Libochovice

Libochovice (Libochowitz) is a town in Litoměřice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,400 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Dubany and Poplze are administrative parts of Libochovice.

Etymology
The name is derived from the personal name Liboch (in old Czech known as Ľuboch), meaning "the village of Liboch's people".

Geography
Libochovice is located about 15 km south of Litoměřice and 28 km south of Ústí nad Labem. It lies in an agricultural landscape in the Lower Ohře Table. The Ohře River flows through the town.

History
The first written mention of Libochovice is from 1336, when it was described as a market town with a fortress. In 1560, Libochovice became a town.

The first Jews came into the town probably in the second half of the 15th century. From the second half of the 16th century there was a strong Jewish community, but most of them died during the Holocaust, and the community was never renewed after World War II.

Transport
Libochovice is located on the railway lines Ústí nad Labem–Žatec and Česká Lípa–Postoloprty. The town is also the final station of the railway line from Roudnice nad Labem. Historic trains run on it and it is only in operation during the summer tourist season on weekends.

Sights
Libochovice is known for the Libochovice Castle. It is a Rennaisance castle created by reconstruction of the former Gothic fortress. The castle park was founded in 1686.

The Church of All Saints was originally a Gothic church from the 14th century. The tower was added in 1541. After it was destroyed by a fire in 1661, it was completely rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1700–1705.

The Jewish community is reminded of the cemetery, founded in 1583, and of part of the original houses of the Jewish quarter. The synagogue from the second half of the 18th century was demolished in 1985 and is commemorated by a memorial plaque.

Notable people

 * Jan Evangelista Purkyně (1787–1869), anatomist and physiologist
 * Ábrahám Lederer (1827–1916), Czech-Hungarian educator and writer
 * Berta Fanta (1865–1918), intellectual and feminist
 * Eliška Purkyňová (1868–1933), politician
 * Václav Vacek (1877–1960), writer and politician, Mayor of Prague
 * Josef Kopta (1894–1962), writer and journalist