Odry

Odry
Town
Masarykovo Square
Flag Coat of arms
Odry Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°39′45″N 17°49′51″E / 49.66250°N 17.83083°E / 49.66250; 17.83083
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Moravian-Silesian
District	Nový Jičín
First mentioned	1234
Government
• Mayor	Libor Helis
Area
• Total	74.05 km2 (28.59 sq mi)
Elevation	274 m (899 ft)
Population  (2024-01-01)[1]
• Total	7,343
• Density	99/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal codes	742 35, 742 36
Website	www.odry.cz

Odry (Czech pronunciation: [ˈodrɪ]; German: Odrau) is a town in Nový Jičín District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 7,300 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

The villages of Dobešov, Kamenka, Klokočůvek, Loučky, Pohoř, Tošovice, Veselí and Vítovka are administrative parts of Odry. Kamenka and Klokočůvek form an exclave of the municipal territory.

The name of Odry is derived from the river Oder.^[2]

Odry is located about 14 kilometres (9 mi) northwest of Nový Jičín and 32 km (20 mi) southwest of Ostrava. It lies in the Nízký Jeseník range in the valley of the Oder River. The highest point is the hill Suchá at 578 m (1,896 ft) above sea level. A set of fishponds is situated in the southern part of the municipal territory.

A predecessor of Odry was a settlement known as Vyhnanov. The first written mention of Vyhnanov is from 1234. In the second half of the 13th century, a new fortified town was established on the site of Vyhnanov. In the 14th century, Odry became a local economic centre. During the Hussite Wars, Odry served as a military base of the Hussites. In 1481, the town became a part of the Duchy of Troppau and Silesia.^[2]

In the 18th century, lead and silver were mined in Odry and surrounding area. In 1774, a woolen goods factory was established here, and in the mid-19th century, drapery industry developed. In 1866, the first rubber factory in the country started operating here.^[2][3]

Odry is located on a railway line of local importance heading from Suchdol nad Odrou to Budišov nad Budišovkou.

The historic centre is formed by the Masarykovo Square and surroundings. The square is lined with Renaissance burgher houses and in the middle are the statue of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary from 1785 and a Neoclassical fountain from 1897. Remains of the town fortifications from the 15th century with a semi-circular bastion are preserved to this day.^[2]

The most important monument is the Church of Saint Bartholomew. The originally Gothic church was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1691–1692. The bell in the church tower dates from 1374 and is the oldest bell in Moravia. Notable is also the rectory, which was rebuilt into its current form in 1700.^[2]

• Gustav Kreitner (1847–1893), Austrian geographer, traveller and diplomat
• Leopold Münster (1920–1944), German Luftwaffe pilot
• Ferdinand Ulrich (1931–2020), German philosopher

Odry is twinned with:^[6]

• Kuźnia Raciborska, Poland
• Niefern-Öschelbronn, Germany

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Odry.

• Official website