Častolovice
# Častolovice

Častolovice (German: Tschastolowitz) is a market town in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,700 inhabitants.

## Geography

Častolovice is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southeast of Hradec Králové. It lies in the Orlice Table. The highest point is at 320 m (1,050 ft) above sea level. The market town is situated on the Bělá River, near its confluence with the Divoká Orlice. The Divoká Orlice forms the southern municipal border.

## History

Around 1280, a Gothic fortress was built here by a noble family, later named Lords of Častolovice. The first written mention of Častolovice is from 1342, when the village was promoted to a market town by King John of Bohemia. Between 1588 and 1615, the fortress was rebuilt into a Renaissance castle. From 1694 until the World War II, Častolovice was owned by the Sternberg family. In 1992, the castle was returned to the family.

## Transport

Častolovice lies on the railway lines heading from Hradec Králové to Letohrad and from Rychnov nad Kněžnou to Choceň.

## Sights

The main sight of Častolovice is the Častolovice Castle. The castle is open to the public and includes a mini-zoo and an English park with a game park.

The Church of Saint Vitus is a Baroque building. It replaced an old Gothic church first mentioned in 1356. Some elements of the original church are preserved in the present building.

## Notable people

* Jiří Pelikán (1906–1984), chess player
