Drahany

49°26′0″N 16°53′51″E / 49.43333°N 16.89750°E / 49.43333; 16.89750Country Czech RepublicRegionOlomoucDistrictProstějovFirst mentioned1310Area • Total6.76 km² (2.61 sq mi)Elevation626 m (2,054 ft)Population • Total512 • Density76/km² (200/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal codeWebsitewww.drahany.com

Drahany is a market town in Prostějov District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 500 inhabitants.

Etymology

According to one theory, the name is derived from the personal name Drahan. According to other theory, it is derived from the old Czech word draha (i.e. 'way', 'road') and referred to a road from Brno to Prostějov that led this way.^[2]

Geography

Drahany is located about 14 kilometres (9 mi) west of Prostějov and 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Olomouc. It lies in the Drahany Highlands. The highest point is the hill Horka at 656 m (2,152 ft) above sea level. The Velká Haná Stream originates here and flows to the south.

In the western part of the municipal territory is the pond Nebeský. Together with its surroundings, it is protected as a nature monument with an area of 6.4 ha (16 acres).^[3]

History

The first written mention of Drahany is from 1310, when the local castle, occupied by marauding knights, was conquered by King John of Bohemia. In 1322, King John sold the village to Lords of Kravaře, who annexed it to their Plumlov estate. In 1348, Drahany was first referred to as a market town. During the Hussite Wars, Drahany was badly damaged and lost its status of a market town. In 1495, the Plumlov estate with Drahany was acquired by the Pernštejn family. During their rule, Drahany developed. The prosperity ended in the times of the Thirty Years' War, during which the village was damaged and depopulated. From 1590 until the establishment of an independent municipality in 1848, Drahany was owned by the Liechtenstein family.^[2][4]

Drahany was again promoted to a market town in 1908. After World War II, the population decreased, as Drahany remained an agricultural municipality without significant industry.^[2]

Demographics

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 904 —     1880 947 +4.8% 1890 1,012 +6.9% 1900 1,003 −0.9% 1910 1,001 −0.2%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 1,007 +0.6% 1930 990 −1.7% 1950 799 −19.3% 1961 755 −5.5% 1970 674 −10.7%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 621 −7.9% 1991 564 −9.2% 2001 530 −6.0% 2011 523 −1.3% 2021 487 −6.9%
Source: Censuses[5][6]

Transport

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

Sights

The main landmark of Drahany is the Church of Saint John the Baptist. It was built in the late Baroque style in 1790.^[7]

Notable people

• Wilhelm Kosch (1879–1960), Austrian historian of literature

References

External links