Township Jince

Jince Township (Městys Jince) is located in the Central Bohemian Region, in the northwest district of Přibram. Its size makes it one of the small towns. Currently, 2214 people live here. Jince is situated in the Brdy Highlands with an altitude of 450 to 600 meters above sea level on the border of former Brdy military training area. Also Litavka river runs through it. The geologist and paleontologist Joachim Barrande practiced here in the 19th century. Village Jince was promoted to a Township and received a trilobite emblem in 1900.

Nowadays we can find kindergarten, elementary school, health center, public library, many social and special-interest organizations (Czech Women’s Association, Volunteer Fire Brigade, Pioneer Group, fishermen, gardeners, beekeepers…) in Jince. Sports are provided by TJ Sokol Jinceand football club SK Jince 1921. 13th artillery regiment operates in Jince. The municipality began its modern development after the abolition of the Brdy military area.

Jince was situated on former Brdy military area border and its development was limited by the army activities. Only since 1st January 2016 when the military area Brdy was cancelled, Jince can start developing again. The infrastructure and tourism development were the most influenced by army activity. After the establishment of the military territory, activities in regional development and tourism were limited and support of Jince traditions was significantly reduced. We must realize that the first written report about the village dates back to the early 14th century. Iron ore was mined int the surroundings of Jince already in 1390, as evidenced by the oldest written document, the privilege of Václav the fourth allowing the restoration of smelters and mines in Jince (it means that the metallurgical activity is apparently older and according to some sources dates back to 1260).

The metallurgy history is an integral part of the municipality cultural heritage. The first blast furnace in Jince is dated to 1646. Iron production in Jince was expanded and gradually changed to industrial level. Under the rule of Count Rudolf of Vrbna, a new blast furnace known as “hut Barbora” (smelter Barbora) was built in 1810. The iron smelter is the most complete and best-preserved monument of the older era of blast furnace iron production in the Czech Republic. It belongs to the highest stage of feudal charcoal smelter development. It is a cultural monument registered in the central list on 3rd May 1958. Its classicist style and the preservation of the blast furnace interior equipment make it an important technical monument of European significance. The central list of cultural monument number of iron smelter Barbora as a cultural monument is 24598/2-2441. The iron smelter Barbora is an important landmark of the municipality. The municipality acquired it into its ownership by purchasing it from a private owner only in December 2017. The municipality’s interest is in preventing further deterioration of this important and unique technical cultural monument of European importance and in its renewal and integration into the municipality life.

The iron smelter revitalization will contribute to the development of tourism in the region, because after the abolition of the military training area, Jince became the starting point for a number of tourist routes to the Brdy area. One of the stops of Educational Trail “Z Jinec na Olym Brd” (From Jince to Brdy Olympus) is iron smelter Barbora.