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Stara Boleslav

Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav
Town
Brandys nad labem.jpg
Aerial view
Coat of arms
Country Czech Republic
Region Central Bohemian
District Prague-East
Little District Brandýs nad Labem
-Stará Boleslav
River Elbe
Elevation 169 m (554 ft)
Coordinates 50°11′22″N 14°40′2″E / 50.18944°N 14.66722°E / 50.18944; 14.66722Coordinates: 50°11′22″N 14°40′2″E / 50.18944°N 14.66722°E / 50.18944; 14.66722
Area 22.66 km2 (8.75 sq mi)
Population 16,314 (2006-07-03)
Density 720/km2 (1,865/sq mi)
First mentioned 935
 - Towns joined 1960
Mayor Vlastimil Picek
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 250 01
Location in the Czech Republic
Location in the Czech Republic
Website: www.brandysko.cz/

Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav (Czech pronunciation: [ˈbrandiːs ˈnad labɛm ˈstaraː ˈbolɛslaf]; German: Brandeis-Altbunzlau) is an administratively united pair of towns in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, in the heart of the agricultural region of Polabí, about 25 km northeast from Prague. It is part of the Prague metropolitan area. It lies upon the Elbe river, Brandýs nad Labem on the left bank and Stará Boleslav on the right bank. The place is the longest-named one in the Czech Republic.Brandýs nad Labem dates its origin to the 13th century. Stará Boleslav was named by Boleslav I who built here his castle in the beginning of the 10th century. In 1960, the two adjacent towns were joined to form one town of Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav. With a population of about 15,500, it is the second largest Czech united pair of towns (Czech: dvojměstí) after Frýdek-Místek.

Stará Boleslav is a historical Czech town and the oldest pilgrimage site in Central Bohemia. It was an early Přemyslid dynasty stronghold built in the late 9th and 10th century and surrounded by stone ramparts. Its fame came from a major historical event: the murder of Prince Wenceslas by his brother Boleslav at the gate of St Cosmas and Damian Church on September 28, 935 (or 929). After his death, Wenceslas was proclaimed a saint by the church and became the patron saint of the Czech nation as well as a symbol of moral reinforcement during hard times.

After the year 1039, Bretislaus I established a new Romanesque basilica dedicated to St Wenceslas (consecrated in 1046 by the Prague bishop) at the site of the murder and pilgrimage site. Moreover, Bretislaus I had the Collegiate Chapter of St Cosmas and Damian, the oldest in Bohemia, built next to the basilica. By the end of the 11th century, the adjoining Romanesque St Clement Chapel was built. It is valuable for its Romanesque frescos from the latter half of the 12th century depicting scenes from St Clement's life and martyrdom.


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