Situated in Moravia's north on the western section of the Oder's upper stream, Bruntal is dipped in the cushions of vast forests, constituting one of the bases to conquer the Ash Mountains (the Jeseniky.) The mountain range is perhaps Czechia's highest-value natural reserve. Bruntal came into being at the break of the 12
th and 13
th centuries during the Ash Mountain colonisation. The town drew its prosperity from the exploitation of precious metals in the 17
th century of which the miner in the coat-of-arms is reminiscent today. Industry invaded the town in the 18
th and 19
th centuries establishing several textile factories, public hospital, high schools and professional training institutions. Typical features of the colonisation times are the rectangular grid of streets and the square-formed square.
New shops, wine restaurants and fast-food stores are trying to adjust to the traditional air of old architecture, most of which shows baroque and classical features. Bruntal's collection of architectural sights consists of the chateau, a sample of Scandinavian Renaissance later converted in the baroque spirit; the parochial Virgin Mary Assumption Church of the 13
th century; the Piarist church and monastery;
St Michal's Graveyard Chapel from 1674; the 1755 baroque Church of the Helping Virgin Mary atop the Uhlirsky Hill; etc. Bruntal has a strategic location for tourists and holidaymakers.
The beautiful countryside of the Ash Mountains has been interweaved with a grid of hiking paths. The rather harsh local climate is a blessing for the lovers of skiing and winter sports. The highest peak of Praded gets a standard 150-200 cm thick cap of snow each winter. Beside sports, Bruntal offers a balance in terms of culture and social life. The
Town Museum displays several permanent and temporary exhibitions. If you go in for physical exercise, massages and solar bathing why not visit any of the many fitness centres. The indoor swimming pool is open to the public with additional facilities like steam baths, massages and a skating rink in winter. Sauna and outdoor swimming are at hand. To sum it up, Bruntal offers a good mixture of anything a holiday can consist of history as old. as 13
th century; beautiful, almost wild nature, and architectural sights old and new.
Even though the territory has been already settled in prehistoric times huge colonization flow started in the 13
th and the 14
th century in connection with mainly mining colonization. After a partial declination of the territory due to the wars in the 15
th century the development came again during the 16
th century based on silver mining (Rymarov), iron ore (Mala Moravka), and expansion of manufacturing industry.
Thirty-years war times ruined the territory and the declination was followed by depopulation of the area. In the 18
th century again the technical production was re-established and
spa Karlova Studanka has been found. At this time the inhabitants were mostly of German origin.
During the second half of the last century and the beginning of this century there was a growth of textile industry, paper works and glass works. This growth closely influenced also transport development, especially railways that enabled export of products mainly textile ones almost to the whole world. After 1918 the territory became a part of Czechoslovakia and after 1938 it was included into so called Sudetska zupa as a part of Germany. Immediately after liberation in 1945 the huge settlement program has been started and during 1946 most of German inhabitants has been displaced.
The socialist period caused huge industrialization of the territory and besides traditional branches also non-iron metallurgy and engineering were developed. Considerably devastated agriculture after World War II. failed to be intensified neither in productive parts of the district and agriculture policy of this period caused process of depopulation of the district especially of areas nearby the borders. In uplands and foothills huge wood-manufacturing industry was built as well as related plastic material manufacturing.
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