Polička

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

Town in Pardubice Region, Czech Republic

title: "Polička" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-and-towns-in-the-pardubice-region", "populated-places-in-svitavy-district", "jewish-communities-in-the-czech-republic", "populated-places-established-in-the-13th-century", "1265-establishments-in-europe"] description: "Town in Pardubice Region, Czech Republic" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polička" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Town in Pardubice Region, Czech Republic ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
namePolička
settlement_typeTown
image_skyline2012-08-27 13-18-28 Pentax JH.jpg
image_captionPalackého náměstí with the Marian column
image_flagPolička_flag_CZ.svg
image_shieldPolička_CoA_CZ.svg
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1Pardubice
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Svitavy
pushpin_mapCzech Republic
pushpin_relief1
pushpin_map_captionLocation in the Czech Republic
coordinates
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameJaroslav Martinů
leader_party
established_titleFounded
established_date1265
area_total_km233.12
elevation_m555
population_as_of2025-01-01
population_footnotes
population_total9051
population_density_km2auto
timezone1CET
utc_offset1+1
timezone1_DSTCEST
utc_offset1_DST+2
postal_code_typePostal code
postal_code572 01
website
::

| name = Polička | other_name = | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = 2012-08-27 13-18-28 Pentax JH.jpg | image_caption = Palackého náměstí with the Marian column | image_flag = Polička_flag_CZ.svg | image_shield = Polička_CoA_CZ.svg | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Pardubice | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Svitavy | image_map = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Czech Republic | pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in the Czech Republic | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Jaroslav Martinů | leader_party = | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1265 | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 33.12 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 555 | population_as_of = 2025-01-01 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 9051 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 572 01 | area_code_type = | area_code = | website = | footnotes = Polička (; ) is a town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 9,100 inhabitants. Polička is located in the Svitavy Uplands, on the borderline of the historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. Among the notable landmarks are the preserved fortifications and the Baroque town hall.

Administrative division

Polička consists of six municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):

  • Polička-Město (568)
  • Dolní Předměstí (1,916)
  • Horní Předměstí (5,610)
  • Lezník (215)
  • Modřec (137)
  • Střítež (176)

Etymology

Polička was founded in the area of meadows and forests called Napolickach, which most likely meant "on the plains", and the town's name was derived from this local name.

Geography

Polička is located about 14 km west of Svitavy and 49 km southeast of Pardubice. It lies in the Svitavy Uplands. The highest point is at 650 m above sea level. It is situated on the borderline of the historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia. The brook Bílý potok flows through the town and supplies the fishpond Synský rybník in the centre of the town.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Polička-hradby.jpg" caption="Part of the town walls"] ::

Until 1200, the area was under the administration of the Praemonstratensian monastery in Litomyšl. Polička was founded in 1265 by King Ottokar II of Bohemia to defend the country's trading route from Moravia to Bohemia through dense forests. On 27 September 1265, Ottokar II issued a decree in which he ordered the lokator Conrad of Lewendorf to take care of setting up the new town.

In the first decades of its existence, the town was administered from the Svojanov Castle. In 1307, Polička was donated to Queen Elizabeth Richeza by her husband King Rudolf I and for next centuries became a dowry town, administered by Bohemian queens. During the reign of Charles IV, the town streets were paved, stone houses built, and the town fortified.

In 1421, Polička was taken by Jan Žižka and afterwards plundered by one of Hungarian armies of Sigismund. After the Hussite Wars, Germans were expelled and Polička became a purely Czech town.

16th–18th centuries

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Policka_kostel-sv_Michala.JPG" caption="Church of Saint Michael"] ::

Polička enjoyed the favour of the Jagiellonian dynasty during their rule. Later, the town actively participated in the fight against Ferdinand I. In 1547 after Ferdinand I got to power, Polička was punished by suspension of its rights, fined, and its real estate was confiscated. Twelve years later, the town had to purchase the property for additional money.

In the second half of the 16th century, the town prospered and Renaissance-style buildings started to be built. including the Church of Saint Michael. In 1613, Polička was devastated by fire. Only the southwestern part of the town the Gothic town hall, church, rectory and school were spared. Polička did not prosper well during the Thirty Years' War either and was conquered and looted several times. The town subsequently depopulated.

