Vinařice is a municipality and village in Kladno District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,100 inhabitants.

Etymology

The name has its origin in vinařci, which meant 'little winemakers'. The name was then distorted into its present form.

Geography

Vinařice is located about 4 km north of Kladno and 20 km northwest of Prague. It lies in the Prague Plateau. The highest point is the hill Vinařická hora at 413 m above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Vinařice is from 1277, when King Ottokar II donated or bestowed the village to the Ostrov Monastery in Davle. The monastery owned Vinařice until the Hussite Wars, then it belonged to unknown nobles. In 1654, it was documented as part of the Smečno estate, owned by the Martinic family. Black coal was mined in Vinařice from 1874 to 1987. The consequence of the developing industry was the development of the municipality and the growth of the population.

Demographics

Economy

The Vinařice Prison is the main employer in Vinařice. It is classified as a medium- and high-security prison for men. It employs more than 300 people and its capacity is 854 prisoners.

Transport

There are no major roads passing through the municipality. The railway that runs through the municipality is unused.

Sights

The most important monument is the former Mayrau Mine. The complex includes several buildings and well-preserved mining machinery. Today it houses a mining open-air museum. A historical landmark of the centre of Vinařice is a small chapel from the first half of the 18th century.