Choceň (; ) is a town in

Ústí nad Orlicí District Ústí nad Orlicí District () is a Okres, district in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Ústí nad Orlicí, but the most populated town is Česká Třebová. Administrative division Ústí nad Orlicí District ...

in the

Pardubice Region Pardubice Region () is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located mainly in the eastern part of its historical region of Bohemia, with a small part in northwestern Moravia. It is named after its capital Pardubice. As an administrat ...

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 8,600 inhabitants.

Administrative division

Choceň consists of seven municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Choceň (7,928) *Březenice (46) *Dvořisko (187) *Hemže (118) *Nová Ves (19) *Plchůvky (85) *Podrážek (39) Nová Ves and Plchůvky form an

exclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...

of the municipal territory.

Etymology

The name is derived from the personal name Chocen, meaning "Chocen's (court)".

Geography

Choceň is located about west of

Ústí nad Orlicí Ústí nad Orlicí (; ) is a town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 14,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument zones, urban monument z ...

and east of

Pardubice Pardubice (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 92,000 inhabitants. It is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the Elbe River. The historic centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Repub ...

. It lies in the

Orlice Table The Orlice (, ) is a river in the Czech Republic, with a brief stretch in Poland. It is a left tributary of the Elbe River. It flows through the Hradec Králové Region. It is formed by the confluence of the Divoká Orlice and Tichá Orlice rivers. ...

. The highest point is at above sea level. The

Tichá Orlice The Tichá Orlice () is a river in the Czech Republic, the secondary source river of the Orlice River. It flows through the Hradec Králové and Pardubice regions. It is long, making it the 21st longest river in the Czech Republic. Etymology Th ...

river flows through the town.

History

The first written mention of Choceň is from 1227. In 1292, it was already 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 ...

and was owned by King

Wenceslaus II Wenceslaus II Přemyslid (; ; 27 SeptemberK. Charvátová, ''Václav II. Král český a polský'', Prague 2007, p. 18. 1271 – 21 June 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278–1305), Duke of Cracow (1291–1305), and King of Poland (1296–1305 ...

. In the early 14th century, it was acquired by Mikuláš of Potštejn, who founded a castle here. Mikuláš undertook marauding expeditions to the surrounding area. In 1339, the army of Charles IV conquered Choceň, demolished the castle and killed Mikuláš. During next centuries, Choceň often changed owners. During the rule of Zikmund of Šelmberk, the town experienced a boom. He had a castle with a large courtyard built here in 1562. The next boom was during the rule of the

Kinsky The House of Kinsky (formerly Vchynští, sg. ''Vchynský'' in Czech; later (in modern Czech) Kinští, sg. ''Kinský''; ) is a prominent Bohemian noble family originating in the Kingdom of Bohemia. During the Thirty Years' War, the Kinsky fam ...

family in the 18th century. Several architectionally valuable Baroque buildings were built here, including the new Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, the rectory and the belfry. In 1845, the railway from

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Olomouc Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region. Located on the Morava (rive ...

via Choceň was built. In 1875 and 1881 the railways to

Broumov Broumov (; ) is a town in Náchod District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 7,100 inhabitants. There are three important historic buildings, protected as national cultural monuments: the Benedictine monastery, the ...

and

Litomyšl Litomyšl (; ) is a town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 10,000 inhabitants. It is a former bishopric and Latin Catholic titular see. Litomyšl is known for the château-type castle complex of the Lit ...

were built and Choceň became an important railway junction.

Demographics

Economy

The largest industrial employed based in the town is Autoneum CZ, a manufacturer of automotive parts. Since 1928, there is a significant

dairy A dairy is a place where milk is stored and where butter, cheese, and other dairy products are made, or a place where those products are sold. It may be a room, a building, or a larger establishment. In the United States, the word may also des ...

company ''Choceňská mlékárna'' in the town.

Transport

Choceň railway station Choceň () is a railway station located in Choceň, Czech Republic. The station is located on the Kolín – Česká Třebová railway (Line 010), Choceň – Litomyšl railway (Line 018) and Choceň – Hradec Králové – Velký Osek railway ...

is situated on the main railway lines from Prague to

Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...

via

and

and from Prague to

Luhačovice Luhačovice (; ) is a spa town in Zlín District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,000 inhabitants. It is known for the largest spa in Moravia and for architecturally valuable buildings designed by the architect Dušan Jurko ...

via

. Choceň is also the terminus of the lines from

Náchod Náchod (; ) is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 20,000 inhabitants. It is known both as a tourist destination and centre of industry. The historic town centre with the castle complex is well preserved and i ...

Vysoké Mýto Vysoké Mýto (; , also ''Hohenmauth'') is a town in Ústí nad Orlicí District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 13,000 inhabitants. Its town square is the largest example of its type in the country. The historic town ...

and

Sights

The Choceň Castle dates from 1562. It was originally a Renaissance building, rebuilt in the Baroeu style in 1710–1720, and then in its current Neoclassical form in 1829 after it was damaged by a fire. The neo-Gothic Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was added to the castle in 1849–1850. Today the castle houses the Orlické Museum. The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi was built in the Baroque style in 1728–1733, after the old Gothic church was destroyed by a fire. The church has a separate bell tower, built in 1702–1703.

Notable people

* Tomáš Norbert Koutník (1698–1775), composer *

Wenzel Thomas Matiegka Wenzel Thomas Matiegka (; Czech: ''Václav Tomáš Matějka''; baptized 6 July 1773 – 19 January 1830) was a Czech composer and one of the most celebrated guitarists of the 19th century. Life Wenzel Thomas Matiegka was born in the town of Choce� ...

(1773–1830), composer * Ulrich, 10th Prince Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau (1893–1938), nobleman * Richard Rychtarik (1894–1982), Czech-American set and costume designer * Jaroslav Malátek (1923–2014), painter *

Leoš Šimánek Leoš Šimánek (born 19 April 1946) is a Czech traveler. He was born in Choceň, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). He studied civil engineering and left communist Czechoslovakia in 1968. He settled in Germany where he worked in the const ...

(born 1946), traveller and writer *

František Sisr Frantisek Sisr (born 17 March 1993) is a Czech former professional cyclist, who rode professionally between 2012 and 2020 for the , , and teams. He competed in the team pursuit event at the 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, and won the ...

(born 1993), cyclist

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chocen Cities and towns in the Czech Republic Populated places in Ústí nad Orlicí District