Ondřejov is a municipality and village in Prague-East District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,900 inhabitants. It is known for the Ondřejov Observatory. The historic centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Administrative parts

The villages of Třemblat and Turkovice are administrative parts of Ondřejov.

Etymology

Ondřejov (meaning "Ondřej's") was probably named after its founded Ondřej of Dubá. Saint Andrew is in the municipal coat of arms.

Geography

Ondřejov is located about 25 km southeast of Prague. It lies in the Benešov Uplands. The highest point is the Pecný hill at 545 m above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Ondřejov is from 1352. Among the owners of the village were the noble families of Dubá, Kostka of Postupice, Šelenberk and Waldstein. The development of Ondřejov was greatly hampered by the Hussite Wars in the 15th century and the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century. In 1745, Ondřejov was promoted to a market town, but it lost the title after World War II.

Demographics

Transport

The D1 motorway from Prague to Brno passes through the western part of the municipal territory.

Science

In 1898–1906, the industrialist Josef Jan Frič built an astronomical observatory in the village, which he gave to the Charles University in 1928. Today the Ondřejov Observatory is operated by the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Its part is also the Vojtěch Šafařík Astronomical Museum.

Sights

The Church of Saints Simon and Jude was originally a Romanesque building, modified in the Baroque style in 1668. The adjacent Baroque building of the rectory was built in 1778–1780.

Notable people