Březno is a market town in Mladá Boleslav District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,100 inhabitants.

Administration

The village of Dolánky is an administrative part of Březno.

Etymology

The name Březno is derived from bříza (i.e. 'birch'), meaning "birch forest".

Geography

Březno is located about 6 km east of Mladá Boleslav and 48 km northeast of Prague. It lies in the Jičín Uplands. The highest point is the hill Telib at 322 m above sea level. The market town is situated on the left bank of the Klenice River. There are several fishponds in the territory; the largest of them is Vražda.

History

The first written mention of Březno is from 1255. The village was owned by the Wartenberg family until the 15th century, then different noble families took turns in ownership. In 1561, during the rule of the Bubna of Litice family, Březno was promoted to a market town, but later it was degraded to a village. In 1727, it was again promoted to a market town by Emperor Charles VI.

Demographics

Transport

The I/16 road (the section from Mladá Boleslav to Jičín) runs along the northern municipal border. Březno is located on the railway line Mladá Boleslav–Mladějov.

Sights

The old dilapidated castle in Březno burned down in 1765 and a new, larger late Baroque castle was built in its place. The complex includes a castle, a historic carriage house and a large park. The castle is inaccessible to the public. The Church of Saint Wenceslaus is a Baroque building from 1718, located next to the castle. A brick bell tower stands separately nearby. The bell tower was part of the old castle and dates from the early 16th century.