Bečváry

Bečváry (Betschwar) is a municipality and village in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,100 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Červený Hrádek, Hatě, Horní Jelčany and Poďousy are administrative parts of Bečváry. Hatě and Horní Jelčany form an exclave of the municipal territory.

Etymology
The name is derived from the word bečvář, i.e. cooper. It was a village where coopers lived.

Geography
Bečváry is located about 11 km southwest of Kolín and 40 km east of Prague. It lies in the Upper Sázava Hills. The highest point is at 430 m above sea level. The Bečvárka Stream flows through the municipality and supplies Podbečvárský Pond.

History
The first written mention of Bečváry is from 1265.

Transport
The I/2 road from Prague to Kutná Hora and Pardubice passes through the municipality.

Transport
Bečváry is located on the railway line Kolín–Ledečko.

Sights
The main landmark of Bečváry is the late Baroque castle. Construction of the castle started in the mid-18th century, but the building remained unfinished until the rule of Ernst Gideon von Laudon, who had the castle rebuilt and expanded between 1766 and 1774. Nowadays, the castle is not accessible to the public and is being gradually reconstructed by a private owner.