Poděbrady - History and town's guide
 
The history of Poděbrady reaches back to primeval times, long before the beginnings of the Czech state. A long-distance trade route running from Prague to eastern Bohemia and then on to Silesia and Poland passed through the then forested landscape interwoven wit a dense network of river branches. This important communication intersected the River Elbe to the west of the present town - at the place called Na vinici.

An nacient community and a small fortress originated near the ford. It is most likely that the position of this community is reflected in the present name of the town - Poděbrady - "pode brody" = below the ford.

The existence of the Slavník castle site at nearby Libice nad Cidlinou undoubledly had an influence on the development of the community. The Slavonic metropolis of eastern Bohemia originated in 995 thanks to the Prague members of the Přemyslid family. This was the cause of the division of the previous Slavník principality into smaller administrative wholes. One of them was Poděbrady. The name Poděbrady has appeared in written materials approximately wince the mid-12th century in connection with the aristocratic Sezemice and later Hroznatý families.

In the latter half of the 13th century Poděbrady fell into the hands of King Přemysl Otakar II as an escheat. In the years 1262 to 1268 this king built a stone water castle on the site of an older fortified seat in a strategic position on the Elbe. In its outer bailey a new settlement agglommeration was formed where the castle domestics, the first merchants and craftsmen lived. Poděbrady changed into a tributatory town, which was, however, often the object of the interest of Czech rulers. Apart from other things the reason for this lay in the attractive possibilities of hinting in the local meadow forests, enhanced by the small distance of the hunting-grounds from Prague. The ranks of the rulers who visited Poděbrady included King Přemysl Otakar II. it is said that he was born at nearby Městec Králové, was travelling to Prague. Poděbrady also acted as host to King Václav II and John of Luxembourg.

The Poděbrady estate experienced its greatest period of flourish at the time of the lords of Kunštát, who gained it from Charles IV in the so-called "gentlemanly feoff". Six generations of family improved their property (from 1345 to 1495). The most soutstanding member of this family was Jiří of Poděbrady, who was elected Czech king in 1458. This brilliant diplomat (sometimes called the Hussite king) was the first European politician to try to found a peace union of European rulers. On his order Poděbrady was raised to a town in 1472 and granted important rights, privileges and a town emblem.

During the reign of Ferdinand I the town flourished once again. In the course of his visit to Poděbrady in 1539 the emperor expressed his appreciation of the hunting opportunities in its environs, redeemed the estate and decided to incorporate it in the so-called royal chamber estate.

In the first half of the 17th century, during the Thirty Years' War, the town (similarly as the region as a whole) fell victim to attacks by Swedish and Saxon troops, accompanied by fires. However, the greatest fire hit Poděbrady in 1681, when the Town Hall and the greater part of the still wooden houses were razed to the ground. After these events an order was issued to the effect that masonry-built houses were to be erected in the square under the threat of the loss of the brewing right in the case of failure to adhere to this decree. in a short space of time the charecter of the town changed. The fortification walls were demolished and the disches were filled-in with ash from fire-destroyed buildings.

In the mid-18th century Maria Theresa manifested interest in the imperial chateau dates from that time. The imperial couple really did visit Poděbrady several times.

During the reign of Joseph II only retired officers of the imperial army were accommodated in the chateau, which had previously been intended for use as barracks.

After the fires of 1800 and 1832 the remainders of the gates disappeated and new streets were built on the sites of the former fortification wall. The Renaissance square, lined until that time with onestoreyed burghers' houses with arcades, thereupon lost its charm. In 1840 the Poděbrady estate was purchased by a banker by the name of Jiří Sina of Vienna. His grand-niece Princess Chariclea née Ypsillanti and her husband Filip Hohenlohe Schillingsfürst settled velopment also benefitted the town. The prince's friendship with the brothers Gerhar, who were entrepreneurs, was allegedly the cause of the origin of the glass industry in a region without a raw material base and glass-making traditions.

A historic milestone in the life of the town was the year 1905, when it was visited by the German estate owner Prince von Büllow. This well-known water diviner found in the inner courtyard signs of a strong spring, which was later really bored to a depth od 97,6 metres. The discovery of carbonic mineral water resulted in the openig of the first spa season already in 1908. After World War I Poděbrady rapidly changed into a spa town which from 1926 specialized in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, rapidly gaining renown not only in this country, but also abroad.
 
A SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF THE TOWN
 
THE CHATEAU
Poděbrady Chateau, originally a castle, was perhaps founded in the first half of the 12th century. At that time, after the fall of the powerful Slavník principality and the extinction of the Vrš, unknown oxners of the Poděbrady territory built a fortified seat on a cretaceous marly limestone rock overlooking the River Elbe. When Poděbrady was ranked among the royal estates as an escheat during the reign of Přemysl Otakar II a stone water castle was built here at which the sovereign and his whole court resided from time to time. The castle was one of a number of strategic places on the Elbe whose purpose was to defend Prague against enemy attacks from the east and the north-east.
In the 14th century the Poděbrady estate fell into the hands of important Moravian noblemen - the lords of Kunštát, who improved the defence ability of their seat to a considerable extenet. During their ownership the castle was newly rebuilt and perfectly fortified during the 14th and in the early 15th century. Apart from other things, its already existing moats were widened, being supplied with water from a swelling weir.

The next, Rensiassance reconstruction of the castle was carried out during the reign of the Emperor Ferdinand I in the latter half of the 16th century. The work was headed by the italian architect G. B. Aostalli de Sala, who converted the castle into a comfortable summer hunting seat. This reconstruction, similarly as the one which preceded it, eliminated the results of Maria Theresa's previous reconstruction.

The chateau did not lose its new appearance even when in the possession of its last private owners, who from 1885 to 1912 were Count A. F. Hohenlohe of Schillingsfürst and his wife Chariclea née Ypsillanti.

The present appearance of the chateau is thus the result of several thorough reconstructions - from a water catle, a medieval fortress and a Renaissance royal seat up to a Late Baroque building intended to fulfil military purposes during the reign of Josef II.
 
A SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF THE CHATEAU
 

Only two interiors in the whole chateau are now accessible to the public, namely the restored medieval chapel and the neighbouring so-called family hall of King Jiří (George of Poděbrady).

The chateau is entered from the square through a gate with three stucco emblems of the mid-16th century. On the sides of the twoheaded Habsburg eagle are the emblems of the kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary. Situated above the vaulted gateway were small windows with pulleys by means of which the original drawbridge was raised across the moat. Behind the gate lies the outer bailey, whose buildings were erected on the site of the former medieval fortification walls as late as the 16th century. In the outer bailey there used to be a kitchen, an ice-room, bakeries, a forge, stables and cowsheds. The chateau staff and domestics also lived here. In past years the northern wing of out-buildings was converted into a theatre, which is now awaiting recontruction. The square Renaissance turret in the conrner of the southern part of the courtyard, from where there is a view of the River Elbe, was once a Reanaissance waterworks. From here we pass through a gate to the second courtyard. The ground-floors of the northern and southern wings have been preserved of the original buildings of the royal Přemyslid castle of the 13th century.

The most important part of the old castle is the Gothic tower - a watch tower - which connects up with the northern wing. The round structure had a gallery on its upper part and a tent roof. The tower served as a prison from the Middle Ages and access to it was gained by means of a bridge from the gallery of the parkan. Prisoners were lowered into it on a rope. During the reign of Vladislav Jagiello thirteen leaders of the Kutná Hora miners were imprisoned here. Similarly as the other buildings, the tower was originally lower. In the mid-18th century it was raised by the addition of brick storexs and provided with a Baroque helmet. The stone masonry of the watch tower is remarkably thick, being 3,6 metres. The diameter of the tower is ten metres.

Poděbrady Castle was besieged three times: in 1402 and 1420 by the troops of the Emperor Sifismund and by the Hussite camps and orphans in 1426. It was never conquered, however.

Opposite the tower, in a small projection in the coutyard, which originated during the Renaissance reconstruction, there is well dug in a cretaceous marly limestone rock. It is thirteen metres deep and was once the only source of quality drinking water for the chateau and the town as a whole. Behind the well, on the northern side of the southern wing of the chateau, traces of the arches of the walled-in Renaissance arcades of the mid-16th century can be seen. Only the tower and the lower part of the palace on the Elbe side remained after the Renaissance reconstruction. The newly built western wing was intended exclusively for the accommodation of the king and his entourage during their visits to Poděbrady.

