Olomouc
57573
220968902
2008-06-22T13:15:09Z
Willking1979
6617523
{{Geobox | Settlement
<!-- *** Heading *** -->
| name = Olomouc
| native_name =
| other_name =
| category = City
<!-- *** Image *** -->
| image = Olomouc panorama.jpg
| image_caption = Panorama of Olomouc from southwest
<!-- *** Symbols *** -->
| flag = Olomouc flag.png
| symbol = Olomouc CZ CoA.png
<!-- *** Name *** -->
| etymology =
| official_name =
| motto =
| nickname =
<!-- *** Country etc. *** -->
| country = Czech Republic
| country_flag = 1
| state =
| region = [[Olomouc Region|Olomouc]]
| region_type = [[Regions of the Czech Republic|Region]]
| district = [[Olomouc District|Olomouc]]
| district_type = [[Districts of the Czech Republic|District]]
| commune =
| municipality =
<!-- *** Family *** -->
| part =
| river = [[Morava River|Morava]]
<!-- *** Locations *** -->
| location =
| elevation = 219
| lat_d = 49
| lat_m = 35
| lat_s = 38
| lat_NS = N
| long_d = 17
| long_m = 15
| long_s = 3
| long_EW = E
| coordinates_type = region:CS_type:city
| highest =
| highest_elevation =
| highest_lat_d =
| highest_long_d =
| lowest =
| lowest_elevation =
| lowest_lat_d =
| lowest_long_d =
<!-- *** Dimensions *** -->
| area = 103.36
| area_round = 2
<!-- *** Population *** -->
| population = 110381
| population_date = [[As of 2006|2006]]
| population_density = auto
<!-- *** History & management *** -->
| established = 10th century
| established_type = Founded
| established1 = 1017
| established1_type = First mentioned
| mayor = Martin Novotný
<!-- *** Codes *** -->
| timezone =
| timezone_DST =
| postal_code = 779 00
| area_code =
| code =
<!-- *** UNESCO etc. *** -->
| whs_name = Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc
| whs_year = 2000
| whs_number = 859
| whs_region = 4
| whs_criteria = i, iv
<!-- *** Free fields *** -->
| free =
<!-- *** Maps *** -->
| map = Czechia - outline map.svg
| map_background = Czechia - background map.png
| map_caption = Location in the Czech Republic
| map_locator = Czechia
<!-- *** Websites *** -->
| commons = Olomouc
| statistics =
| website = [http://www.olomoucko.cz/ http://www.olomoucko.cz/]
<!-- *** Footnotes *** -->
| footnotes =
<!-- Processed by Geoboxer 3.0 on 2007-11-12T06:18:27+01:00 --> }}
'''Olomouc''' ({{IPA2|ˈolomoʊ̯ts}}) ([[Czech language|local Haná dialect]] ''Olomóc'' or ''Holomóc'', [[German language|German]] ''Olmütz'', [[Polish language|Polish]] ''Ołomuniec'', [[Latin]] ''Eburum'' or ''Olomucium'') is a city in [[Moravia]], in the east of the [[Czech Republic]]. The city is located on the [[Morava River, Central Europe|Morava]] river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis of Moravia.
==Architecture of Olomouc==
[[Image:Olomouc town hall.jpg|left|thumb|256px|town hall with [[astronomical clock]]]]
Olomouc contains several large squares, the chief of which is adorned with [[Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc|Holy Trinity Column]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]. The [[Marian and Holy Trinity columns|column]] is {{convert|115|ft|m|abbr=on}} high and was built in 1716–1754.
The most prominent church is the [[Saint Wenceslas cathedral]]. In the end of the 19th century it was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style, but it kept many parts from the original church, which had also been rebuilt many times (Romanesque crypt, Gothic cloister, Baroque chapels). The highest of its three spires is {{convert|328|ft|m|abbr=on}} The church neighbours with the [[Romanesque Bishop’s Palace]] (often incorrectly called the Přemyslid Palace), a 12th century Romanesque building. [[:Image:Romansky sloh.jpg|(image)]] The real Přemyslid Palace, i.e. the residence of Olomouc members of the governing Přemyslid Dynasty, used to stand nearby.
The [[Saint Moritz Church]], a fine Gothic building of the 15th century, and the [[Saint Michael’s Church]] are also worth mentioning. The [[Neo-baroque]] [[chapel of Saint John Sarkander]] stands on the place of a former town prison. Catholic priest [[John Sarkander]] was imprisoned here in the beginning of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. He was accused of collaboration with the enemy and tortured here, but did not reveal anything because of the [[Seal of Confession]], and died. The [[rack (torture)|torturing rack]] and Sarkander’s gravestone are preserved here. He was [[canonized]] by [[Pope John Paul II]] during his visit in Olomouc in 1995.
