Velké Hamry () is a town in

Jablonec nad Nisou District Jablonec nad Nisou District () is a district in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the city of Jablonec nad Nisou. Administrative division Jablonec nad Nisou District is divided into three administrative districts of municip ...

in the

Liberec Region Liberec Region () is an administrative unit (Czech language, Czech: ''kraj'') of the Czech Republic, located in the northernmost part of its historical region of Bohemia. It is named after its capital Liberec. The region shares international bor ...

of the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. It has about 2,700 inhabitants.

Administrative division

Velké Hamry consists of two municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Velké Hamry (2,464) *Bohdalovice (153)

Etymology

The town's name literally means "big

hammer mill A hammer mill, hammer forge or hammer works was a workshop in the pre-industrial era that was typically used to manufacture semi-finished, wrought iron products or, sometimes, finished agricultural or mining tools, or military weapons. The featur ...

s" and refers to hammer mills, which stood here probably in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Geography

Velké Hamry is located about east of

Jablonec nad Nisou Jablonec nad Nisou (; ) is a city in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It is the second-largest city in the region. It is a local centre for education, and is known for its glass and jewelry production, espe ...

. It lies in the

Jizera Mountains Jizera Mountains (), or Izera Mountains (; ), are part of the Western Sudetes on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland. The range got its name from the Jizera (river), Jizera River, which rises at the southern base of the Smrk (Jizera), ...

. The highest point is the mountain Pustina at above sea level. The Kamenice River flows through the town.

History

In the area there were two hamlets called Dolení ("Lower") and Hoření ("Upper") Hamr. In 1914, the two hamlets were merged and created a new municipality named Velké Hamry. In 1926, it was promoted to a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...

. In 1926, Bohdalovice and Svárov joined Velké Hamry. In 1968, Velké Hamry became a town.

Demographics

Transport

The I/10 road from

Turnov Turnov (; ) is a town in Semily District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 15,000 inhabitants. It is a traditional centre for gemstone polishing, glass craftsmanship and arts. The historic town centre is well preserved and ...

to the Czech-Polish border in

Harrachov Harrachov (; ) is a town in Jablonec nad Nisou District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic, close to the border with Poland. It has about 1,400 inhabitants. It is known as one of the most popular Czech ski resorts. Administrative divisio ...

passes through the town. Velké Hamry is located on the railway line

Železný Brod Železný Brod (; ) is a town in Jablonec nad Nisou District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,000 inhabitants. The Trávníky district of the town has well preserved folk architecture and is protected as a Cultural monume ...

– Tanvald.

Sights

The main landmark of Velké Hamry is the Church of Saint Wenceslaus. It was built in the neo-Gothic style in 1915–1925.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Velke Hamry Cities and towns in the Czech Republic