In the passageway through which we entered the courtyard note should also be taken of the memorial table recalling the discovery of the first of the Poděbrady mineral springs by the water diviner K. Büllov of Botkamp. The spring, which was bored here in 1905, spurted forth from a depth of 96,7 metres. The side of the bore is now covered with an iron lid.
From the inner coutyard we now ascend the steps leading to the catle chapel and with it the neighbouting so-called family hall of King George of Poděbrady. Both restored interiors are now under the administration of the Elbe Valley Musem at Poděbrady. The chapel is decorated with the remainders of Late Gothic frescos with religious time and personality of King George of Poděbrady and especially his peace efforts.

According to an ancient tradition the later Czech king George of Poděbrady was born in the next room. The exposition in this interior brings to mind the work of the outstanding Czech sculptor B. Schnirch, who sculpted the equestrian statue of King George in the square. In the accessible castle cellarage there are boats hollowedout from a single trunk. They date from the time of the Slavník ruling family of Libice. Also on display are stone balls from the Hussite wars, recovered from the Elbe, and other exhibits.

KING GEORGE SQUARE
 
This square is the oldest part of the town and it has always heen a martet centre. An old trade route running to Hradec Králové passed this way from time immemorial. The present apperance of the buildings is the result of their historical development. Their ground-plans are of medieval origin. Some old houseshave a preserved Renaissance core and in some cases some of the multi-floor stone cellars have remained. Beer was once stored on their lower floors. Butchers´stalls used to stand in the square.
The picturesque Renaissance arcading amd colourful facades of the houses of the 16th and 17th centuries fell victim particularly to the fires of 1800 and 1832. After its general reconstruction in 1993 the square gained a new, interesting appearance.
 
THE EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF KING GEORGE
 
The equestrian statue of King George of Poděbrady, the work of Bohuslav Schnirch, ranks among the most outstanding Czech monumental  sculptures of the 19th century. It originated in a wholly unique way, dor it was hammered from copper plates fixed on a steel bearing structure. Originally installed at the Jubilee and Ethnographical Exhibition in Prague, the statue was solemnly unveiled at Poděbrady in 1896.
 
THE MARIAN COLUMN
 
The Marian column was raised in the square as a monument to the plaque which raged in the town in 1714. It dates in 1765 and is most likely the work of the Poděbrady Baroque sculptor Josef Bergman. On the top of the column there is a statue The Mother of God and the column is surrounded by four figures of saints (St. Wenceslas, St. Adalbert, St. Procopius and St. Florian).
HOUSE NO. 37/I
 
This house with a segmented gable and an oriel is a protected monument. It dates in 1659, a fact documented by the date on the coping stone inside. The brewers' emblem situated in the same place is also worthy of note.
 
HOUSE NO. 17/I
 
Franz Kafka stayed for some time in this corner house, from which his mother Julie née Löwyová came.
 
THE OLD TOWN HALL - BUILDING NO. 41
 
The Old Town Hall (now the Municipal Popular Library) was built to replace the burned-out Town Hall building which once stood on the site of the Záložna Hotel. In 1775 the town purchased a burgher's house of the 16th century for the purpose and in 1814 had a tower added to it. The building has remained practically unchanged since that  time. The bell in the tower summoned the councillors to council meetings and later served to inform the town's inhabitants of the occurrence of a fire. It served Town Hall purposes untill World War II. The memorial tablet situated on the facade of the building brings to mind the revivalist poet and dramatist František Turinský, who was born here. The tablet is the work of the sculptor Bohuslav Schnirch.
 
HOUSE NO. 43 (THE HOUSEIN WHICH LUDVÍK KUBA WAS BORN)
 
The memorial tablet on this house (now a café) informs us that Ludvík Kuba, a Czech painter, musician, wrinter and ethnographer, was born here in 1863. His artistic work comprises landscapes, still life studies and portraints and it was important for the development of Czech late impressionism and colouristic painting.
 
