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Acknowledgement
I want to thank to all who contributed
to the creation of this page, especially to the author of a non-official
site
of Ostrava (photos, information ...)
Basic data:
-
founded in 1267AD, named after a river flowing through the city (now it
lies upon two rivers: Odra and Ostravice(former Ostrava))
-
approximately 330 000 citizens
-
former industrial center of Austrian Empire, called "Steel heart", famous
for black coal mines and steel industry (but it's past)
-
airport (Mosnov), important railway node (trains to Poland, Slovakia),
ZOO (but I don't live there :)...
-
situated in the very east and north of the Czech Republic
-
more then two universities: Technical
Univ. of Ostrava, Univ. of Ostrava
and others
Location
See the map of the Czech Republic (the very north and
east).
Brief history
The city was founded in the
2nd half of 13th century and for a long time it was small, unimportant
town (neverthless it was probably on a map, because a Swedish army "visited"
it 17th century). The birthday of Ostrava as it is was in 1763, when black
coal was discovered there. A boom started (the most significant it was
a bit later, after the World War I). Iron works were founded, railway was
built, many people came to work there. The town expanded, absorbing one
by ony surrounding villages. In the Communist period it was probably the
paradise of Communists, because it was the city of labourers (miners were
a kind of elit in those times) and of heavy industry (Czechoslovakia specialized
in heavy industry, to make better tanks to defeat the bad capitalists :-).
Now the mines are exhausted
and the city is being transformed into a normal, balanced one with an important
"3rd sector" (services etc.).
Views of Ostrava
You can click on most of the photos to see them in the
original size.
Center
The centre seen by a bird. The river is Ostravice river.
This is New townhall, finished in 1930. You can go onto the tower, there's
a great view.
Part of the square of T.G. Masaryk (the 1st president). It's the center
of the center :)
The square of T.G. Masaryk - old townhall (the building with tower). Now
there's a small museum.
The cathedrale, seen by a bird.
Other parts
This is in one of many housing estates (suburbs that used to be independent
villages), called "Vyskovice" . I live near to that place.
We've also many ugly buildings (the Comunists had a strange image of architecture).
This is my former grammar school.
Many people live in such - damned and critisized - prefabricated houses.
If the picture was taken before 1990, nearly all would have had the same
car.
Another view by a bird - Privoz. A bit foggy, isn't it?
Industrial landscape
Industrial district Vitkovice - former housing estate of labourers
Something special
Monument of the Red Army, who liberated Ostrava in the end of World War
II.
Links
created by Jakub Holy 2001AD
