ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA	CZECH REPUBLIC
Středoèeský kraj	Central Bohemia region
Okres: Mladá Boleslav

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Benátky nad Jizerou is situated at an elevation of 225 m on the river Jizera (Iser) in Central Bohemia. The municipality has a population of about 7,400 (2017).

The village of Obodř (Obodersch), today part of Benátky nad Jizerou, was first mentioned in 1052. The monastery and church of the Nativity of our Lady were built in 1349. The castle [background top left] was rebuilt in the 1520s in Renaissance style. In 1599 Emperor Rudolf II who purchased the domains and gave astronomer Tycho de Brahe the opportunity to build a observatorium for his astronomical observations. Brahe stayd here from 1599 until 1600. In 1600 the castle was the location of a meeting between Brahe and Johannes Kepler. In 1647, towards the end of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), the castle was given to cavalry general Jan van Weerth who enlarged the castle. During the 18th century the interiors were decorated in Rococo style. Between 1844 and 1847 the young composer Bedřich Smetana worked here as the music teacher of the family of Count Thun-Hohenstein. In 1920 the castle was obtained by the municipality of Nové Benátky.

In 1944 Nové Benátky, Staré Benátky (Alt-Benatek) and Obodř were merged to form the new municipality of Benátky nad Jizerou.

The most famous sons of Benátky nad Jizerou are the composers František (Franz) Benda (1709–1786) and Jiří Antonín (Georg Anton) Benda (1722–1795) who were born in Staré Benátky.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benátky_nad_Jizerou; http://www.radio.cz/de/rubrik/kultur/bis-hierhin-ist-mein-traum-gelangt-johannes-kepler-und-benatky-nad-jizerou]