THE HOSPITAL - BUILDING NO. 67/III
 
This ancient ground-floor building at the end of the lane called Na dláždění, standing next to the museum, was built in 1444 and maintained by the endowment of Kunhuta of Štenberk - the first wife of King George of Poděbrady - as a hospital. Poverty-stricken old women with the duty of uttering daily prayers for the health of the Hapsburg family still lived here in the 17th century. The building gained its present appearance in the first half of the 18th century. It now serves the purposes of the museum.
THE MUSEUM - BUILDING NO. 68/III
 
The Poděbrady Museum originated thanks to a local pharmacist by the name of Jan Hellich (1850-1931). This notable researcher in the branches of archeology, natural history and history bequeathed his extensive collections to the museum society. The present exposition acquaints the visitor with the primeval age and the natural features and medieval history of the Poděbrady region. A smaller part of the exposition is devoted to the history of  balneology at Poděbrady. The most varied specialized literature devoted to the Poděbrady region can be purchased at the museum.
 
THE DECANAL CHURCH OF THE RAISING OF THE HOLY ROOD
 
The oldest part of the church - the presbytery - dates in the mid-14th century. The present appearance of the building is the result of several reconstructions, the most marked of which was carried out in the years 1552 to 1565. At that time the nave of the church was of the triple-naved hall type and had a Late Gothic vault. This work was realized by G. B. Aostalli de Sala of Italy, court architect to the Emperor Ferdinad I, who carried out the reconstruction of Poděbrady Chateau for the emperor. The church steeple originated in 1814 and was subjected to more important architectural modifications in Neo-Gothic style in 1898.
Situated in the corner of the first nave of the church is a wooden tablet bearing a copy of the inscription on the tomb of Kunhuta of Šternberk, who was buried here in 1449. The tombstone with a relief of a kneeling man, situated a short distance away, covered the grave of G. B. Aostalli, who was interred here.
The Baroque pulpit dates in 1732 and the high altar, hammered from copper and silvered, is Late Baroque. It was built as a copy of the altar at the well-known Mariazell place of pilgrimage in Austria. The remarkable features in the interior of the church include the Renaissance font and two large Baroque paintings of the 18th century. The Crucifixion by s Czech painter from Petr Brandl's circle and St. Rosalie by allied Karel Škréta. The other furnishings of the church are mainly Neo-Gothic.
 
THE DEANERY - HOUSE NO. 23
 
The original deanery building originated in the 17th century. On its facade there is a memorial tablet with a bust recalling the founder of Czech fruit-growing, the priest Matěj Rösslen, who lived in the years 1795 to 1829. This extraordinary man cultivated some 2.000 species of fruit trees in the place called "Sanspereil" on the border of Poděbrady!
 
WALKS THROUGH PODĚBRADY AND ITS NEAR ENVIRONS
 
ON THE COLONNADE AND IN THE PARK
 
From King George Square we make our way via Divadelní Street directly to the station of Czech Railways (ČD). In a moment we are confronted with a view of the park and the Colonnade. On the left side, below the metal pavilion, there used to be the Eliška Spring. Behind it we pass the ground-floor building of the Colonnade with a concert pavilion, a spa dinning-room and a café. Situated opposite it is the summer spa, where the oldest spa building of 1908 stands. The tall building beyond the cross-roads opposite the flower clock belongs to the most important spa institute, called "Libenský" after the outstanding cadiologist Professor Václav Libenský, who worked here from 1926. Lying behind this intitute is the Bellevue Tlapák Hotel along with othor spa buildings. On the left, directly in front of the station, is the Trnka mineral spring. From here we follow the park paths back to the square, passing round the building of the roofed Professor Libenský Colonnade of 1934 with another mineral spring. Professor Libenský Colonnade of 1934 with another mineral spring. Interesting trees, supplemented with a number of artistic sculptures, can be seen in the park.
 
TO THE RIVER SKUPICE AND NEUMANN PARK
 
From the Colonnade we pass through Lázeňská Street, turn to the right across Rieger Square with a mineral spring (the Rieger Spring) and walk along Komenský Street. At the place where it forms a cross-roads with Palacký Street we turn to the left, pass between the museum and the church and then continue to the left to a blind branch of the River Skupice, which we shall follow on the side facing, the town. This blind branch is valuable territory from the aspect of natural history. Research in this branch was carried out here under the supervision of workers of the National Museum already in the 19th century. Situated at the end of the branch is the small "Čábelna" recreation centre offering the possibility of bathing. We make our way on to a wide asphalt path, where we turn right and pass by the camp till we come to the River Elbe. From here we can either turn right to the " Na střenici" Restaurant and the golf course (see the walk to Libice), or return to the town.
 
