History of the Town

Rožnov pod Radhoštěm lies at the base of Radhošť Mountain in Rožnov’s Bečva river valley and at the base of Vsetín peak 12 km east of Valašské Meziříčí at an altitude of 378 m. Within the cadastre, the streams Hážovický (Hážovka) and Hradiský flow into the Bečva river from the left, and from the right the streams Vermířovský and Kaní. The historic centre of the town lies east of the confluence of the Bečva River and Hážovický stream. In 1900, the cadastre spread out over an area of 2 745 ha and after Rysová was annexed in 1980 the area of the cadastre grew to 3 878 ha. In 1991, Rožnov had 17 727 residents, 1 872 houses, and 6 485 flats.
The major road between Valašské Meziříčí to Žilin runs through the town. The opening of the railway connection with Krásno nad Bečvou in 1892 was of great importance to Rožnov. The post is in Rožnov from 1850. In 1969, a new post office was built.
The name of the small town, or more precisely, the castle first appears in German and Latin sources in the form of Rosenow (1366), Roznaw (1389 and 1403), in 1480, Roznow castle and small village of Roznowecz. Later in German, it was Rosenaw (1633), Roznau (1751), Rožnau (1846), and Rožnau am Radhost (1915). Residents were called Rožnovjané in the local dialect; the form of the adjective is Rožnovský. Originally, the name Rožnov referred to the castle and the town that sprang up below it used the diminutive name of Rožnovec. The modifier “pod Radhoštěm” was added by a decree of the Ministry of the Interior on 31 October 1913.
The name of railway lines: Dolní Kouty, Průchodná, Na Dubkové, Putyrky, údolí Mokré, Na Hradištku, Na Skalce, Na Rybníčkách, Horní Kouty, Záhumní, Lán, Odranec, Dráhy, Na Kněžském, Bařiska. Name of hills: on the right bank of the Bečva there are Hradišťko (405 m), Láz (549 m), Kozinec (464 m), Chlacholov (532 m), Chlacholůvek (494 m), Bačů peak (734 m), Komenárky (863 m), Kyčera (873 m), Kání (680 m), Rovný Bezkyd (979 m), Černá hora (902 m, highest elevation in the cadastre), Sladsko, Chumchálky (632 m). On the left bank there are Karlův hill (467 m), Stráň, Lán (419 m), Kozák, Pálkovna, Hradisko (521 m), Křížnice, Skalky, Krajčůvky (433 m), Janíkov (624 m). Most of the time the forests carry the same name as the above-mentioned peaks, however, besides those there are the forests of Úvěz, Myší, Vyplené, Pobianá, Jedlovina and others.

In 1594, the field of the town’s seal had a shield with a stone wall and an open portal, on its battlements is a wild boar in mid jump turned to the right, and behind the stone wall on the right, a tree is growing. In 1692, a new seal was made in which the portal no longer has a gate and on the stone wall there is an upright two-tailed lion wearing a crown. This seal was lost and in 1753 a new one was made in which a stylized view of the town with Mt. Radhošť in the background was now on the round seal. After 1850, the symbol of the Municipal Authorities again utilized the seal from the 17th century. In October 1994, the town received a new town symbol, which consists of a red shield with a square stone wall having five little walls, a black half-opened gate, and a black two-tailed lion in mid jump wearing a golden crown and armour is on the battlements.

The first mention of Rožnov dates back to 1267 – the will of bishop Bruno of Schauenburg talks about the village of Rosenowe, which he founded. In 1310, the duty of Zuber´s settlers to hand over allowances to Rožnov is mentioned, probably meaning the castle, which is also mentioned in the title of Jan of Kravaře on Jičín and Rožnov (Roznav) in the 2nd half of the 14th century. The village of Rožnovec is directly mentioned for the first time in the document of Lacka of Kravaře and Helfenštein on the escheat for the Rožnov manor in 1411.

