Kralovice

Kralovice (Kralowitz) is a town in Plzeň-North District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,500 inhabitants. It is known for the former pilgrimage site of Mariánská Týnice.

Administrative parts
The villages of Bukovina, Hradecko, Mariánský Týnec, Řemešín and Trojany are administrative parts of Kralovice.

Geography
Kralovice is located about 25 km west of Plzeň. The southern part of the municipal territory with the town proper lies in the Plasy Uplands. The northern part lies in the Rakovník Uplands. The highest point is a hill at 573 m above sea level. The Kralovický Stream flows through the town. There are several small ponds around the town.

History
The first written mention of Kralovice is from 1183, when Duke Frederick donated it to the Plasy Monastery. In 1547, Kralovice gained coat of arms and became a town.

Until 1918, the town was part of Austria-Hungary, head of the district of the same name, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.

Transport
The I/27 road from Plzeň to Žatec passes through the town.

Kralovice is the final station of the railway line from Prague via Rakovník. Historic trains run on it and it is only in operation during the summer tourist season on weekends.

Sights
The main landmark of Kralovice is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. The originally Gothic church from the mid-14th century was rebuilt in the late Renaissance style in 1575–1581. Its chapel dates from 1868.

The village of Mariánský Týnec is known for the former pilgrimage site of Mariánská Týnice. It is a Baroque complex formed by a monastery and the Church of the Annunciation. Today the monastery houses the Museum and Gallery of the Northern Plzeň Region.

Notable people

 * Isa Grégrová (1878–1962), actress
 * Marie Uchytilová (1924–1989), sculptor