Bečváry

Municipality in Central Bohemian, Czech Republic

Flag

Coat of arms

49°57′24″N 15°4′48″E / 49.95667°N 15.08000°E / 49.95667; 15.08000Country

Czech RepublicRegionCentral BohemianDistrict KolínFirst mentioned1265Area

• Total16.28 km² (6.29 sq mi)Elevation

320 m (1,050 ft)Population

(2024-01-01)^[1]

• Total1,061 • Density65/km² (170/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal codes

281 43, 281 44, 285 04

Websitewww.becvary.cz

Bečváry (German: Betschwar) is a municipality and village in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,100 inhabitants.

Administrative parts

The villages of Červený Hrádek, Hatě, Horní Jelčany and Poďousy are administrative parts of Bečváry. Hatě and Horní Jelčany form an exclave of the municipal territory.

Etymology

The name is derived from the word bečvář, i.e. cooper. It was a village where coopers lived.^[2]

Geography

Bečváry is located about 11 kilometres (7 mi) southwest of Kolín and 40 km (25 mi) east of Prague. It lies in the Upper Sázava Hills. The highest point is at 430 m (1,410 ft) above sea level. The Bečvárka Stream flows through the municipality and supplies Podbečvárský Pond.

History

The first written mention of Bečváry is from 1265.^[3]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1869	1,658	—
1880	1,970	+18.8%
1890	1,915	−2.8%
1900	1,840	−3.9%
1910	1,776	−3.5%

Year	Pop.	±%
1921	1,721	−3.1%
1930	1,624	−5.6%
1950	1,276	−21.4%
1961	1,386	+8.6%
1970	1,230	−11.3%

Year	Pop.	±%
1980	1,148	−6.7%
1991	1,022	−11.0%
2001	994	−2.7%
2011	981	−1.3%
2021	1,044	+6.4%

Source: Censuses^[4]^[5]

Transport

The I/2 road from Prague to Kutná Hora and Pardubice passes through the municipality.

Transport

Bečváry is located on the railway line Kolín–Ledečko.^[6]

Sights

The main landmark of Bečváry is the late Baroque castle. Construction of the castle started in the mid-18th century, but the building remained unfinished until the rule of Ernst Gideon von Laudon, who had the castle rebuilt and expanded between 1766 and 1774. Nowadays, the castle is not accessible to the public and is being gradually reconstructed by a private owner.^[7]

References

^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
^ Profous, Antonín (1947). Místní jména v Čechách I: A–H (in Czech). p. 38.
^ "Historie" (in Czech). Obec Bečváry. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Kolín" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 1–2.
^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
^ "Detail stanice Bečváry" (in Czech). České dráhy. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
^ "Zámek Bečváry" (in Czech). Asociace majitelů hradů a zámků. Retrieved 2022-10-24.