Most 858741 223679017 2008-07-05T06:16:16Z Tabletop 173687 Spell goverment => government {{this|the city named Most|MOST}} {{Geobox | settlement <!-- *** Heading *** --> | name = Most | native_name = | other_name = | category = City <!-- *** Name *** --> | etymology = | official_name = | motto = | nickname = <!-- *** Image *** --> | image = Most, Starý Most EX.JPG | image_caption = <!-- *** Symbols *** --> | flag = Flag of Most.svg | flag_border = 1 | symbol = Most CoA.gif <!-- *** Country etc. *** --> | country = Czech Republic | country_flag = 1 | state = | region = [[Ústí nad Labem Region|Ústí nad Labem]] | region_type = [[Regions of the Czech Republic|Region]] | district = [[Most District|Most]] | district_type = [[Districts of the Czech Republic|District]] | municipality = <!-- *** Family *** --> | part = | river = [[Bílina River|Bílina]] <!-- *** Locations *** --> | location = | elevation = 233 | lat_d = 50 | lat_m = 30 | lat_s = 11 | lat_NS = N | long_d = 13 | long_m = 38 | long_s = 12 | long_EW = E | highest = | highest_lat_d = | highest_long_d = | lowest = | lowest_lat_d = | lowest_long_d = <!-- *** Dimensions *** --> | area = 86.94 <!-- *** Population *** --> | population = 67216 | population_date = [[As of May 2008|May 2008]] | population_density = auto <!-- *** History & management *** --> | established = [[10th century]] | established_type = First documented | date = | mayor = Vlastimil Vozka <!-- *** Codes *** --> | timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]] | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | postal_code = 434 01 | area_code = | code = <!-- *** UNESCO etc. *** --> <!-- *** Free frields *** --> | free = <!-- *** Maps *** --> | map = Czechia - outline map.svg | map_background = Czechia - background map.png | map_caption = Location in the Czech Republic | map_locator = Czechia <!-- *** Websites *** --> | website = [http://www.mumost.cz/ http://www.mumost.cz/] | commons = Most <!-- *** Footnotes *** --> | footnotes = }} '''Most''' ({{pronounced|ˈmost}}; {{lang-de|Brüx}}) is a [[city]] in the northwest of the [[Czech Republic]], in the [[Ústí nad Labem Region]]. It is situated between the [[Czech Central Mountains]] and the [[Ore Mountains (Central Europe)|Ore Mountains]], approximately 77 km (48 miles) northwest of [[Prague]] along the [[Bílina River]] and southwest of [[Ústí nad Labem]]. ==Etymology== The name Most means "bridge" in [[Czech language|Czech]]. The town was named after the system of bridges over swamps which lay in this area in 10th century. The [[German language|German]] name for Most is Brüx (derived from the [[German language|German]] word for "bridge", ''Brücke''). ==History== The Latin ''[[Cosmas of Prague|Chronica Boemorum]]'' mentions a [[Slavs|Slavic]] settlement below the [[Hněvín|Gnevin Castle]] called ''Gnevin Pons'' (Czech: ''Hněvínský most'') in 1040. Through the swamps there led a merchant route from [[Prague]] to [[Freiberg, Saxony|Freiberg]]. The network of wooden bridges was built to provide comfortable passages through this territory. [[Hneva]] from the [[Hrabisic]] dynasty established a military stronghold to protect caravans. Under this stronghold the village that would become Most developed. In 1227 [[Kojata]], the last of the Hrabisics, passed his property to the cloister of the Knights of the Cross. Since 1238 the royal town was owned by the [[Přemyslid dynasty|Přemyslids]] and it became a rich city with many churches. The [[Kingdom of Bohemia|Bohemian]] kings [[Ottokar II of Bohemia|Otakar II]], [[John I, Count of Luxemburg|John of Luxembourg]], and [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles IV]] all granted Most city rights. In the 14th century, due to [[Ostsiedlung|colonization]], the city became predominantly [[Germans|German]]-populated and known as Brüx. During the 15th and 16th centuries the city was hit by several fires. Ca. 1517, city reconstruction began the foundations of several significant facilities, including the new [[Most Gothic Church|dean's church]] and the [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]] city hall. In 1526 Brüx and Bohemia passed to the [[Habsburg Monarchy]]. During the [[Thirty Years' War]], the city was occupied by [[Swedish Empire|Swedish]] troops. Both in the early years and in the last years of the war it was captured by stratagem. In a similar manner the castle [[Hněvín]] was captured. After the Thirty Years' War, the city lost much of its economical and political significance. [[Image:Hnevin lookout tower.jpg|right|thumb|Lookout tower of the rebuilt Hněvín offers a view over the former mining area with the moved Church as well as over the new town]] Brüx became part of the [[Austrian Empire]] in 1806 and the [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian Empire]] in 1866. