Valdice (until 1950 Kartouzy-Valdice) is a municipality and village in Jičín District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,300 inhabitants. It is known for a former monastery, which is today a high-security prison.

Etymology

Valdice was named after the nearby deer park (from German Wald, meaning "forest"). It was also called Kartouzy after the local monastery.

Geography

Valdice is located about 2 km northeast of Jičín and 41 km northwest of Hradec Králové. It lies in the Jičín Uplands.

History

The village of Valdice was founded together with a Carthusian monastery by Albrecht von Wallenstein in 1627. About 20 houses were built for craftsmen working for the monks in the monastery. In 1782, the monastery was abolished by Emperor Joseph II. The prison in the premises of the former monastery was established in 1857 by Austrian Empire.

Demographics

Economy

The Valdice Prison is the main employer in Valdice. It is classified as a high-security prison with a capacity of 1,023 prisoners. The prison employs more than 400 people.

Transport

The railway line Hradec Králové–Turnov passes through the municipality, but there is no train station. The municipality is served by the Jičín zastávka station in neighbouring Jičín.

Sights

The prison is located in the former Carthusian monastery, which was built in the Baroque style. Its premises are inaccessible. In the monastery complex there is also the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. A cultural monument is the Baroque statue of Saint John of Nepomuk from 1696.

Notable people