Volyně

Volyně is a small, ancient market town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, situated around 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of Prague, roughly mid-way between Strakonice and Vimperk. Volyně has a resident population of 3,180 as of 2005. Its renaissance Town Hall is a famous local landmark.

History

The first written note about the town is from the year 1271 but the first signs of permanent habitation near the ford at the same place dates from 9th and 10th centuries. In 1299 provost Oldřich granted the settlement town rights. Volyně was an important stop on the trade way from Passau to Písek. Most common trade articles were salt, craft work or sheep. The town grew constantly until Thirty Years' War when the trade routes changed.

There are few historical buildings in the town such renaissance town hall built between 1521 and 1529, Gothic fortress from the 14th century, All Saints church from same period, other church in town (Proměnění Páně) was built between 1580 and 1618 and Jewish synagogue was built in 1939. Visitors can also find a Marian column right in the middle of town square from 1760 or original swimming pool from years 1939-1941.

Volhynia

Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn (Ukrainian: Волинь, Russian: Волы́нь, Volyn'; Polish: Wołyń, Lithuanian: Voluinė or Volynė; Czech: Volyň, Hungarian: Volhinia, German: Wolhynien or Wolynien, Yiddish: Volin װאָלין‎) is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe straddling Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. The alternate name for the region is Lodomeria after the city of Volodymyr-Volynsky (Vo-Lodymer), which once was a political capital of the medieval Volhynian Principality. It has changed hands numerous times throughout history and been divided among competing powers. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, it has been part of the independent nation of Ukraine.

Location and origin

Geographically it is located in the Volhynian-Podolian Upland section of the vast East European Plain, between the rivers Prypyat and Western Bug. Relative to other historical regions, it is northeast of Galicia, east of Lesser Poland, and northwest of Podolia. The borders of the region are not clearly defined, and it is often considered to overlap a number of other regions, among which are Polesia and Podlasie.