Poříčany is a municipality and village in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,600 inhabitants.

Etymology

The name is derived from the word poříčané (from poříčí, i.e. "area around a river"), which denoted people who lived near some river.

Geography

Poříčany is located about 22 km northwest of Kolín and 26 km east of Prague. It lies in a flat landscape of the Central Elbe Table. The Šembera River flows through the municipality.

History

The first written mention of Poříčany is from 1295. From 1547 at the latest, the village was part of the Černý Kostelec estate and shared its owners. In 1626, Albrecht von Wallenstein sold the estate to Karl I, Prince of Liechtenstein. The House of Liechtenstein owned the village until the establishment of an independent municipality after 1848. The railway through Poříčany was built in 1845 and the railway station was established in 1874. The railway station was the impetus for the development of the village and the influx of new residents.

Demographics

Transport

Poříčany is located on the railway lines Prague–Kolín and Nymburk–Poříčany.

Sights

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was first documented in the 14th century. The current church is a late Baroque building from the mid-18th century.

In popular culture

Some scenes of the 2005 movie Hostel were filmed in the municipality.