TO THE ENLOSURE AND THE ELBE VALLEY
 
From King George Square we head for the road bridge spanning the Elbe, which continues as a stone inundation bridge of 1831. In view of its twenty-six arches it represented an exceptional construction work at its time. From the road bridge we descend a flight of steps on the right and reach the level of the river. Note should be taken of the marks indicating the heights of the flood waters in the past 130 years. We now continue along the inundation bridge to the miners´church consecrated to The Assumption of Our Lady, passing an old wooden belfry on our way.
 
THE MINERS´CHURCH
 
This church stands on the site where ten leaders of the uprising of Kutná Hora miners were unjustly executed in 1496. In order to commemorate this tragic event a wooden church was erected here already in 1516, being replaced with a stone building in the mid-17th century. The present Neo-Gothic appearance of the church is the result of its reconstruction in 1896. The sculptures on its facade are the work of the sculptor Bohusla v Schnirch.
According to a legend drops of blood fell from an oak tree during the execution and from then on it produced acorns in the form of a headless body. The oak tree grew here until 1777 and some of its acorns are still deposited in the Poděbrady museum.
Near the church we can see a well - a reminder of a no longer existing spring of ferrungineuous water (populary called bloody water). Jan Amos Komenský (Comenius) also made mention of its discovery. From 1722 until the founding of the Poděbrady carbonic baths in 1908 the spring was used in small baths with several cabins built here.
Beyond the miners´ church begins an enclosure, founded four hundred years ago by the Emperor Ferdinad I. In the late 19th century attempst were made to acclimatize ostriches, kangaroos, antelopes and other exotic animals here. On the left side we can see the area of the Riding Club. The race course with a grandstand is situated a little further on.
Running through the enclosure from the miners´ church in the direction of the cemetery is a path alongside which there is a sports stadium and a restaurant built in Swiss frame style with a music pavilion of 1908. It was once a popular destination of  an excursion made by spa guests. From here we continue along the Prague road, passing round a peat lake, where peat was extracted for the needs of the spa. By walking through an avenue of lime trees lining the road we return to the town.
 
TO TJE CONFLUENCE OF THE RIVERS ELBE AND CIDLINA
 
From King George Square we walk along Palacký Street, passing between the church and the museum and reaching the blind branch of the Skupice, where we cross a small bridge bringing us to the Elbe. Here we turn left upstream of the river. Now we shall walk along a beautiful avenue of lime trees, passing the protected oak tree and continuing alongside the camp till we come to the golf course with "Na Střelnici" Restaurant. By following the Elbe we come to its confluence with the Cidlina with a tourist resturant. Lying beyond the River Cidlina is the complex of forests of the Libice mead with numerous pools and blind branches. A part of the forest behind the motorway has been proclaimed a national nature preserve of exceptional biological value resulting from its wealth of fauna and flora and the occurrence of rare species.
 
TO THE SLAVNÍKS´ LIBICE MONUMENT
 
A walk of about 15 minutes along a communication intended exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists bring us to Libice.
On the left side of the path, just before we come to the community, the ground forms an elevation terrace on which a castle - the central seat of the powerful Slavník dynasty - stood in the 10th century. The castle site was built on an elevation in the midst of the marshes in the vicinity of the cofluence of the Rivers Cidlina and Elbe. In 995 it was annihilated by the Přemyslids, who murdered the Slavníks. It definitely ceased to exist after the extermination of their successors - the Vršovec family - in 1108 (the exact date is not known). Extensive srcheological research has been carried out on the area of the castle site and the contours of the main buildings heve been recostructed.

A small archeological exposition devoted to the history of the community is situated in the building of the administrative authority (visits must be announced in advance - tel. 0324/722 01). To be seen in the community is an ancient church consecrated to St. Adalbert in which, according to a tradition, Slavníkś sons are interred. Also worthy of Our Lady (clearly dating from the same ite as the Slavník castle site) and the Neo-Renaissance evangelic church of 1896, built by Č. Křička.
From Libice we shall now return along the same route to the confluence and from there follow the asphalt communication on the right through the forest and round the golf course and the "Na Střelnici" Restaurant. Just before the gas main we turn to the right and behind the camp turn left along the blind branch of the Skupice and return to the town.