Nový Bydžov (; ) is a town in Hradec Králové District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 7,200 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone and the Vysočany part of Nový Bydžov is protected as a village monument zone.
Administrative division
thumb|Centre of Vysočany
Nový Bydžov consists of eight municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):
- Nový Bydžov (5,581)
- Chudonice (504)
- Nová Skřeněř (62)
- Skochovice (204)
- Stará Skřeněř (129)
- Vysočany (76)
- Zábědov (325)
- Žantov (16)
Geography
Nový Bydžov is located about west of Hradec Králové. It lies in a flat agricultural landscape of the East Elbe Table. The highest point is the hill Velký Borek at above sea level. The town is situated on the Cidlina River.
History
The first written mention of Nový Bydžov is from 1305, when it was a royal town of King Wenceslaus II. In 1325, King John of Bohemia sold it to the Wartemberg family. In 1516 the property passed into the hands of the Pernštejn family, and during their rule the town prospered and gained new privileges. With the permission of the nobility, the Jewish population settled in the town. From 1548, Nový Bydžov was owned by the Waldstein family.
In 1569, Nový Bydžov was exempt by payment from servitude and became the royal dowry town. The development of the town was stopped by the Thirty Years' War.
Economy
The largest employer with headquarters in the town is Datwyler Sealing Technologies CZ, a manufacturer of rubber products. It employs more than 500 people.
Transport
Nový Bydžov is located on the regional railway line Kolín–Trutnov and on a local railway line heading from Městec Králové to Lomnice nad Popelkou.
Culture
Since the 1840s, the town is known for its annual student celebrations called merenda.
The most valuable building is the Church of Saint Lawrence from the early 14th century. It is a unique example of a preserved Gothic church unaffected by reconstructions. In the eastern part of the town is the Church of Saint James the Great, built in the late Baroque style in 1768–1775.
- Brezno, Slovakia
- Cascinette d'Ivrea, Italy
- Nădlac, Romania