Another place that [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]] visited here was [[Svatý Kopeček]], a part of Olomouc lying on a hill, with the magnificent [[Baroque]] church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary looking down at the city. The Pope promoted the church to [[Minor Basilica]].
The principal secular building is the [[Town hall in Olomouc|town hall]], completed in the 15th century, flanked on one side by a gothic chapel, transformed now into a museum. It possesses a tower {{convert|250|ft|m|abbr=on}} high adorned with an [[astronomical clock]].
The old university founded in 1573 and suppressed in 1860, was reopened in 1946 and called [[Palacký University, Olomouc|Palacký University]].
Olomouc is also proud of its [[Fountains in Olomouc|six Baroque fountains]]. The fountains survived in such a number thanks to cautious policy of the city council. While most European cities were removing old fountains after they had built their water supply piping, Olomouc decided to keep them as water reservoirs in case of fire. For their decoration ancient [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] motifs were used. Five of them depict [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] gods [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]] [[:Image:Jupiterova kasna detail.jpg|(image)]], [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]] [[:Image:Mercury Fountain.jpg|(image)]], [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]] [[:Image:Kasna Tritonu.jpg|(image)]], [[Poseidon|Neptune]] [[:Image:Neptun Fountain in Olomouc.jpg|(image)]] and [[Hercules]] [[:Image:Herkulova kasna.jpg|(image)]], and one depicts [[Julius Caesar]], the legendary founder of the city. [[:Image:Caesarova kasna.jpg|(image)]]
There are few monasteries in Olomouc, including [[Hradisko Monastery]], [[Convent of Dominican Sisters in Olomouc]] and others.
* [[Olomouc Orthodox Church]]
* [[Mausoleum of Yugoslavian Soldiers in Olomouc]]
==History==
Olomouc is said to occupy a site of a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] fort founded in the [[Roman Empire|imperial]] period, the original name of which, '''Mons Julii''', would have been gradually corrupted to the present form. Though this is just a legend, archaeological excavations revealed remains of a [[Castra|Roman military camp]] from the time of [[Marcomanni|Marcoman]] Wars here.
Olomouc was an important centre of the [[Great Moravia|Great Moravian Empire]] in the 9th and early 10th century. At a later period it was long the capital of the province of [[Moravia]]. The [[diocese|bishopric]] of Olomouc was founded in 1063, and raised to the rank of an [[archbishop]]ric in 1777.
In 1306 King [[Wenceslas III]] stopped here on his way to [[Poland]], where he wanted to fight [[Władysław I the Elbow-high|Wladislaus I the Elbow-high]] to claim his rights to Polish crown, and was assassinated. With his death the whole Přemyslid dynasty died out.
[[Image:Olomouc plan hradeb 1686.jpg|left|thumb|Olomouc fortress in 1686]]
[[Image:Olomouc map 1757.jpg|left|thumb|Olomouc [[bastion fortress]] in 1757]]
During the [[Thirty Years' War]], in 1640, Olomouc was occupied by the [[Rise of Sweden as a Great Power|Swedes]] for eight years. They left the city in ruins and so it ceded its position to [[Brno]]. Olomouc was then fortified by [[Maria Theresa of Austria|Maria Theresa]] during the wars with [[Frederick the Great]], who besieged the city unsuccessfully for seven weeks in 1758. In 1848 Olomouc was the scene of the emperor [[Ferdinand I of Austria|Ferdinand's]] abdication, and in 1850 an important conference between Austrian and German statesmen called [[Punctation of Olmütz]] took place here. At the conference [[German Confederation]] was restored and [[Prussia]] submitted its leadership to the Austrians.
Largely because of its ecclesiastical links to Austria, Salzburg in particular, the city had a [[Germans|German]] influence since the [[Middle Ages]]. It is difficult assess the ethnic makeup of the town before an accurate census was taken. However, official documents from the second half of the 16th century and early 17th century reveal that the town's ecclesiastical constitution, the meetings of the Diet and the locally printed hymnal, were all in the Czech language. Also, the first treatise on music in the Czech language was published in Olomouc in the mid 16th century. The political and social changes that followed the Thirty Years War increased the influence of courtly Habsburg culture. The 'Germanification' of the town was probably more a result of the cosmopolitan environment of the town than by design. As the cultural, administrative and religious centre of the region, it drew officials, musicians and traders from all over Europe. Despite these influences, the Czech language still persisted, particularly in ecclesiastical publications throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. When the Austrian-born composer and musician Philip J. Rittler accepted a post at the Wenceslas Cathedral in the second half of the seventeenth century, he still felt it necessary to learn Czech. However, the use of the Czech language in official matters went into decline and by the 19th century, the official statistics record that the number of Germans was three times higher than the number of Czechs.<ref> {{cite book
| last = Tichák
| first = Milan
| authorlink =
| title = Vzpomínky na starou Olomouc
| publisher = Votobia
| date = 1997
| location = Olomouc
| pages = 13
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| isbn = 80-7198-184-2}} </ref> Olomouc was enclosed with city walls almost until the end of the 19th century. This suited to the city council, because demolishing the walls would allow extending the city, which would result into settling a lot of Czechs from neighbouring villages. The city council preferred Olomouc smaller, but German. Expansion came after the [[World War I|WWI]] and establishing [[Czechoslovakia]], when Olomouc integrated two neighbouring towns and 11 surrounding villages and thus gained new space for its growth.
