Březnice (Příbram District)

Březnice (Bresnitz) is a town in Příbram District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,500 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Administrative parts
The villages of Bor, Dobrá Voda, Martinice, Přední Poříčí and Zadní Poříčí are administrative parts of Březnice.

Etymology
The name of the town is probably derived from Březná, which was the former name of the stream that flowed through the birch forest (from Czech bříza, i.e. 'birch').

Geography
Březnice is located about 13 km south of Příbram and 61 km southwest of Prague. It lies in the Benešov Uplands. The highest point is the hill Vinice at 538 m. The Skalice River flows through the town.

History
The first written mention of Březnice is from 1224, when Budislav of Březnice, a member of the royal council, was documented. In 1327, Březnice was first referred to as a market town. Until the Battle of the White Mountain, it was a small market town. In 1621, Březnice was acquired by Přibík Jeníšek of Újezd, who together with his wife started the construction development, founded a Jesuit college and had a new church built.

During the Thirty Years' War, the town was not damaged much, and continued to develop after the war, especially in the 18th century. The Jewish ghetto was founded in 1726. In 1728, Březnice was inherited by the Kolowrat family. In 1872, the town was inherited by the Pálffy family, who owned it until 1945. For centuries, Březnice was an agricultural town. In 1875, the railway was built, and industry began to develop slowly. Between 1918 and 1931, several factories were established.

Economy
Březnice is home to the Březnice Castle Brewery, which sells its beer under the Herold brand name.

Transport
The I/19 road from Plzeň to Tábor passes through the town.

Březnice is located on the major railway line Prague–České Budějovice and on the line Beroun–Blatná.

Sights
Březnice is known for the Březnice Castle, protected as a national cultural heritage. It was built in the 13th century. The castle is surrounded by a Renaissance garden and English landscape garden. Historically significant is its library from 1558, one of the oldest in Bohemia. The castle is open to the public.

The Church of Saints Francis Xavier and Ignatius of Loyola is a landmark of historical town centre. It was built by Carlo Lurago in 1642–1650. It includes many valuable paintings and carved sculptures.

The Jewish ghetto is a unique urban complex with preserved Neoclassical houses. The synagogue was built in 1726–1728 and rebuilt in 1874. Březnice served as an important cultural and social centre for Jewish population in a wide area. There is also a Jewish cemetery in the town.

Notable people

 * Joachim Edler von Popper (1722–1795), merchant, banker and manufacturer
 * Václav Pichl (1741–1805), composer; served here
 * Albert Popper (1808–1889), physician and politician
 * Jiří Veselý (born 1993), tennis player

Twin towns – sister cities
Březnice is twinned with:
 * 🇩🇪 Lindow, Germany