Dolní Břežany

Dolní Břežany is a municipality and village in Prague-West District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,700 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Jarov, Lhota and Zálepy are administrative parts of Dolní Břežany.

Etymology
The name Břežany could be derived from the word břeh ('[river] bank' in Czech, but in old Czech also meaning 'hillside') or from the word březí ('birch forest'). The word břežané denoted people who live near a bank, hillside or birch forest, so Břežany was a village of such people. In the 17th century, when church owned two villages named Břežany and needed to distinguish them, this village became known as Dolní ('lower') Břežany.

Geography
Dolní Břežany is located south of Prague, in its immediate vicinity. Most of the municipal territory lies in the Prague Plateau. The northwestern part lies in a tip of the Brdy Highlands and includes the highest point of Dolní Břežany, the hill Závist at 389 m above sea level. The Vltava River flows along the western municipal border. The brook Břežanský potok flows across the municipality into the Vltava and supplies several small fishponds.

History
The first written mention of Břežany is from 1332. In 1364, Břežany and Lhota were acquired by the bishopric in Litomyšl, then they were owned by the Zbraslav Monastery. In 1436, King Sigismund pledged the estate to Bened of Nečtiny. Then the owners changed frequently. Between 1627 and 1632, the village changed its name to Dolní Břežany. From 1683 to 1715, Dolní Břežany was property of the Trauttmansdorff family, who sold it to the Prague archbishopric. The Prague archbishops owned it until 1945.

Economy
Dolní Břežany is the seat of HiLASE Centre. It is a workplace of the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences that deals with the innovation of laser technology. It was founded in 2011. With about 100 employees, it is the main employer in the municipality.

Transport
There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality.

Sights
The main landmark of Dolní Břežany is a Renaissance castle, which was created by rebuilding a medieval fortress. It was built during the rule of Krištof Želínský of Sebuzín between 1590 and 1606. The Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene was added to the castle in the 1880s. Today it serves as a hotel.

There are the remains of a Celtic oppidum on the Závist hill. A wooden observation tower was built in the area in 2021. It is 32 m high.

Notable people

 * Eduard Prchal (1911–1984), pilot