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that the emergence of [[industry]] and [[mining]] brought renewed importance to the city. In 1870 a [[railway line]] was built, heralding a population and building explosion ([[sugar]] works, [[porcelain]] factory, [[steel]] works, [[brewery]], founding of city museum etc.). In 1895 the city was affected by [[quicksand]] that swallowed several houses, including some of their occupants. In 1900 the RICO plant for [[dressing material]] was constructed. In 1901, an electric [[street car]] line linked Brüx with [[Kopisty|Kopitz]] up to [[Janov u Litvínova|Johnsdorf]]. The most modern theatre of its time within Austria-Hungary was opened in Brüx in 1911. The construction of a unique dam at [[Křížatky|Kreuzweg]] from 1911 to 1914 solved the city's problem with the supply of drinking water. As Most, the city became part of [[Czechoslovakia]] following [[World War I]]. The quick building activity continued into the 1930s. As part of the [[Sudetenland]], Most was incorporated into [[Nazi Germany]] in 1938 according to the [[Munich Agreement]], but was restored to Czechoslovakia in 1945 with the defeat of Germany in [[World War II]]. The German-speaking population of the city was subsequently [[Expulsion of Germans after World War II|expelled]], mainly in 1946, and replaced with [[Czechs]]. The war brought to the city the destruction of housing estates under the castle [[Hněvín]]. After 1964 the process of "moving" the city began. During the 1960s, Most's historic centre was completely destroyed to make room for the expanding [[lignite]] mines, a process that lasted until 1970. This process involved the destruction of many historic monuments, including a brewery dating from the 15th century and a theatre designed in 1910 by [[Alexander Graf (architect)|Alexander Graf]], a [[Vienna|Viennese]] architect who designed many theatres across [[Central Europe]], including ones in [[Ostrava|Ostrau]] and [[Ljubljana|Laibach]]. One building, however, was preserved: the [[Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary (Most)|Gothic Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary]], built between 1517 and 1594 and designed by [[Jakob Heilmann (architect)|Jakob Heilmann]] of [[Schweinfurt]]. In 28 days it was moved by train to the new town, 841 metres away, at the rate of roughly 30 metres per day. This building was mentioned in the [[Guinness Book of World Records]] as the heaviest building ever moved on wheels. Most became part of the Czech Republic in 1993 after the [[dissolution of Czechoslovakia]]. ==Life in the town== {{Unreferencedsection|date=June 2008}} As a redeveloped city Most does not have many historical sights, yet there are two important ones: [[Hněvín|Hněvín Castle]] and the [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] [[Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary (Most)|Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary]]. On the other hand there are many amusement facilities which can be visited: [[planetarium]], [[observatory]], [[Auto racing|autodrome]], [[Water park|aquadrome]] or [[Horse racing|hippodrome]]. Most is known for its huge share of people living in [[Panelák|panelaks]]. The decimated environment along with urban development has given the outskirts of the city a depressing feeling. Things are changing and in 2007 a number of new developments were planned and are now under construction in the centre of the City. Of note are some small residential housing projects along with a major new shopping centre right in the centre. On the other side the concentration of population in the flats enabled remarkable development of informational technologies. For example the cable television project functional in 1988 was something unusual in any other Czech city. Now many people have access to the broadband internet at prices well below average in the Czech Republic. {{Fact|date=March 2007}} The new city is well-designed (wide streets, many parks in the center), especially the infrastructure and traffic situation is quite good in comparison with cities of similar size. The social situation of local people is bad. With the [[unemployment rate]] of nearly 25% (as of 2005) the locality is far the worst in the Czech Republic. This number is caused by huge workforce of aging unqualified miners. Also flat accommodation is quite cheap so it pushes more unemployed people from other regions to live there and raises this number.