Rožnov was a small village. In 1516, Rožnovec, together with Tylovice, had 32 settlers, who paid the royal tax. In 1667, in Rožnov there were 26 country estates (from this 1 had an allowance), 55 cottagers (from this 5 had an allowance) and 1 abandoned cottage. In the middle of the 18th century, Rožnov was the centre of an anti-feudal movement. In 1755, Rožnov had 149 houses, a parsonage, a school, and a shepherd’s house. Regarding professions, there were weavers (50), tailors (7), peasants (9), cobblers (7), butchers (6), glassmakers (4), furriers (3), blacksmiths (2), communal blacksmith (1), cooper (1), locksmith (1).
In 1900, the Rožnov manor covered 9 719 ha, and had 3 courtyards, 2 sawmills, and a brewery. In 1910, an Austrian company manufacturing cellulose acquired the manor in an auction. In 1912, the last owner of the manor became the Vítkovice Mining and Metallurgic Association. During land reform in 1923-1925, small acquirers receive parcels of only 368 ha. Later forest reforms saw 2 235 ha returned and sold, so in 1935 the manor had 7 113 ha, from this 6 578 ha were forest, administered in 5 districts.

Demographic Development from 1790 – 2001
The expansion of industrial production after 1945 was accompanied by the building of residences. During 1956-1960, the housing development of Záhumení was built in the classic way. Prefabricated construction remained on the right bank of the Bečva. During 1964-1972, the 1 May housing development was built in the area named Dolních pasek. In the 70s, another housing development sprang up named Dolní Paseky I. After that, the Jižní město (South town) housing project remained only a fragment of what it was. Therefore, after 1990 the building of detached houses dominated. From the beginning of the 90s, the reclamation of garbage dumps was carried out at Kozákov. In 1997-1998, at a cost of CZK 50 mil., the reconstruction of Masaryk square and Nádražní Street was carried out. A great investment project, which Povodí Moravy took part in, was the modification of the Bečva riverbed after the floods of 1997.
With regard to political administration, up to 1850 Rožnov was under the administration of the estate having its seat in Krásno nad Bečvou. From 1850, it fell under the jurisdiction of the district governor’s office in Valašské Meziříčí. During 1855-1868, an independent so-called composite District Authorities had their seat in Rožnov. From 1869 up to 1960 Rožnov again fell under the jurisdiction of the political administration bodies in Valašské Meziříčí. From 1960, it is part of the Vsetín district. During 1850-1949 Rožnov was the seat of the district court, then it was under the district court in Valašské Meziříčí, and from 1960, it belongs under the district court in Vsetín.

From the beginning of the Middle Ages Rožnov was an inheritable magistracy. In 1507, the Rožnov magistracy was bought by Jan, magistrate of Vidče, and his brothers Mikuláš and Matouš, from the owner of the manor, Jan Kuny of Kunštát. The magistracy was further divided into many parts. In 1615, the magistracy was taken over by the establishment, which meant the magistrate’s office fell among the common burgher houses and the position of magistrate was entrusted to the members of the town council.
The town council consisted of the burgomaster and the elders, or to put it differently, the councillors. Already in the 16th century Rožnov had its own scribe (1595 the mentioned Jan Písařů). In the 17th century, a treasurer was added. Originally, the town council met in the house of the burgomaster and from 1773 in the newly built Town Hall. Rožnov also used to have the death penalty. In 1507, the gallows are mentioned. At the beginning of the 19th century, the burgomaster regularly went to the inland authorities in Krásno nad Bečvou to so-called administrative meetings during which the burgomaster and the magistrates from small towns and villages received inland instructions and directions.

There is mention of a school in Rožnov in 1676; however, educational facilities will go back farther. A school certainly existed before the Battle of the White Mountain (1620). Currently the town has 5 primary schools, a private primary school named Sedmikráska (Daisy), and one special school. Secondary schools consist of a secondary electro-technical industrial school (from 1951), secondary school (from 1956), secondary agricultural and family school, a private tourist trade school, and an eight-year secondary school. The secondary professional school is the successor of the former professional continuation school (founded in 1901) and later apprentice school. In the past Rožnově had an apprentice basket-making school (1891-1914) and a school of economics (1919-1951). Small children have the opportunity to go to 5 nursery schools.
The oldest mention of a Catholic parish priest in Rožnov is from 1490, when there was a Jan here. Most likely, at that time there were also non-Catholics here. Jan Famule came from Rožnov. He was the successor to the founder of the so-called Mikulášenců (followers of St. Nicholas) sect. In the middle of the 16th century, the Lutherans prevailed in Rožnov. In 1556, the priest was Adam, 1576 Matúš Vysocký, and 1580-1595 Adam Bytčanský. Most likely, the parish was still held by non-Catholics in 1616. A separate Catholic parish in Rožnov was renewed in 1666. In 1900, Rožnov had 2 939 Catholics, 46 Evangelists, and 26 Jews. In 1930, there were 3 248 Catholics, 127 Evangelists, 11 Jews, and 185 of no denomination.

