Železný Brod is an old glass-producing town founded in the eleventh century. It was originally known as Brod or Brodek. In 1501, the town received its coat of arms, representing the law restoration in the town that was carried out by the KingVladislaus II of Bohemia. Probably at the same time Železný was added to its name, alluding to the town's steelworks. In 1880, the town had 2,698 inhabitants and was the seat of the district court. Its cotton spinning mill was using 50,000 spindles. The town's main industry is represented by jewellers, as well as producers of blow-moulded glass, thermometers, and small glass commodities.
Demographics
Culture
Town Hall The Town Hall of Železný Brod was built in 1890 replacing the earlier wooden hall. The Town Theatre and the Town Gallery of Vlastimil Rada are both located within the town hall building. The town’s coat-of-arms is displayed on the ground floor. Běliště Běliště is the location of the ethnographic exposition of the Town Museum, focusing on the history of Železný Brod and its close surroundings. The building is a one-storey partly timbered house that served as a tannery and a dye-house since 1807. The exposition presents archaeological discoveries, photocopy of records, half-precious stones from Kozákov, iron, slate, limestone, fossils and residue of sea, sculpture of sandstone, artwork by Josef Scheybal, old classes and school's aids, gingerbread products and old baker's bread, flax processing tools, weaving room, textiles, printer's forms, some old clothing, wooden Bethlehems, old ski and sleds, models of citizen’s houses. Town museum The museum is located in May 3 Square in the former citizens timber house built in 1792. It holds the exposition of the Železný Brod glass-making: glass-making room from the last century, personages of the local secondary glass school, businessmen and exporters of the 20th and 40th years of the 20th century, unique glass Bethlehem. Trávníky The old Trávníky district is situated behind the brooks Žernovník and is remarkable for the empire houses Grosovsko and Knopovsko, timbered houses in Zahradnická, Hluboká and Fr. Balatky lanes, and St. James Church with wooden belfry.
