Malé Svatoňovice Explained

Malé Svatoňovice
Settlement Type:Municipality
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Hradec Králové
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Trutnov
Pushpin Map:Czech Republic
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates:50.5342°N 16.0503°W
Established Title:First mentioned
Established Date:1357
Area Total Km2:6.74
Elevation M:441
Population As Of:2024-01-01
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:1591
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:542 34

Malé Svatoňovice (in Czech pronounced as /ˈmalɛː ˈsvatoɲovɪtsɛ/; German: Klein Schwadowitz) is a municipality and village in Trutnov District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,600 inhabitants. It is known as the birthplace of writer Karel Čapek.

Administrative parts

The villages of Odolov, Petrovice and Strážkovice are administrative parts of Malé Svatoňovice.

Geography

Malé Svatoňovice is located about 10km (10miles) southeast of Trutnov and 38km (24miles) northeast of Hradec Králové. It lies in the Broumov Highlands, in the microregion of Jestřebí hory. The highest point is at 714m (2,343feet) above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Svatoňovice is from 1357. From the 18th century, flax was grown in the vicinity of the village and the linen industry developed. In 1826, Svatoňovice was divided into Velké Svatoňovice and Malé Svatoňovice, but they merged again in 1850. Since 1880, they have been divided into two separate municipalities.[2]

Transport

In the municipality is a large railway station, originally built for use in the coal mining industry in 1857–1859.[3] Malé Svatoňovice lies on an interregional railway line from Prague to Trutnov and on a regional line from Hradec Králové to Svoboda nad Úpou.[4]

Sights

On the square of Malé Svatoňovice is the Baroque Church of Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary from 1734. The church was built on the site of seven springs with allegedly healing effects and became a pilgrimage site. The springs now rise in a chapel, which was built in 1732. The church was rebuilt into its current form in 1830–1831. In the upper part of the municipality are stations of the Cross with seven chapels.[5]

There is the Čapek Brothers Museum in the birth house of Karel Čapek. Karel's brother Josef was the first Czech Cubist and some of his work is also displayed in the museum.[6]

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024. Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. Web site: Program rozvoje obce Malé Svatoňovice. Obec Malé Svatoňovice. 16. cs. 2024-02-05.
  3. Web site: Výročí 160 let provozu trati Jaroměř – Česká Skalice – Malé Svatoňovice. Železniční muzeum Výtopna Jaroměř. cs. 2019-05-27. 2021-09-22.
  4. Web site: Detail stanice Malé Svatoňovice. České dráhy. cs. 2023-06-14.
  5. Web site: Poutní kostel Sedmi radostí Panny Marie a Studánka. Obec Malé Svatoňovice. cs. 2021-09-22.
  6. Web site: Muzeum bratří Čapků. Obec Malé Svatoňovice. cs. 2021-09-22.