Jeseník (; until 1947 Frývaldov; ) is a spa town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 10,000 inhabitants. The town is located in a hilly lansdcape on the Bělá River.

Jeseník was founded in the 13th century and its development was connected with iron one mining and processing. The town is known for the Priessnitz Medical Spa, founded here by Vincenz Priessnitz in 1822 as the world's first hydrotherapy institute.

Administrative division

Jeseník consists of three municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):

  • Jeseník (8,869)
  • Bukovice (1,546)
  • Dětřichov (128)

Etymology

The original name of Jeseník was Freiwaldau/Frývaldov, deriving from German frei vom Walde, meaning "free from the woods". The name first appeared in Latin documents under the name Vriwald and later as Vrowald, Vrienwalde and Freynwalde. The Czech name of Frývaldov was a phonetic transcription of the German name.

After World War II, the town was renamed along with many other towns containing German elements in their names. It is named after the surrounding mountains, which are called Hrubý Jeseník or Jeseníky.

Geography

thumb|View of Jeseník

Jeseník is located about north of Olomouc, in the historical land of Czech Silesia. It lies at the confluence of the Bělá River and the Staříč Stream. The valley of these watercourses belongs to the Zlatohorská Highlands. The southern part of the municipal territory is situated in the Hrubý Jeseník mountain range. The northern part extends to the Golden Mountains. The highest point of the municipal territory is the Velké Bradlo mountain at above sea level.

History

thumb|Water Fortress

13th century

The first written mention of Jeseník is from 1267.

In 1938, Jeseník was ceded to Nazi Germany as a result of the Munich Agreement. It was administered as a part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland. During World War II, the German occupiers operated several forced labour subcamps of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner-of-war camp in the town. The town was restored to Czechoslovakia after the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II in 1945. The German population was expelled according to the Potsdam Agreement and Beneš Decrees in 1945.

In 1950, Bukovice and Dětřichov were joined to Jeseník. floods.

Demographics

Economy

The town is known for the Priessnitz Medical Spa. Vincenz Priessnitz founded here the world's first hydrotherapy institute in 1822. Today the spa forms large spa resort on the northern outskirts of the town. The spa is visited by people from all over Europe.

Transport

thumb|Train station in Jeseník

Jeseník is located on the railway lines Šumperk–Jeseník and Krnov–Jeseník.

Sights

thumb|Tomb of Vincenz Priessnitz

Jeseník is poor in historical monuments. The oldest and most important monument in the town is the Jeseník Water Fortress. This Gothic castle from the 13th century was first documented in 1374. Since 1989, it has been owned by the state and houses the regional museum with permanent exhibitions on regional history, Northern Moravia witch trials, and geomorphology.

There are several monuments in the town associated with the most important native, Vincenz Priessnitz. The tomb of Vincenz Priessnitz was built in 1853 and is today a protected heritage site. In 1909, the Monument to Vincenz Priessnitz was unveiled. It is large and the statue of a healer measures . Today, his birth house is a museum of his life and work, administered by the regional museum.

The Polish Monument is a valuable sculpture from the 1890s documenting the importance of the local spa. At its top is a bronze crowned eagle with outstretched wings on a sphere. During the renovation in 2005, notes were discovered in its foundation, which contained a protest against the Partitions of Poland.

  • Bojnice, Slovakia
  • Głuchołazy, Poland
  • Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
  • Nysa, Poland

Jeseník also cooperates with Prague 1 in the Czech Republic.