Slaný (; ) is a town in Kladno District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 17,000 inhabitants. The town is located on the stream Červený potok in the Prague Plateau. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone.

Administrative division

Slaný consists of ten municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):

  • Slaný (13,728)
  • Blahotice (27)
  • Dolín (412)
  • Kvíc (467)
  • Kvíček (790)
  • Lotouš (61)
  • Netovice (77)
  • Otruby (110)
  • Trpoměchy (154)
  • Želevčice (119)

Etymology

The word slaný literally means 'salty' in Czech. According to the Wenceslaus Hajek's chronicle records, Slaný was founded at the site of a salt spring below the hill of Slánská hora.

Geography

thumb|The hill Slánská hora

Slaný is located about north of Kladno and northwest of Prague. It lies in the Prague Plateau. The highest point and a dominant feature of the town's panorama is the hill Slánská hora at above sea level. The stream of Červený potok flows through the municipal territory from the southwest to the northeast.

History

The first written mention of Slaný is from 1262.

Transport

Slaný is situated at the crossing of the Prague–Louny and Mělník–Karlovy Vary roads, near the end of the unfinished D7 motorway.

Slaný is the terminus and starting point of the railway line from/to Kralupy nad Vltavou. The town is served by two train stations.

Education

Slaný is home to three secondary schools: Václav Beneš Třebízský Gymnasium, Dr. Edvard Beneš Business Academy, and Secondary Vocational School Slaný. There are five primary schools and also one primary art school.

Sport

Slaný is the home venue of the motorcycle speedway club AK Slaný. Motorcycle speedway is held at the Slaný Speedway Stadium in the southeast of the town. It was opened in 1950. The venue hosted the final of the 1962 Speedway World Team Cup.

Sights

thumb|Former Piarist college

The former town hall on the town square is the main landmark of the town. it is located on the site of a house that King Charles IV donated to the town in 1378. It was burned and then rebuilt several times. Its present neo-Renaissance appearance dates from the years 1895–1896. It has a high clock tower. Today it is the seat of the police and also houses an art gallery.

The second notable landmark of the town square is the former Piarist college. It was built in 1658–1665 and served students until 1939. Today it is a museum, library and cinema. The Chapel of the Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary is used for social events.

The Church of Saint Gotthard is a Gothic deanery church located on the site of a former Romanesque basilica from the 13th century. The original Renaissance baptistery dates from 1511.

Notable people

  • Josef Matěj Navrátil (1798–1865), painter
  • Václav Beneš Třebízský (1849–1884), priest and novelist; studied here
  • Jan Malypetr (1873–1947), politician, prime minister of Czechoslovakia
  • Oskar Fischer (1876–1942), psychiatrist and neuropathologist
  • Olga Scheinpflugová (1902–1968), actress and writer
  • Karel Smyczek (born 1950), film director and screenwriter
  • Eva Urbanová (born 1961), operatic soprano
  • Roman Matoušek (1964–2020), national champion speedway rider
  • Martin Procházka (born 1972), ice hockey player
  • Jiří Tlustý (born 1988), ice hockey player

Twin towns – sister cities

Slaný is twinned with:

thumb|center|700px|Slaný from the hill Slánská hora

References

  • Tourist Information Centre
  • History of the town
  • Museum of Slaný
  • Culture life in Slaný
  • Slaný – travel guide (basic facts, history, sights, day trips)