There were serious tensions between the Czech and German-speaking inhabitants during both world wars (largely brought on by outside provocation). During [[World War II]], most of the towns' German residents sided with the [[Nazism|Nazis]] and the German-run town council renamed the main square after [[Adolf Hitler]]. The Czech residents changed the name again after the town was liberated. When the retreating German army passed through Olomouc in the final weeks of the war they opened fire on the town's old astronomical clock, leaving only a few pieces (that can now be seen in the local museum). The one that can be seen today is a 1950s reconstruction and features a procession of proletarians rather than saints. Most of the German population was expelled after the war..
Despite its considerable charms, Olomouc has not been discovered by tourists in the same way that [[Prague]], [[Český Krumlov]] and [[Karlovy Vary]] have. Its inner city is the second-largest historical monuments preserve in the country, after [[Prague]].
One of Olomouc's famous sons was the film-maker [[Edgar G. Ulmer]], who was born in Olomouc in 1904, but who always preferred to give Vienna as his birthplace, as this sounded less provincial.<ref>Last year, after research in various archives, Bernd Herzogenrath located the address where Ulmer was born in Olomouc. In 1904, the address was known as “Resselgasse 1, Ort Neugasse.” Today, the name is Resslova 1. A memorial plaque, designed by artist Bohumil Teplý, commemorating Ulmer's birth home was unveiled on Sept 17, 2006, on the occasion of the '''ulmerfest 2006''' - the First Academic Conference devoted to Ulmer's work. His daughter Arianné Ulmer-Cipes and her family was present at the event.</ref>
==Sport==
The main football club is [[SK Sigma Olomouc]].
* [[SK Sigma Olomouc]] - football club
* [[HC Olomouc]] - hockey club [http://www.hc-olomouc.cz/] {{cs icon}}
* [[Skokani Olomouc]] - baseball club
* [[1. HFK Olomouc]] - football club
* [[DHK Olomouc]] - women handball club [http://www.dhkzoraolomouc.cz/] {{cs icon}}
==Sister cities==
Olomouc has several [[Town twinning|sister cities]]:
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Antony, Hauts-de-Seine]] [[France]]
*{{flagicon|Switzerland}} [[Lucerne]], [[Switzerland]]
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Nördlingen]], [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|Hungary}} [[Pécs]], [[Hungary]]
*{{flagicon|United States}} [[Owensboro, Kentucky|Owensboro]], [[Kentucky]], [[USA]]
*{{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Subotica]], [[Serbia]]
*{{flagicon|Finland}} [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Veenendaal]], [[Netherlands]]
==Trivia==
*Asteroid [[30564 Olomouc]] was named after this city.
*Olomouc was mentioned in "Disappear," a 2001 song by [[R.E.M. (band)|R.E.M.]] from their album ''[[Reveal (album)|Reveal]]''.
*[[Doctor Zhivago (2002 miniseries)]] was filmed in Olomouc.
==See also==
* [[List of bishops and archbishops of Olomouc]]
* [[Záviš von Zap]]
==Footnotes==
{{refimprove|date=February 2008}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.olomouc.eu/eng/ Municipal website]
* [http://www.czech.cz/en/culture/most-beautiful-sights-and-places-of-interest/towns/other-remarkable-czech-towns/olomouc/ Olomouc] - Czech.cz, official portal of the Czech Republic
* [http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=859 UNESCO World Heritage Site: Holy Trinity Column]
* [http://www.upol.cz/en/ Palacký University]
* [http://www.mvso.cz/html/index.html Moravian college]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7315104384667872837 Filmmaker Albert Maysles in Olomouc]
===Webcams===
* [http://olomouc.com/webcam/ Olomouc town hall with an astronomical clock]
* [http://kamera.olomouc.cz/ Horní náměstí (Upper Square) with the Holy Trinity Column]
* [http://www.holidayinfo.cz/stredisko_let.php?lang=1&rg=11&loc=12 Horní náměstí (Upper Square)]
===Tourism===
* [http://www.olomouc-tourism.cz/?lang=2 Official portal for tourist] - information, services, leisure time, monuments, culture
* [http://www.olomouc-travel.cz/index.php?lang=2 Olomouc-travel.cz]
[[Category:Olomouc| ]]
[[Category:Olomouc District]]
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