Vrchlabí guide
The town of Vrchlabí is located in the northern part of the Hradec Králové region. About 12,000 inhabitants live here. Vrchlabí is often called the "Entrance Gate to the Giant Mountains". The Žalý mountain rises above the town and the river Elbe flows through it.
Accommodation
In Vrchlabí you will find many pleasant smaller pensions ( Pension Cabák, Pension U Ryglů), apartments (IT Centrum Apartments, Apartment Liška) or hotels (Hotel Zelená Marina, Hotel U Zvonu). Not far from the ski resort Herlíkovice we can recommend Pension Imlauf.
History
The first written mention of the settlement of Vrchlabí comes from the middle of the 14th century and history is closely connected with the settlement of the Giant Mountains. The owner of the Vrchlabí estate was Hašek from Vrchlabí and after him his descendants, who ruled here until the end of the 15th century. Historically, the most important figure is certainly Kryštof Gendorf from Gendorf, who was a royal councilor and mining expert. He was responsible for the promotion of Vrchlabí to a town and created one of the most important centers of iron metallurgy in the Czech lands. A large number of new inhabitants came to Vrchlabí who found work there, and in connection with the development of metallurgy, ironworks, glassmaking and logging, the German population also settled here. In the first half of the 17th century, Albrecht of Wallenstein became the owner of the manor, during whose era Vrchlabí experienced its greatest prosperity. In addition to iron processing, flax processing also became a very important industry, local linen products were sold all over the world, and in the 17th century Vrchlabí also became the center of organ production. In the period up to the First World War, printers and dyeing plants also increased the position of the textile industry. After the signing of the Munich Agreement, the city was annexed to Nazi Germany, after the war the Germans were expelled and new inhabitants came to the city. After 1989, the town flourished again, which, thanks to its location, became very popular with tourists.
Monuments and interesting places
The most important monument is a Renaissance chateau from the 16th century, which was one of the first buildings of its kind in Bohemia. Other monuments include, for example, the Dean's Church of St. Lawrence, a renaissance old town hall or a plague column from the 17th century. You will also find the Krkonoše Museum here. For lovers of winter and summer sports, Vrchlabí is an ideal starting point for trips on mountain ridges. The town also hosts the traditional Krkonoše Beer Festival.