The town of Říčany (German Ritschan) is located in the district of Prague-East, Central Bohemian Region, on the border of the capital city of Prague, about 20 km southeast of its center. Approximately 16,000 people live here. Rokytka and Říčanský stream flow through Říčany, on its course there are Marvánek and Mlýnský rybník ponds in the town. The Říčany railway line 221 passes from Říčany to Benešov. In 2018 and 2019, the quality of life index showed that Říčany is the city with the best quality of life in the Czech Republic.
According to Hájk's chronicle, the first mention of the Říčany
refers to the year 748[5], when a battle was fought for the Říčany
court. The next written mention of the village dates from 1289,
although the local castle on the rock was founded by lords from
Říčany around 1260.
During the Hussite Wars, the castle was
captured and looted by Žižek's soldiers. The Hussites stayed in the
castle, after their departure it remained in the possession of the
Praguers and its importance declined. In the 1580s, it was acquired
by the Trčk family from Lípa and abandoned after 1516. In a report
from 1544 it is listed as deserted.
In later years, Říčany
became a prosperous town again, but during the Thirty Years' War the
town was almost completely destroyed and some surrounding villages
disappeared.
Between 2008 and 2012, the city's population
grew by more than 1,500 people, from 12,352 to 13,856.
After
the municipal elections held in the fall of 2014, Vladimír Kořen
from the Klidné město grouping continued as mayor of the city.
Deputy mayors are Zdeněk Hraba and Hana Špačková elected for the
same movement. In December 2020, David Michalička became the new
mayor of the city.
Territorial integration
The history of
territorial incorporation covers the period from 1850 to the
present. The chronological overview shows the territorial
administrative jurisdiction of the municipality in the year when the
change occurred:
1850 Czech land, Prague region, Jílové political
district, Říčany judicial district
1855 Czech land, Prague
region, Říčany judicial district
1868 Czech land, political
district Český Brod, judicial district Říčany
1898 Czech
Republic, political district Žižkov, judicial district Říčany
1921 Czech Republic, political district Žižkov seat of Říčany,
judicial district of Říčany
1925 Czech land, political and
judicial district of Říčany
1939 Czech Land, Oberlandrat Prague,
political and judicial district of Říčany
1942 Czech Republic,
Oberlandrat Prague, political district Prague-Venkov-South, judicial
district Říčany
1945 Czech land, administrative and judicial
district of Říčany
1949 Prague region, Říčany district
1960
Central Bohemia region, Prague-east district
Year 1932
In
the town of Říčany near Prague (5,306 inhabitants) the following
businesses and shops were registered in 1932 (selection):
Institutions: district office, district court, pension inspection
office, collection office, district gendarmerie headquarters, post
office, telegraph office, telephone office, Catholic church, church
of the Czechoslovak Church, synagogue, district almshouse,
orphanage.
Trades, industry and services: trade council,
association of various trades, 4 brickyards, 2 mills, sawmill, 5
doctors, 2 dentists, veterinarian, 4 lawyers, notary, biographer
Sokol, surveyor, 12 inns, 5 hotels (Houžvička, U Labutě , Milan,
Monopol, Pavilon), U Božího oka pharmacy, 4 restaurants (U českého
lva, U Sokol, U nádraží, Na Vyhlídka), Městská spořitelna na Král.
Vinohradych, District Economic Credit Union, District Credit Union,
Trade Credit Union.
In the village of Jažlovice (295
inhabitants, Catholic church, the independent village later became
the settlement of Říčan) the following trades and shops were
registered in 1932: 2 inns, a blacksmith, 2 milk shops, a shoemaker,
2 general stores, 2 newsagents, a large estate.
In the
village of Kuří (319 inhabitants, the independent village later
became part of Říčany) the following trades and shops were
registered in 1932: 2 inns, a wheelwright, a blacksmith, 2 mills, a
baker, 3 farmers, an orchardist, 3 general stores, a newsagent, a
large estate.
In the village of Radošovice (1,255
inhabitants, post office, gendarmerie station, volunteer fire
department, independent village later became part of Říčany), the
following businesses and shops were registered in 1932: a doctor, 3
car carriers, 2 upholsterers, 3 cattle dealers, a shop with
gramophones, 3 barbers, hardware store, 6 inns, Hotel Amerika,
executive office, bandleader, wheelwright, cosmetics, 3 tailors,
spirits production, mask rental, 3 shoemakers, 2 bakers, sawmill, 5
butchers, shoemaker, 2 glaziers, 9 general stores, 2 soda water
factories, builder, hardware store, plumber, seamstress, technical
supplies, 4 newsagents, carpenter, charcuterie store, 2 locksmiths,
2 masons, dental studio.
In the village of Voděrádky (adj.
Krabošice, 258 inhabitants, the independent village later became
part of Říčany) the following businesses and shops were registered
in 1932: inn, blacksmith, mill, farmer, butcher, general store,
newsagent, large landowner Mendl.
