Štíty
Štíty | |
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Town | |
View of Štíty | |
![]() Flag ![]() Coat of arms | |
![]() ![]() Štíty Location in the Czech Republic | |
Coordinates: 49°57′53″N 16°45′51″E / 49.96472°N 16.76417°ECoordinates: 49°57′53″N 16°45′51″E / 49.96472°N 16.76417°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Olomouc |
District | Šumperk |
First mentioned | 1278 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Jiří Vogel (ODS) |
Area | |
• Total | 29.93 km2 (11.56 sq mi) |
Elevation | 443 m (1,453 ft) |
Population (2020-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 2,022 |
• Density | 68/km2 (170/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 789 91 |
Website | www |
Štíty (Czech pronunciation: [ˈʃciːtɪ]; until 1949 Šilperk German: Schildberg) is a town in Šumperk District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,000 inhabitants. The centre of the town is historically significant and is protected by law as urban monument zone. The town is known for its freestyle skiing centre whose operator is the Olympic winner Aleš Valenta.
Administrative parts[]
Villages of Březná, Crhov and Heroltice are administrative parts of Štíty.
Etymology[]
The original name was Schildberg in German (meaning 'Shield Hill') and Šilperk in Czech (transcription from German). After World War II, the town was renamed as Žalkov. However, this name was not popular, thus new name Štíty was created. The current name is derivered from the original one and literally means Shields.
Geography[]
Štíty is located in west part of Šumperk District in Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Historical centre is situated on the promontory above Březná river which is part of Orlické Hory mountain range. Surrounding area is hilly. Agricultural land is not fertile, therefore number of inhabitants has never reached higher numbers.
History[]
Feudal history[]
The oldest document about the town was discovered in Liechtenstein archive. It is dated 4 April 1365 referring to the estate transfer from Zdeněk of Sternberg to a man named Heylin. The document also states that the transferred estate is connected to the right coming from year 1278, thus town existence before the 13th century is probable,
Another document comes from 1307 and 1308 which is a complaint of monks from Lanškroun who had to pay tribute of 180 silver grzywnas to the robber baron Ježek of Šilperk.
According to Zemské desky, Štíty was owned by the House of Sternberg from 1308 who often leased the town to another aristocratic families. Štíty coat of arms is inspired by Štenberk coat of arms.
In 1480, the town was sold to Jan Dalčický from Dačice, who donated Štíty as a dowry to Aleš Krčma of Koněpasy. During late 15th and early 16th century the town often changed its owners. From 1553, the owner was Matyáš Žalkovský, who sold the town to Pavel Catharin from Cathar, whose sons sold Štíty to Jan Odkolek from Újezdec in 1602.
Štíty was heavily damaged by fire in 1557.
Jan Odkolek Jr. participated in the uprising against Habsburg rule from 1618 to 1620, and after suppression of the revolt his property, including Štíty, was confiscated. Odkoled escaped to Poland and was convicted in absentia to death.
New owner was the House of Liechtenstein, who administered the town to the fall of feudal system in 1848. Lichtenštein rule was not popular because originally ultraqist town was under strong pressure of recatholization, also corvée obligation was very hard. Liechtenstein's cruel administration was mitigated by intervention of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor.
In 1642 and 1643, the town was looted by Swedish soldiers under the command of general Lennart Torstensson. In 1646, Štíty was looted by Swedish soldiers again, under the command of general Arvid Wittenberg this time. Historical report from Horní Studénky administrator says that "all houses were burnt down except the church and the town hall" Periodical looting caused famine which happened in 1649.
Štíty was stricken by plague in 1680 and again in 1713. As a reaction the plague column was erected in 1713, which still can be found in the town's main square.
During war of the Austrian Succession, Prussian hussars fought minor victorious battle with Austrian soldiers in town's neighborhood. As a result, Prussians invaded to Štíty and started looting. Allegedly, one of the Štíty residents, the man named Dušek, shot from church tower to the group of hussars. Prussian major Schütz ordered to execute 83 Štíty men and to burn the town down.
Another devastating fire stroke Štíty on 21 March 1799. According to the chronicle of Welzl, 74 houses were destroyed. The fire started in a local forge.
Štíty Castle[]
The castle was situated in the place of the current Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The structure was not strategically significant and was probably burnt down by hussite army in 1424. Ruins were used as a building material for new houses.
World War II[]
Munich agreement of 1938 allowed the annexation of Czechoslovak Sudetenland borderland including Štíty by Nazi Germany. Most of Czech citizens were evacuated to the inland.
Kubíčkův mlýn, the mill in the area Na Pilníku, was the meeting point for local resistance movement from 1941 to 30 March 1944, when resistance members were imprisoned. Labor camps for Polish and French prisoners were operating near the town.
Štíty was captured by Red Army at midnight from 4 to 5 May 1945. The population was ethnically mixed until 1945 when Sudeten Germans were expelled.
Education[]
A National Language Centre for teaching Czech to international students (mostly from Vietnam and Africa) operated in the town from 1990 to 2001.
Twin towns – sister cities[]
Belvedere Ostrense, Italy
Niemodlin, Poland
References[]
- ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2020". Czech Statistical Office. 2020-04-30.
- ^ "Partnerská města". stity.cz (in Czech). Město Štíty. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Štíty. |
- Official website (in Czech)
- Cities and towns in the Czech Republic
- Populated places in Šumperk District