Until the end of the 17th century, Polička recovered. In the 18th century, it again prospered and Baroque reconstructions were made all over the town.

19th–20th centuries

Polička kept its Baroque appearance until 1845 when it was hit by another fire, which destroyed most of the houses and the Church of Saint James the Great. The fire has considerably slowed development of the town and therefore the town walls were not torn down and are preserved to this day. During the second half of the 19th century the town experienced a significant cultural development. In 1896, Polička was connected to the national railway network. This started the industrial development of the town.

In the first half of the 20th century a number of significant building were built in the town, for example Tyl House, Sokol Gymnasium and the building of the current secondary grammar school. Until 1918, Polička was part of Austria-Hungary, in the district of the same name, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia. In October and November 1938, Polička was occupied by Nazi Germany. Between 1939 and 1945, the town belonged to the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. After World War II, the town lost about one thousand inhabitants to the abandoned areas from where the original German population was expelled.

Demographics

|align=none|cols=3 |1869|5531 |1880|5746 |1890|5691 |1900|6163 |1910|6453 |1921|6216 |1930|7276 |1950|6451 |1961|6863 |1970|7266 |1980|8972 |1991|8987 |2001|9187 |2011|8948 |2021|8622 |source=Censuses}}

Economy

The largest employer based in the town is Ravensburger Karton, manufacturer of toys and games.

Transport

The I/34 road (the section from Svitavy to Havlíčkův Brod) passes through the town.

Polička is located on the railway line heading from Česká Třebová and Svitavy to Skuteč.

Sights

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Radnice_s_kaplí_(Polička)_02.JPG" caption="Town hall"] ::

The historic centre is formed by the square Palackého náměstí and adjacent streets. The square includes one of the most notable Baroque town halls in the country. It replaced an old Gothic town hall and was built in 1739–1744. The Baroque 22 m high Marian column was built in 1727–1731. Both the town hall and the Marian column were probably designed by the architect František Maxmilián Kaňka.

Massive stone walls with 19 bastions are among the best-preserved fortifications in Central Europe. They are 1220 m long and surround the entire historic town centre.

The original Church of Saint James the Great was built in 1265. It was replaced by the a church in the 1360s–1380s, which was later reconstructed in the Baroque style. After the fire in 1845, the current Neo-Gothic church was built on its site in 1853–1865. The tower of the church serves as a lookout point and contains the room in which the composer Bohuslav Martinů, the most notable person born in Polička, was born. It is open to the public.

The Church of Saint Michael was built before 1580. It is a Renaissance cemetery church with Gothic elements.

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

Polička is twinned with:

Gallery

Polička Věž.jpg|Church of Saint James the Great in the 1910s Polička, straatzicht Novà IMG 6617 2018-08-04 13.39.jpg|Nová Street

References

References

  1. (2025-05-16). "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2025". [[Czech Statistical Office]].
  2. (2022). "Public Census 2021 – basic data". [[Czech Statistical Office]].
  3. "Od založení města do husitské revoluce (13.–15.stol.)". Město Polička.
  4. "Dvě století pohrom (15.–17.stol.)". Město Polička.
  5. "Obnova mírového života a "zlatý věk" feudálního měšťanstva (17.–18. stol.)". Město Polička.
  6. Die postalischen Abstempelungen auf den österreichischen Postwertzeichen-Ausgaben 1867, 1883 und 1890, Wilhelm Klein, 1967
  7. (2015-12-21). "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011". [[Czech Statistical Office]].
  8. (2021-03-27). "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". [[Czech Statistical Office]].
  9. "Registr ekonomických subjektů". Czech Statistical Office.
  10. "Detail stanice Polička". [[České dráhy]].
  11. "O městě". Město Polička.
  12. "Barokní skvosty na Palackého náměstí". Město Polička.
  13. "Kostel sv. Jakuba s rodnou světničkou Bohuslava Martinů". National Heritage Institute.
  14. "Kostel sv. Michala". Město Polička.
  15. "Partnerská města". Město Polička.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

cities-and-towns-in-the-pardubice-regionpopulated-places-in-svitavy-districtjewish-communities-in-the-czech-republicpopulated-places-established-in-the-13th-century1265-establishments-in-europe