Orlová

Orlová Orłowa
—  Town  —
Orlová downtown 2008
Coat of arms
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°50′50″N 18°25′6″E / 49.84722°N 18.41833°E / 49.84722; 18.41833
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Moravian-Silesian
District	Karviná
First mentioned	1223
Town rights	1922
Town parts	4 Lazy Lutyně Město Poruba
Government
– Mayor	Jiří Michalík (ČSSD)
Area
– Total	24.67 km2 (9.5 sq mi)
Elevation	215 m (705 ft)
Population (2006)
– Total	33,161
– Density	1,344.2/km2 (3,481.4/sq mi)
Postal code	735 11 to 735 14
Website	http://www.mesto-orlova.cz/

Orlová (Czech pronunciation: [ˈorlovaː] ( listen); Polish: Orłowa (info); German: Orlau) is a town in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia.

History

According to legend, Mieszko, a Silesian duke from the lower branch of the Piast dynasty, went hunting with his pregnant wife, Ludmiła. As they rested upon a hill, an eagle suddenly took flight, frightening the couple. The eagle dropped his prey, which fell to earth near them. Ludmiła prematurely gave birth to her child, Kazimierz. The couple, seeing a sign from God in this incident, founded a chapel on that spot and later named the subsequent settlement after the eagle (Polish: orzeł, Czech: orel). Thus, it is not clear when the settlement was really founded; however, it was first mentioned in a written document in 1223, and four years later the name of the village appears in documents. During the Middle Ages it was a settlement of agricultural character. Major change came in the 19th century with the coal mining boom. The population grew rapidly together with urban development.

At the beginning of the 20th century Orlová became an important center of Polish and Czech education and home to many cultural and sport organizations of both communities. There were also a Jewish and a German community in the town.

After the division of Cieszyn Silesia in 1920, the town became part of Czechoslovakia. Orlová gained town rights in 1922. During the workers' strike in 1925 four workers were killed by the police. Following the Munich Agreement, in October 1938, Orlová and the whole Zaolzie region were annexed by Poland. The village was then annexed by Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II. After the war it was restored to Czechoslovakia. In 1946 the villages of Lazy (Łazy) and Poruba (Poręba) were administratively joined to the town. Widespread coal mining, especially during the communist era, had a devastating impact on the town, its buildings and architecture, especially in Lazy. Many buildings in Orlová were demolished, including the Polish grammar school built in 1909. The architectural character of the town was completely changed.

The most important landmark in Orlová is the Neo-Gothic church, which replaced an older wooden one. It was almost completely rebuilt in 1903–1906, when it became the dominant edifice of the town. An important feature of the church is the stair leading up to it. The church was damaged by extensive coal mining in the town and the surroundings, and renovation work began in the 1990s and still continues. Another notable landmark is the town hall from 1928. There is also a Lutheran church in the town, consecrated in 1862.

There are several primary schools in Orlová, mostly Czech, one Polish. Several high schools are located there. Most notable is a Czech gymnasium which was rebuilt in modern architectural style and opened in 1996.

Like in others towns around Ostrava also in Orlová you can see smog in winter

Notable residents and natives

• Emanuel Chobot, Polish politician
• Adolf Fierla, Polish poet
• Stanislav Kolíbal, Czech artist and sculptor
• Martina Janková, opera singer
• Petr Glombíček, Czech scholar and philosopher

Sister towns

• Czechowice-Dziedzice, Poland
• Illnau-Effretikon, Switzerland
• Rydułtowy, Poland

References

• Radłowska-Obrusnik, Martyna (2007-12-22). "Kamienny szept historii". Głos Ludu: p. 10. 

External links

• (Czech) Official website

Coordinates: 49°50′50″N 18°25′6″E / 49.84722°N 18.41833°E / 49.84722; 18.41833