Mladá Boleslav facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mladá Boleslav
Statutory city
Aerial view of the historic centre
Flag Coat of arms
Mladá Boleslav Location in Czech Republic
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Central Bohemian
District	Mladá Boleslav
First mentioned	1130
Area
• Total	28.90 km2 (11.16 sq mi)
Elevation	235 m (771 ft)
Population  (2024-01-01)
• Total	46,428
• Density	1,606.51/km2 (4,160.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	293 01

Mladá Boleslav is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is home to about 46,000 people. The city sits on the left bank of the Jizera River.

Mladá Boleslav is the second largest city in its region. It is a very important center for the Czech car industry. This is because of the famous Škoda Auto company. This makes it a key part of the Czech economy.

The city got its name from Duke Boleslaus II. He built a fort here a long time ago. The old part of the city is very well kept. It is protected by law as a special historic area.

City Parts and Areas

New city hall

Mladá Boleslav is made up of several city parts and villages. These include Mladá Boleslav I (also called "Old Town") and Mladá Boleslav II (known as "New Town"). Other parts are Mladá Boleslav III (Podolec), Mladá Boleslav IV (Pták), and villages like Bezděčín and Čejetice.

Why is it Called Mladá Boleslav?

Mladá Boleslav was named after its founder, Duke Boleslaus II. He was called "the Young One" to tell him apart from his father. There was already a town named Boleslav near Prague. So, this new town was first called "the town of Boleslav the Young."

Later, this name was shortened to Mladá Boleslav, meaning "young Boleslav." The older town of Boleslav became known as Stará Boleslav ("old Boleslav") in the 15th century.

Where is Mladá Boleslav Located?

Mladá Boleslav is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) northeast of Prague. The eastern part of the city is in the Jičín Uplands. The western part is in the Jizera Table. The highest point is on the Chlum hill, about 301 meters (988 feet) above sea level.

The city is on the left bank of the Jizera River. The Klenice River also flows into the Jizera here. The old city center is on a high piece of land above where the two rivers meet.

A Look at Mladá Boleslav's Past

Mladá Boleslav Castle

Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Early Beginnings

In the late 900s, Duke Boleslaus II built a fort on a high piece of land. This is where the historic city center is today. The first reliable mention of this fort was in 1130. It was also called "New Boleslav" for the first time then.

Around the 1000s, a small settlement grew below the fort. It was in an area called Podolec. This spot was important because it was on a main road from Prague to northern Bohemia.

Growing into a Town

During the 1200s, the settlement in Podolec grew bigger. It started to look like a town and gained some special rights. A new stone royal castle was built next to the fort in the mid-1200s. The old fort was then no longer used.

In 1318, the Lords of Michalovice took over Mladá Boleslav from King John of Bohemia. In 1334, the market village moved to the area in front of the castle. It was then officially made a town. From that time on, it was called Mladá Boleslav.

The 1400s and 1500s

During the Hussite Wars, Mladá Boleslav supported the Taborites. By the mid-1400s, about 2,000 people lived in the town. In 1468, the Lords of Michalovice family ended. Mladá Boleslav was then taken over by the Tovačovský of Cimburk family.

Before the 1500s, they gave an empty monastery to the Unity of the Brethren. This group settled there, and it marked a time of great success for the town. In the early 1500s, the Krajíř of Krajek family inherited Mladá Boleslav.

In the 1500s, Mladá Boleslav became a main center for the Unity of the Brethren. They had their bishop here, a Renaissance church, and a printing house. In 1518, the first map of Bohemia was printed in Mladá Boleslav by Mikuláš Klaudyán.

After Adam Krajíř of Krajek died in 1588, Mladá Boleslav became property of the Hasištejnský branch of the Lobkowicz family. They invited many Lutherans from Germany to the city. This started a period where German culture became more common in the city. In 1595, Mladá Boleslav became a "free city," meaning it had more self-rule. In 1600, Emperor Rudolf II made Mladá Boleslav a "royal city," giving it even more importance.

From the 1600s to the 1900s

At the start of the 1600s, Mladá Boleslav had about 3,100 people. During the Thirty Years' War (early 1600s), the city was burned twice. This happened in 1631 by imperial forces and in 1640 by the Swedish army. After the war, the city's population dropped by 40%. The castle was in ruins. The city lost its importance for many years.

Other problems included the Silesian Wars and a big fire in 1761. A new period of growth began in 1784. In the 1800s, the city became an important regional center. New schools, theaters, museums, and factories were built. One of these was the automobile factory Laurin & Klement, which is now Škoda Auto. Since the 1990s, this factory has helped make Mladá Boleslav one of the richest and most successful Czech cities.

Jewish Community in Mladá Boleslav

The first written record of a Jewish community in Mladá Boleslav is from 1471. In 1634, Jacob Bassevi von Treuenberg was buried in the Jewish cemetery here. He was the first Jewish person to be given a noble title in the Habsburg monarchy.

