Červený Kostelec

Červený Kostelec
Červený Kostelec
Town
	T. G. Masaryka Square
	Flag Coat of arms
	Červený Kostelec Location in the Czech Republic
	Coordinates: 50°28′35″N 16°5′35″E / 50.47639°N 16.09306°E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Hradec Králové
District	Náchod
First mentioned	1362
Government
• Mayor	Tomáš Prouza
Area
• Total	24.07 km2 (9.29 sq mi)
Elevation	414 m (1,358 ft)
Population (2024-01-01)
• Total	8,299
• Density	340/km2 (890/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	549 41
Website	www.cervenykostelec.cz

Červený Kostelec (Czech pronunciation: [ˈtʃɛrvɛniː ˈkostɛlɛts]; German: Rothkosteletz) is a town in Náchod District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 8,300 inhabitants.

Administrative parts

The villages of Bohdašín, Horní Kostelec, Lhota za Červeným Kostelcem, Mstětín, Olešnice and Stolín are administrative parts of Červený Kostelec.

Etymology

The word kostelec is derived from kostel (i.e. 'church') and meant "fortified church". To distinguish it from other municipalities with the same name, the adjective červený (i.e. 'red') was added in 1876. It referred to the red Permian formation that was uncovered here, and to the coloring of the local stream, which occurred during floods.^[2]

Geography

Červený Kostelec is located about 8 kilometres (5 mi) northwest of Náchod and 34 km (21 mi) northeast of Hradec Králové. It lies on the border between the Giant Mountains Foothills and Orlické Foothills. The highest point is the hill Končinský kopec at 530 m (1,740 ft) above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Kostelec is from 1362. Until 1447, it was a part of the Vízmburk estate. From 1497 at the latest, it belonged to the Náchod estate. It remained so until the establishment of an independent municipality in 1848. The preserved seal proves that Kostelec was referred to as a market town no later than from 1680.^[3] In 1876, Kostelec was promoted to a town and changed its name to Červený Kostelec.^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1869	6,130	—
1880	6,655	+8.6%
1890	7,485	+12.5%
1900	8,297	+10.8%
1910	8,971	+8.1%

Year	Pop.	±%
1921	7,797	−13.1%
1930	8,660	+11.1%
1950	8,342	−3.7%
1961	8,728	+4.6%
1970	8,726	−0.0%

Year	Pop.	±%
1980	9,196	+5.4%
1991	8,598	−6.5%
2001	8,467	−1.5%
2011	8,272	−2.3%
2021	8,016	−3.1%

Source: Censuses^[5]^[6]

Transport

The I/14 road (the section from Trutnov to Náchod) passes through the town.

Červený Kostelec is located on the railway line Prague–Trutnov.^[7]

Culture

Since 1952, the town hosts the Červený Kostelec International Folklore Festival.^[8]

Sights

The most notable building is the Church of Saint James the Great. It was originally a Gothic building from the 14th century, destroyed by fire in 1591. It was renewed in 1668 and rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1744–1754 based on plans of architect Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer.^[9]