ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA | CZECH REPUBLIC |
Středočeský kraj | Central Bohemia region |
Okres: Příbram |
Rožmitál pod Třemšínem is situated at an elevation of 501 m at the foot of the Třemšín mountain (827 m) about 17 km southwest of the district town Příbram in Central Bohemia.
The town was founded around 1250 near the much older village of Starý Rožmitál (Alt-Rosenthal), which dates back to the end of the 10th century. The founders of Rožmitál were the Lords of Březnice (Bresnitz) who later became known as the Lords of Rožmitál (Rosenthal). The most renowned members of the family were Johanna of Rožmitál who became Queen of Bohemia in 1458 as the second consort of King Jiří z Poděbrad (George of Poděbrady), her brother Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál, diplomat and councillor to the king, and Zdenek Lev of Rožmitál, the highest representative of the Bohemian administration. When the family became extinct, the domains came in possession of the Griespeck of Griesbach family. Soon after that, however, the domains were confiscated after the Battle at the White Mountain (1620) (Bílá Hora, today part of Prague) and were given to the Archbishops of Prague who remained in possession of the Rožmitál domains until 1918. Starý Rožmitál was merged with Rožmitál pod Třemšínem in 1967.
The castle [left] was founded around 1250. The castle keep and one gate are the only remains of this Gothic structure. Most parts of the present castle date from the 16th century. The façades are decorated in Renaissance Sgraffito technique.
The most famous individual connected to the Rožmitál pod Třemšínem is certainly
the Czech composer Jakub Jan RYBA (1765–1815). Ryba came to Rožmitál in 1788 where he worked as a teacher and cantor.
His most popular work is his Christmas Mass, which was first performed in the church of Starý Rožmitál in 1796.