The beginnings of a cultural and social life are connected with the spa trade from the middle of the 19th century. Already back then travelling theatre companies stayed in the town for the entire season and orchestras were hired. From 1860, a loose group of local amateur actors preformed amateur theatre here and created a separate theatre group later on. In 1858, an amateur theatre group was created. In 1862, a Readers and Educational Club of the Citizen’s Forum was created and in 1863 the Tetřev signing club. At the initiative of the Citizen’s Forum, one of the founding stones for the National Theatre was quarried out from Radhošť in 1868 and was the first to be sent to Prague. During 1873-1891, the Catholic Political Union was active. In 1874, the Pedagogical Club was founded. In 1879, the Beautification and Holding Amusements Club was founded. In 1879, Rožnov patriots were able to push through, in spite of the resistance of Austrian state authorities, the putting up of a František Palacké monument. In spite of these patriotic displays, German orchestras and German theatre groups were active in the town. In 1882, the Amateur Theatre Union was founded.
In connection with the decline of the spa trade, the level of cultural events also dropped off. Its revival was helped by the flowering of interest in folklore, the ethnographic celebrations of the Walachia year, and the founding of today’s Walachia Outdoor Museum in 1925. In 1911 the Walachia Museum and ethnographic club was founded and then the following were founded: the Unified Czechoslovakian Legionnaires Society (1921-1948), Signing Club (1924-1952), Union of Folk Musicians in Bohemia and Moravia (1937-1948), a Division of the Radhošť Mountain Union (1938-1951), and the Theatre Association (1942). Sports clubs that started their activities in Rožnov were the Sports club from 1932, the Sokol (“Falcon” physical training organization) Exercise Union (1891-1949), Czechoslovakian Eagle Union (1921-1948), Czech Tourists Club (1894-1947), Country Ride (1927-1946), and the Amateur Photographers Club (1934-1948).

Other clubs included the Association for the Establishment and Maintaining of the Rudolfo-Serafineum Therapeutic Institute (founded 1881), the Volunteer Fireman’s Brigade (founded 1881), the Economic League (founded 1883), the Agriculture and Economic School Graduates Fellowship (1907-1951), the Foodstuff-Grassland and Forest Union of Moravia (1930-1946), Grass Seed Growers Association (1931-1949), the Breeders of Small Agricultural Animals Guild of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm and Surroundings (1935-1939), Breeders of Rabbits and Small Agricultural Animals Guild (1940-1946), the Fishermen’s Guild (1945-1952), and the Folk Fishermen’s Guild (1952-1957). In the charity and social sphere there were the Local Czechoslovakian Red Cross Group (1920-1952), the Catholic, Folk Houses Association (1922-1952), the Masaryk League Against Tuberculosis Union (1928-1946), the Parish Charity (1929-1952), the Cyril Parish Union (1940-1952), and the Crematorium Guild (1941-1943). Agricultural and economic associations were represented by the Cattle Breeders Association (1934-1951), the Police and Pedigree Dog Breeders Club (1937-1948), and the House and Cottage Owners Union (1948).
National Public Enlightenment associations were represented by two local divisions of the National Union for East Moravia (1909-1947), three local divisions of the National Foundation (1939-1946), and a branch of the Workers’ Academy of the Central Czechoslovakian Education Confederation (1948). After 1945, the following started up activities: the National Revolution Union (1947-1948), Freedom Fighters Union (from 1946), and the Czechoslovakia-Soviet Friendship Union (from 1946). In 1946, the Revolutionary Union Movement was founded under whose auspices functioned the ethnographic companies of Radhošť and Javořinka, Rožnovanka Brass Band music, (founded 1913), and some thirty other companies and circles. After February 1948, social organizations represented in the National Front started up their activities.
From 1890, physical education was taken care of by the Rožnov Sokol (“Falcon” physical training organization) and after 1950 by the Spartak and Jiskra Unions, which in 1957 merged into the Physical Education Union of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. In 1952, the first divisions of the Svazarm (a communist defence organisation serving to defend the homeland and train recruits) were established. In 1961, at the foot of Hradisko, a sixty-metre plastic ski jump and extensive sports complex were built at Bučiska, along with a riding complex and winter stadium with an artificial ice rink. TJ Rožnov built a complex for downhill skiing on the slopes of Soláně. The needs of the tourist trade were served by 2 car camp grounds, Horal Bungalows, the hotels of Eroplán, Energetik, Koruna, and Stadion, and the boarding houses of Bečva, Hubert, and Vinium, and many other private and company cottages and recreation buildings.

