Knovíz

Municipality in Central Bohemian, Czech Republic

Flag

Coat of arms

50°12′46″N 14°8′13″E / 50.21278°N 14.13694°E / 50.21278; 14.13694Country

Czech RepublicRegionCentral BohemianDistrictKladnoFirst mentioned1088Area

• Total4.23 km² (1.63 sq mi)Elevation

228 m (748 ft)Population

(2023-01-01)^[1]

• Total589 • Density140/km² (360/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal code

274 01

Websitewww.knoviz.cz

Knovíz (Czech pronunciation: [ˈknoviːs]) is a municipality and village in Kladno District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 600 inhabitants. It gave its name to the Knovíz culture.

Etymology

The name is derived from the personal name Knovid, meaning "Knovid's (court)".^[2]

Geography

Knovíz is located about 7 kilometres (4 mi) north of Kladno and 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Prague. It lies in an agricultural landscape in the Prague Plateau.

History

The territory of today's Knovíz was inhabited already in the Neolithic period, which is proven by finds dating back about 6000 years. The Knovíz culture, an archeological culture of Bronze Age, is named after this site.^[3]

The first written mention of Knovíz is from 1088, when King Vratislaus II donated the village to the Vyšehrad Chapter. Among the most notable owners of the village were the House of Schwarzenberg.^[3]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1869	399	—
1880	428	+7.3%
1890	488	+14.0%
1900	605	+24.0%
1910	745	+23.1%

Year	Pop.	±%
1921	695	−6.7%
1930	737	+6.0%
1950	643	−12.8%
1961	602	−6.4%
1970	543	−9.8%

Year	Pop.	±%
1980	477	−12.2%
1991	456	−4.4%
2001	509	+11.6%
2011	549	+7.9%
2021	570	+3.8%

Source: Censuses^[4]^[5]

Transport

The D7 motorway from Prague to Chomutov passes through the municipality.

The railway line Louny–Kralupy nad Vltavou runs through the municipality, but there is no train stop. The municipality is served by the stop in neighbouring Podlešín.

Sights

The landmark of Knovíz is the Church of All Saints. It was originally an early Gothic building from the 14th century. The massive tower was added in the 18th century. The church was completely rebuilt in the 19th century. Next to the church is Hus' Pulpit, a sandstone formation where, according to legend, Jan Hus preached on his way to Konstanz.^[6]^[7]

Notable people

Alois Pravoslav Trojan (1815–1893), lawyer and politician
Jan Švankmajer (born 1934), filmmaker and artist; had a studio here

Gallery

Municipal office
Centre of Knovíz
Hus' Pulpit

References

^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 2023-05-23.
^ Profous, Antonín (1949). Místní jména v Čechách II: CH–L (in Czech). pp. 263–264.
^ ^a ^b "Historie" (in Czech). Obec Knovíz. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Kladno" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 5–6.
^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
^ "Pro návštěvníky a turisty" (in Czech). Obec Knovíz. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
^ "Kostel Všech svatých" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2023-03-10.