Kolín

Przemysl Otakar II established the City of Kolín in the second half of the 13th century. Archaeological research has, however, found that the oldest settlement of the city dates from the Stone Age. The dominant feature of the city is the triple nave Church of St. Bartholomew dating from the 14th century, which is the work of the leading high Gothic architect in Bohemia, Petr Parléř. The urban conservation area also boasts other monuments such as the erstwhile castle, which later became a château and was then converted into a brewery, the old Jewish cemetery or the group of original Gothic houses. Today, Kolín is an important rail junction. The city is known to the cultural public for its popular “Kmoch’s Kolín” (Kmochův Kolín) festival of brass music or its pantomime display (The mime, J. G. Deburau, was born here).