The ruins of Říčany Castle, in the city, to the west of Masaryk
Square
Saint Peter and Paul Church on Masaryk Square
A column
with a statue of the Virgin Mary on Masaryk Square
Jureček – a
swimming pool with an adjacent pub, a meeting place for locals
regardless of generation.
Antonín Švehla Park – the memorial
bronze statue of A. Švehla was temporarily hidden by the communists
in the garden of the People's School of Art on Ričanské náměstí, in
January 1949 the statue mysteriously disappeared. For 40 years, no
one knew anything about her fate. It was only after the fall of the
communist regime that a group of older citizens volunteered, who, as
young men from peasant families, secretly transported Švehl's statue
to Lipan using a tractor across the frozen mill pond. Here they hid
her in a well.
The D1 highway passes through the southern part of the city cadastre.
Road I/2 from Prague to Kutná Hora passes through the city, and whether
it starts in the direction of Jesenice and at the same time ends in the
direction of Úval, ring road II/101; and road II/107 Říčany – Velké
Popovice – Kamenice – Týnec nad Sázavou. Road III. classes are:
III/00312 Nupaky – Kuří – Říčany (II/101)
III/00313 II/101 – Kuří –
(Lipany)
III/00318a along II/101 in Voděrádky
III/00322 Voděrádky
– Říčany
III/00323 Krabošice – Voděrádky – Jažlovice – Předboř
III/00325 Modletice – Jažlovice – Světice
III/1011 Tehov – Strašín
III/10174 Březí – Strašín – Babice
III/10176 (Nedvezí) – Pacov –
Březí
III/33312 (Kolovraty) – Říčany
The town of Říčany is
located on railway line 221 Prague – Benešov u Prahy. It is a two-track
electrified national line included in the European railway system, part
IV. transit railway corridor. Transport on it began in 1871. It was
double-tracked in 1903, then electrified in 1971. Route 221 is followed
by lines S9 (Prague hl.n. – Benešov u Prahy) and S29 (Prague-Vysočany –
Strančice) within the Prague of the Esko system. Říčany station is
served by a large number of passenger trains, express trains pass
through.
In 2011, suburban bus lines passing through the city led
to the following destinations: Horní Kruty, Kostelec nad Černými lesy,
Praha-Háje, Praha-Strašnická, Sázava, Suchdol (carrier ČSAD POLKOST,
s.r.o.), Chocerady, Jesenice, Louňovice, Mukařov (Prague district
-east), Prague-Černý Most, Prague-Háje, Strančice (carrier Veolia
Transport Praha, s. r. o.), Doubek, Prague-Depo Hostivař (carrier
Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, a. s.).
In 1991/1992, Říčany city
transport had the number 11171 in the regional timetable and included a
single line, with the number 1, from ČSAD to Olivovná. From May 28,
2000, the city line ČSAD Prague-Vršovice was included in the PID under
the number 499 (license number 285499), the immediate vicinity of Říčany
was served by several other lines with similar numbers (497 and 498).
From June 14, 2009, they were replaced by extended lines PID 303, 385
and 428 from more distant municipalities. Carrier Connex Praha, s. r. o.
As of September 3, 2018, three bus lines with free operation,
distinguished by color, were introduced outside the PID system in
Říčany:
289001 MHD Říčany Yellow line: Sídliště Olivovna – Nádraží –
(Srnčí) – Náměstí – OÁZA (on weekdays 5:30–20:30, interval approx. 30 to
60 minutes)
289002 MHD Říčany Red line: Kuří – Hřbitov – Náměstí –
(Srnčí) – Ndraží – Nemocnice – Pacov, ZŠ Nemo / Strašín, Pastelkov (on
weekdays 5:30–20:30, interval approx. 30 to 60 minutes)
289003 MHD
Říčany Blue line: Modletice, intersection Doubravice – Jažlovice –
Voděrádky – Náměstí – Nádraží – (Industrial area Černokostelecká) –
Pacov – Březí, u křížek – Strašín, restaurant (on weekdays 5:30–20:30,
interval approx. 60 up to 90 minutes)
Furthermore, from the same
date, three school lines, marked Š1 to Š3, were introduced, also with
free operation:
289004 MHD Říčany school line Š1: Strašín, rest.
– Březí, near the cross – Pacov – Pacov, Elementary school Nemo –
Strašín, Pastelkov – K žel.st. – Pod Kavčí skálou – ZŠ U říčanského lesa
(one circular connection in the morning)
289005 MHD Říčany school
line Š2: Kuří – Hřbitov – Náměstí – Srnčí – Spopoživo ZŠ – Štefánikova
(one connection in the morning in the indicated direction)
289006 MHD
Říčany school line Š3: Jažlovice – Voděrádky – OÁZA – Náměstí – Nádraží
– Komenského náměstí – ZŠ U říčanského lesa (one connection in the
morning in the indicated direction)
The carrier on all six lines is
ČSAD Benešov a.s.