Turnov

Turnov (Czech pronunciation: [ˈturnof]; German: Turnau) is a town on the Jizera river in the northern Czech Republic. It has about 14,500 inhabitants and lies in the southern part of Liberec Region. It is a traditional center for gemstone polishing, glass craftsmanship and arts. Turnov lies in the heart of the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) nature reserve which makes it a place for tourists and summer residents. The town is also an important traffic crossroads of three railways and the Prague–Liberec highway. Turnov has a large museum (finalist in European museums competition), three galleries, six churches and a synagogue. The small old town of Middle Ages urbanism is surrounded by modern garden neighbourhoods and large parks representing an organic connection between urban areas and nature. The region is well known for many castles, châteaux and excellent rural architecture.

History

Turnov was founded as a Bohemian town in 1272 by Jaroslav and Havel of Markvartice on a spur of rock overlooking the Jizera River. A Dominican cloister was founded by Saint Zdislava, wife of Sir Havel. During the Middle Ages, Turnov came into the possession of the Wartenberg and Smiřický noble houses. The medieval town was frequently vulnerable to fires—it was burnt by Lusatian crusaders in 1468 and during the Thirty Years' War by Swedes in 1643, as well as a conflagration in 1707. The first European technical school for the processing of gemstones, metals, and jewelry was founded in Turnov in 1882 and still exists as one of the best schools of this type in the world.