 31

Horní Pěna (German: Oberbaumgarten) is a municipality and village in Jindřichův Hradec District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 600 inhabitants. The village of Malíkov nad Nežárkou within the municipality is well preserved and is protected by law as a village monument zone.

Administrative parts

The village of Malíkov nad Nežárkou is an administrative part of Horní Pěna.

Geography

Horní Pěna is located about 5km (03miles) south of Jindřichův Hradec and 42km (26miles) northeast of České Budějovice. It lies in the Javořice Highlands. The highest point is at 596m (1,955feet) above sea level. In addition to several small fishponds, there is Pěněnský Pond with an area of .[2]

History

The first written mention of Horní Pěna is from 1354. It was an agricultural village, later weaving and brick production developed. At the time of its establishment, the village was ethnically Czech, but gradually became predominantly German-speaking. From 1938 to 1945, Horní Pěna was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as part of the Reichsgau Niederdonau. After World War II, the German population was expelled and the village was repopulated by Czechs.[3]

Transport

The I/34 road (part of the European route E551; the section from České Budějovice to Jindřichův Hradec) briefly crosses the municipality in the west.

Sights

The main landmark of Horní Pěna is the Church of Saint Michael. It was built in the Gothic style in the first quarter of the 14th century and baroque modified in the 17th and 18th centuries. The tower was added in 1709.[4]

In Horní Pěna is the Zoo Na Hrádečku, a small zoo with more than 100 species on an area of .[5]

Malíkov nad Nežárkou is a village with well-preserved typical south Bohemian folk architecture, protected as a village monument zone.[6] In the centre of the village is the Chapel of Our Lady of Loreto. It was built in 1849.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024. Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. Web site: Ohlasy od Dřeva 3/2011. Obec Horní Pěna. 2. cs. 2022-08-29.
  3. Web site: Horní Pěna. Obec Horní Pěna. cs. 2021-09-03.
  4. Web site: Kostel sv. Michaela se hřbitovem. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-07-16.
  5. Web site: Zoo Na Hrádečku. Zoo Na Hrádečku. cs. 2021-09-22.
  6. Web site: Malíkov nad Nežárkou. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-07-16.
  7. Web site: Návesní kaple Panny Marie Loretánské. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-07-16.