Jičín

Jičín (; or Gitschin) is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 16,000 inhabitants. The town is located in the Jičín Uplands on the Cidlina River.

Jičín's history is connected with Albrecht von Wallenstein who had rebuilt the town, and many sights bear his name. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument reservation. The town is connected with the fairy tale character Rumcajs and hosts a fairy tale-themed festival every year.

Administrative division

Jičín consists of 12 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):

Dvorce (33)
Holínské Předměstí (2,013)
Hubálov (68)
Moravčice (18)
Nové Město (4,659)
Popovice (405)
Pražské Předměstí (244)
Robousy (548)
Sedličky (216)
Soudná (209)
Staré Město (507)
Valdické Předměstí (6,984)

Etymology

The origin of the name Jičín is unknown, but according to the most probable hypotheses, it was derived from the German name of Queen Judith of Habsburg Guta, or from Dičín, derived from the Old Czech word dík (meaning 'wild boar', of which many lived here).

Geography

Jičín is located about northwest of Hradec Králové and northeast of Prague. It lies in the heart of the Jičín Uplands. The highest point is the hill Zebín at above sea level. The Cidlina River flows through the town. Several other small watercourses also flow through the municipal territory, including the streams Valdický potok, Popovický potok, Úlibický potok and Trnávka. There are five fishponds in the territory, the largest of which is Šibeňák. Ponds Kníže and Šibeňák are located right in the urban area.

Jičín is sometimes called "Gate to the Bohemian Paradise", however the territory of the Bohemian Paradise region begins beyond the borders of the Jičín municipal territory. In the northern part there are two nature monuments: Zebín (comprising the hill's peak) and Libosad-obora (comprising the whole Libosad park).

History

thumb|Valdštejnský Castle

The area of Jičín has been inhabited for almost 8,000 years thanks to the convenient geographical and climatic conditions. The settlement in the area of today's town is first mentioned in 1143 in deed of foundation of the Strahov Monastery. The town of Jičín was founded in the 13th century on the place of the village Staré Místo near the Veliš Castle. It was moved northward to its present location shortly afterward, which was better protected by the Cidlina River. The first written mention of Jičín comes from a document by Queen Judith of Habsburg, the wife of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, dated 1 August 1293. The town was built with a regular street layout around a rectangular square and was surrounded by wooden fortifications with reinforced bastions and a trench.

In 2019, the village of Hubálov, originally part of Tuř, was joined to Jičín. The transfer of the entire cadastral territory is unique in the modern history of the country.

Demographics

Transport

Jičín lies at the crossroad of two main road: the I/16 (the section from Mladá Boleslav to Trutnov) and the I/35 (the section from Liberec to Hradec Králové). The I/32 road splits from the I/16 and connects Jičín with the D1 motorway.

Jičín is located on the railway lines Prague–Turnov and Hradec Králové–Turnov.

Culture

Jičín is connected with the popular fairy tale character, Robin Hood-like robber Rumcajs. The town hosts the annual festival called "Jičín – The Town of Fairy Tale", established in 1990.

Sights

thumb|The loggia in the Libosad park

The historic centre is built around a rectangular square with a regular Gothic street layout, remnants of fortifications and arcade Renaissance and Baroque houses.

The historic core is formed by the square Valdštejnovo náměstí, where is the Valdštejnský Castle. The castle houses the Regional Museum and Gallery, a library and a primary art school, among others. There is also a castle park. Next to the castle is the Church of Saint James the Great. The church, intended as a seat of a never-established bishopric, has never been completed, so it lacks a spire and a cupola.

North of the town is the Baroque summer house of Albrecht von Wallenstein called Valdštejnská lodžie ('Wallenstein's loggia'). The original game park around it is nowadays a park called Libosad. The loggia is connected with the town by a -long alley of linden trees.

Erbach im Odenwald, Germany
Martin, Slovakia
Świdnica County, Poland

Gallery

Jicin1.jpg|Valdštejnovo Square with the Valdice Gate and the castle

Czechia, Jicin, Wallenstein's square aerial.jpg|View of the Valdštejnovo náměstí from the Valdice Gate

Czechia, Jicin, Wallenstein's alley.jpg|Linden alley connecting the Libosad park with the centre

Robousy - kostel Nalezení svatého Kříže.jpg|Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross in Robousy