Starý Plzenec (ˈstariː ˈpl̩zɛnɛts; ) is a town in the Plzeň Region

Plzen Region

Plzeň Region is an administrative unit in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is named after its capital Plzeň .- Communes :...

 of the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

. It lies some to the southeast from the region capital of Plzeň on the Úslava

Úslava

Úslava is a river in the Czech Republic. It originates as Bradlava near the village of Číhaň. It runs through the following municipalities: Plánice , Žinkovy, Nepomuk, Blovice, Šťáhlavy, Starý Plzenec, Plzeň....

 River.

Starý Plzenec is also the seat of the Municipality with Commissioned Local Authority within the Plzeň Municipality with Extended Competence.

History

First mention of the settlement dates back to 976 when, according to Thietmar of Merseburg

Thietmar of Merseburg

Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...

, Boleslaus II

Boleslaus II of Bohemia

Boleslaus II the Pious was the duke of Bohemia from 972, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty.The son of Boleslaw also called Boleslaus I and Biagota, Boleslaus II became Duke in on his father's death. Boleslaus maintained good relations with the Ottonian German kings, and in 975 supported Otto II...

, Duke of Bohemia

Bohemia

Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...

, defeated a Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

n army under local stronghold, then called Plzeň. The urban settlement below the castle evolved into administrative and merchant centre of western Bohemia, but this came to end in 1295 when King Wenceslas II founded new city of Plzeň in a more suitable location at nearby confluence of the Mže

Mže

The Mže is a 107 km long river in the Czech Republic. Its source is situated in the Griesbach Forest , Germany, near the village of Asch, in the municipality of Mähring, Tirschenreuth district. It forms the state boundary on the short distance of 3 kilometers and then finally enters the Czech...

 and Radbuza

Radbuza

The Radbuza is a 112 km long river in the Czech Republic, the right tributary of the Mže. Its source is situated at the foot of Lysá mountain near the village of Závist, near Domažlice...

 rivers. The new city soon took over functions of old Plzeň and became known as Nová Plzeň (New Plzeň), later simply as Plzeň while the older settlement on the Úslava

Úslava

Úslava is a river in the Czech Republic. It originates as Bradlava near the village of Číhaň. It runs through the following municipalities: Plánice , Žinkovy, Nepomuk, Blovice, Šťáhlavy, Starý Plzenec, Plzeň....

 river was called Stará Plzeň (Old Plzeň) since then, in more recent variant Starý Plzenec.

Sights

The Radyně Castle

Radyně Castle

Radyně Castle is a castle situated on a hill of the same name, near the town of Starý Plzenec, in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. Radyne, like the similarly conceived Kasperk, represents the height of the 14-century trend towards the merging together of castle buildings.-History:When the...

 (a ruin of a medieval castle from 14th century open to public) is on the Radyně Hill above the town (southwards).
On the Hůrka Hill above the town (northwards) there is the St Peter and Paul Rotunda, a Romanesque church from late 10th century and bottoms of other buildings of the old stronghold.