Kladno
Encyclopedia
Kladno (ˈkladno) is a city in the Central Bohemian Region
(Středočeský kraj) of the Czech Republic
. It is located 25 km northwest of Prague
. Kladno is the largest city of the region and holds a population together with its adjacent suburban areas of more than 110,000 people. The city is part of the Prague metropolitan area.
. For years, the town was home to the Poldi steel factory, the region's largest employer. The factory still stands but has been divided into smaller entities after privatisation and changes in ownership. The mining industry
began here in 1842. The proximity to Prague helped to keep the local economy stable in spite of the heavy industrial decline after the collapse of the communist regime
.
with: Vitry-sur-Seine
, France
Bellevue
, United States
Aachen
, Germany
Central Bohemian Region
Central Bohemian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the central part of its historical region of Bohemia. Its administrative center is placed in the Czech capital Prague , which lies in the center of the region...
(Středočeský kraj) of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It is located 25 km northwest of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Kladno is the largest city of the region and holds a population together with its adjacent suburban areas of more than 110,000 people. The city is part of the Prague metropolitan area.
History
The first written evidence of Kladno dates back to the 14th century. In 1561 the city rights were secured. Kladno was the historical birthplace of heavy industry in BohemiaBohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. For years, the town was home to the Poldi steel factory, the region's largest employer. The factory still stands but has been divided into smaller entities after privatisation and changes in ownership. The mining industry
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
began here in 1842. The proximity to Prague helped to keep the local economy stable in spite of the heavy industrial decline after the collapse of the communist regime
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was the official name of Czechoslovakia from 1960 until end of 1989 , a Soviet satellite state of the Eastern Bloc....
.
Notable natives
- Anton ČermákAnton CermakAnton Joseph Cermak was the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1931 until his assassination by Giuseppe Zangara in 1933.-Early life and career:...
, mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1931–1933, was born here (as Antonín Čermák) in 1873. - Zdeněk MilerZdenek MilerZdeněk Miler was a Czech animator and illustrator best known for his Mole character and its adventures.-Early years:...
, animator and illustrator (creator of The MoleMole (Zdenek Miler character)The Mole is an animated character in a series of cartoons, created by Czech animator Zdeněk Miler.It was first to be seen in 1956 in Prague, when Miler wanted to create a children's cartoon...
character). - Petr PithartPetr PithartPetr Pithart is a Czech politician, lawyer and political scientist.He served as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from February 6, 1990 to July 2, 1992...
, former Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
was born here in 1941. - Jaromír JágrJaromir JagrJaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
, international ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
star player for the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
was born here in 1972. - Michal PivoňkaMichal PivonkaMichal Pivoňka is a retired National Hockey League player. He played his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals. Selected by the Capitals in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Pivonka defected to the United States during the summer of 1986...
, former ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player for the Washington CapitalsWashington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. Twice led his team in scoring (1991–1992, 1995–1996). - Tomáš PlekanecTomas PlekanecTomas Plekanec is a Czech professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . After beginning his career for HC Kladno of the Czech Extraliga, he was selected 71st overall by the Canadiens in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft...
, ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player for the Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. - Ondřej PavelecOndrej PavelecOndřej Pavelec is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender, who plays for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goalie for the Winnipeg JetsWinnipeg JetsThe Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
. - Jiří TlustýJiri TlustyJiří Tlustý is a Czech professional ice hockey player who is a member of the Carolina Hurricanes organization of the National Hockey League...
, ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player for the Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
. - Jakub VoráčekJakub VorácekJakub Voráček is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League...
, ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player for the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - Michael FrolíkMichael FrolikMichael Frolík is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player for the Chicago BlackhawksChicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. - František KaberleFrantišek KaberleFrantišek "Frank" Kaberle is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for HC Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga. During the 2005–06 season, he won his first Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has previously played for Modo Hockey, the Los Angeles Kings, the Atlanta...
, former ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player for the Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Kladno is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Vitry-sur-Seine
Vitry-sur-Seine
Vitry-sur-Seine is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.-Name:Vitry-sur-Seine was originally called simply Vitry. The name Vitry comes from Medieval Latin Vitriacum, and before that Victoriacum, meaning "estate of Victorius", a...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Bellevue
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Trivia
- On Prison BreakPrison BreakPrison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
, Nika Volek, played by Holly ValanceHolly ValanceHolly Valance is an Australian actress, singer, and model, who has dual United Kingdom citizenship. Valance began her career as Felicity "Flick" Scully on the Australian soap opera Neighbours...
has family in Kladno. - One of the main LEGOLegoLego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
production facilities is located here.