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} More recently, unemployment has been falling and government sources put the figure at around 15% in 2007. Due to heavy social and [[European Union]] funding and the development of local business and industry, Most is beginning to recover.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} ==Industry== Most is the heart of the northern Bohemian [[lignite|lignite-mining]] region and serves as an important industrial [[railway junction]]. Other industries in Most include [[textile]], [[Pottery|ceramics]], [[steel]], and [[chemicals]]. During the second half of the 20th century Most turned into a dusty and dirty [[Coal mining|miner]] town and in the [[Communist state|communist]] era it was said to be one of the darkest cities of Czechoslovakia. The mining itself has a long tradition in the area. Extensive mining operations continued after the year 2000, but are completely under control of foreign companies. Many surrounding villages are planned to be abandoned due to [[surface mining]]. {{Fact|date=March 2007}} Unsurprisingly, [[heavy industry]] has shaped the image and development of post-World War II Most. As environmental conditions have improved in recent years, the growing of [[apples]] and [[grape|grape vines]] has developed. ==City districts== * The neighborhood of '''[[Rudolice nad Bílinou]]''', known as Chánov, a housing estate created during the communist era, has become a symbol of the [[poverty]] and [[ghetto]]ization of many [[Roma people]] in the Czech Republic. * '''[[Vtelno]]''' used to be a village near Most. When the new city was built near it, Vtelno became an integral part of Most. It has a church, a historical [[Baroque]] manor, and many monoliths and sculptures that have been collected during the era of demolition of villages in the region (due to coal mining). ==People== * [[Andreas Hammerschmidt]] (ca. 1611-1675), composer * [[Florian Leopold Gassmann]] (1729-1774), composer * [[Josef Masopust]] (born 1931), football player and coach * [[Jan Mühlstein]] (born 1949), politician * [[Pavel Chaloupka]] (born 1959), football player * [[Vladimír Růžička]] (born 1963), ice hockey player * [[Libor Pimek]] (born 1963), tennis player * [[Petr Svoboda]] (born 1966), ice hockey player * [[Martin Ručínský]] (born 1971), ice hockey player * [[Jan Vopat]] (born 1973), ice hockey player * [[Petr Franěk]] (born 1975), ice hockey player * [[Vlastimil Kroupa]] (born 1975), ice hockey player * [[Petr Johana]] (born 1976), football player * [[Marek Židlický]] (born 1977), ice hockey player * [[Pavel Rosa]] (born 1977), ice hockey player * [[Kamil Piroš]] (born 1978), ice hockey player * [[Tomáš Divíšek]] (born 1979), ice hockey player * [[Markéta Jánská]] (born 1981), model * [[Tomáš Kůrka]] (born 1981), ice hockey player * [[Iveta Benešová]] (born 1983), tennis player * [[Lukáš Kašpar]] (born 1985), ice hockey player ==Neighboring cities and towns== [[Litvínov]], [[Chomutov]], [[Žatec]], [[Louny]], [[Teplice]], [[Kadaň]] ==Twin towns== Most is [[town twinning|twinned]] with: * {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Meppel]], [[Netherlands]] * {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Marienberg]], [[Germany]] * {{flagicon|Greece}} [[Ptolemaida]], [[Greece]] == References == {{Wikisource1911Enc|Brüx}} * ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'' * ''Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary'', 3rd edition == External links == * [http://www.mumost.cz/english/index.htm Official website] * [http://starymost.web2001.cz/ Demolition and construction of the city] {{cs icon}} * [http://mapy.mumost.cz/tms/html/plan_mesta/ Map of the city] {{cs icon}} {{Most District}} [[Category:Socialist planned cities]] [[Category:Cities and towns in the Czech Republic]] [[Category:Most District]] [[bg:Мост (град)]] [[cs:Most (okres Most)]] [[de:Most (Tschechien)]] [[eo:Most]] [[fr:Most]] [[hsb:Most (Čěska)]] [[nl:Most (stad)]] [[ja:モスト]] [[pl:Most (miasto w Czechach)]] [[ro:Most]] [[ru:Мост (город)]] [[sk:Most (mesto)]] [[fi:Most]] [[tg:Мост]] [[zh:莫斯特]]