Chrudim

Chrudim
Town
Houses at Ressel Square
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Pardubice
District	Chrudim
Commune	Chrudim
River	Chrudimka
Elevation	240 m (787 ft)
Coordinates	49°57′4″N 15°47′44″E / 49.95111°N 15.79556°E / 49.95111; 15.79556Coordinates: 49°57′4″N 15°47′44″E / 49.95111°N 15.79556°E / 49.95111; 15.79556
Area	33.20 km2 (12.82 sq mi)
Population	23,002 (2015-01-01)
Density	693/km2 (1,795/sq mi)
First mentioned	995
Mayor	Jan Čechlovský
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	537 01
Location in the Czech Republic
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.chrudim-city.cz

Chrudim (Czech pronunciation: [ˈxruɟɪm]) is a city in eastern Bohemia, in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.

The oldest archaeological findings which provide first signs of the settlement in this area date back to the 5th millennium BC. Various cultures succeeded one on another in the territory of today’s town of Chrudim and its vicinity. Chrudim town was established before 1276 and soon after came to be a dowry town of Bohemian Queens.

Until 1918, the town was part of the Austrian monarchy (Austria side after the compromise of 1867), head of the Chrudim District, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.

During the reign of Maria Theresa (1740-1780), Chrudim became the centre of the region and, in 1751, the seat of regional offices. The 18th and especially the 19th centuries brought vigorous development. The medieval ground plan of the historical heart of the town and its suburbs were no longer able to meet the growing requirements. The population reached 13,000 inhabitants at the end of the 19th century. The first industrial factory, with its foundry and forge, and a shoe factory launched industrial development. Social life also greatly expanded in the second half of the 19th century. The number of schools, cultural and social events led Chrudim to be known as “Athens of Eastern Bohemia”.