In the 1600s and 1700s, Mladá Boleslav was a very important Jewish center. The synagogue, a Jewish place of worship, was taken down in 1962.

Population Growth

The number of people living in Mladá Boleslav grew quickly between 1960 and 1980. This was because the Škoda Auto factory grew fast. Many new homes were built for its workers.

Economy and Industry

Aerial view of Škoda Auto factory

Mladá Boleslav became an industrial city in the 1800s. Its location near the Jizera River was key. The river provided water for new factories. The textile industry was very important. The Česana factory, for example, had over 2,000 workers in the late 1800s.

Other industries in the Jizera valley included mills, breweries, and factories making soaps and fertilizers. Most of these factories closed down during the 1900s. This was mainly due to World War II and the politics of the socialist government.

In 1895, the Laurin & Klement company was started. This company later became Škoda Auto. The car industry then became the main part of the city's economy. In 1925, Škoda works bought Laurin & Klement. Many car parts makers also set up in the city. This included AKUMA, which makes car batteries. It was founded in 1903 and is now part of the FIAMM company.

Since it began, Škoda Auto has been the most important industrial company in the Czech Republic. In 2017, the company had 32,000 employees worldwide. About 23,000 of them worked in Mladá Boleslav.

The area around Mladá Boleslav is called an "agglomeration." This helps the city get money from special European funds. This area includes the city and its nearby towns. About 107,000 people live in this larger area.

Getting Around Mladá Boleslav

The D10 motorway runs right next to the city. Mladá Boleslav is also on several railway lines. These connect it to other towns like Turnov, Kolín, and Rumburk.

Learning and Education

Secondary Industrial School

Škoda Auto University is a private university. The Škoda Auto company started it in 2000.

The Secondary Industrial School in Mladá Boleslav opened in 1867. It was one of the first vocational schools in the Czech lands. The school grew along with the Škoda Auto factory. Before and after World War II, it was the only specialized industrial school in the country.

Sports Teams

Mladá Boleslav has strong sports teams:

• The football team, FK Mladá Boleslav, has played in the top Czech league since 2004. They were second in the league in 2005–06. They have also won the Czech Cup twice (in 2011 and 2016). They have played in European competitions many times.
• The ice hockey team, BK Mladá Boleslav, has been in the top Czech league since 2014.
• The city's floorball team, Florbal MB, is one of the most successful Czech teams. They have won the national championship three times.

Places to See in Mladá Boleslav

Old City Hall in the historic centre

Templ Palace

The main landmark of the city is the Mladá Boleslav Castle. It was built in the early 1300s. In the 1500s, it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. The castle was ruined after the Thirty Years' War. But in the early 1700s, it was turned into barracks (a place for soldiers). During World War II, it was a place where Jewish people were held. Today, it holds the district archives and the Regional Museum. The museum has collections about history, culture, and social life.

The Old City Hall in the historic center is a Renaissance building. It was built between 1554 and 1559. It has beautiful patterns and pictures on its walls. These are made using a special technique called sgraffiti. The building was fixed up in the late 1800s and again in 1939–1941. It has two towers. The taller one was built in 1779 and you can go up it for views. The nearby New City Hall was built in a neo-Romanesque style in 1865–1867. It is still used as the city hall today.

The Gothic building of Templ Palace was built between 1488 and 1493. It has a historical exhibit inside. It is also used for cultural events.

The Škoda Museum shows the history and products of Škoda Auto. It opened in 1995 in the renovated old factory buildings.

The Secondary Industrial School building is an important architectural site. It is protected as a national cultural monument. Jiří Kroha designed it in the Functionalist and Constructivist styles. It was built from 1923 to 1927. It is a very large building and is still used as a school. The sculptures inside are also very valuable.

Churches and Religious Sites

Church of Saint John of Nepomuk

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is next to the Old City Hall. It is the main church for the city's parish. Its oldest parts are Gothic, from the mid-1400s. It was changed in the Baroque style in 1701–1702 and again in 1761.

The Church of Saint John of Nepomuk is on the eastern edge of the historic city center. It stands out in Míru Square. It was originally a Gothic church from the 1300s, built outside the city gates. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1727.

The Church of Saint Gall is in a park that used to be a cemetery. It is a Baroque church with older Gothic and Renaissance parts. Its tower is from 1735.

The former Church of Saint Bonaventure was part of a Benedictine monastery in the mid-1300s. It might be even older. A school of the Moravian Church was here from the 1400s to the 1600s. After the Battle of White Mountain, the Catholic Church took over the monastery. They rebuilt it in the Baroque style. In 1784–1785, the Piarists started a school and college here. The church was badly damaged in the 1900s. It was repaired in 2007. Today, it is used for community and cultural events.

Famous People from Mladá Boleslav

Sister Cities

Mladá Boleslav is connected with these cities around the world:

• Dieburg, Germany
• Fano, Italy
• Pezinok, Slovakia
• Vantaa, Finland

See also

In Spanish: Mladá Boleslav para niños