The beginnings of the Rožnov’s spas go all the way back to 1796, when the regional doctor, Dr. František Kročák, brought the first spa guests there. This was a boiled sheep’s whey spa in which the therapeutic properties of hot sheep’s milk were counted on. In 1820, the establishment had the first therapeutic institute built in which patients were given water baths. The establishment administered the spa. In 1850, this was taken over by the town. However, the town did not take care of it that well so in 1855 the spa’s administration was handed over to the hands of the Board of Directors of the mixed District Authorities in Rožnov, who administered it until 1868, when the mixed District Authorities in Rožnov were dissolved. Spa matters were then transferred to the District Governor’s Office in Valašské Meziříčí, which handed over spa administration to the Municipal Authorities in 1869. Spa guests lived in the houses of burghers. In 1857, 357 guests visited Rožnov and in 1872 that increased to 1 200 guests. In 1873, a new therapeutic building was built named Rudolfo-Stefanium with hydrotherapy. In 1894, a new hydrotherapy institute was opened. The basis for treatment became the effects of the climate connected with walks in the country, sunning, gymnastics, and a combination of drinking cow and sheep milk, which gradually decreased. Before the First World War, 3 000 guests visited Rožnov. After 1918, the significance of the spa markedly declined. In 1924, the operations of the hydrotherapy institute started again and electrotherapy was introduced. Mainly digestive tract diseases, forms of lung catarrhs and catarrhs of the respiratory ways were treated here. The spa was finally shut down only in 1960. Rožnov currently has a municipal polyclinic, first-aid (emergency) doctor’s service, many general practitioners, 5 pharmacies, and 2 veterinary outpatient clinics.

Hradisko had a manor’s court in which, in 1629, they sowed 109 half-acres of suřice, 70 half-acres of rye, 15 half-acres of barley, 8 half-acres of peas, 148 half-acres of oats, and 18 half-acres buckwheat. They bred 25 dairy cows, a bull, 9 calves, 27 pigs, 318 Walachia livestock in the mountains, 12 peacocks, 4 geese, 2 turkey hens, and 70 chickens. The court brought in around 755 gold coins. In 1714, the town of Rožnov had these shepherd’s huts recorded: the Putyrky lord’s shepherd’s hut, 4 servants’ shepherd’s, and under Radhošť there was a lord’s shepherd’s hut named Pobíjané and Černá hora. In 1717, Rožnov had 13 large shepherd’s huts and 25 glades.

In 1957, the JZD (Agricultural coop) was founded in Rožnov. It developed independently until 1964, when it was integrated into the Vsetín State Farm headquartered in Valašské Meziříčí. After is was dissolved in 1977, the school farm of the agricultural-technical school and the Soláň JZD, headquartered in Hutisko-Solanec, and with operations in Dolní Bečva, worked the agricultural land.

Lesy České republiky (Forests of the Czech Republic) has its headquarters in Rožnov. The town of Rožnov also had a forest farm up until 1950. Now it is administered by Lesy Rožnov, a. s. (Rožnov Forests, joint-stock company) and Městské lesy Rožnov, s. r. o. (Rožnov Municipal Forests, Ltd.) In 1896, an agricultural-grassland management school was founded and not too long after other agricultural organizations were founded; in 1918 the Grassland-Pasture Management Union, and in 1920 the Grazing and Grassland Research Station. Both organizations deserve the credit for introducing and expanding the cultivation of grass seeds and improving the care of meadows and pastures. After 1945, the one who took over the grassland management station was the Research and Cultivation Institute of Grassland Management in Troubsko near Brno, which in 1982 relocated from Rožnov pod Radhoštěm to a new building in Zubří. A branch of the Central Agricultural Control and Testing Institute and the regional Scientific Farming System Institute stayed in Rožnov.

Mills must be considered to be the oldest facilities having an industrial character in Rožnov; the upper and lower mills from 1507. The establishment’s mill, which the establishment bought from Viktorýna Nešvary in 1615, was tuned into a paper mill (from the preserved watermark having the symbol of the paper mill of Pavel Bimra from 1664). The paper mill switched over from making paper to making cardboard in 1862. After it was nationalized, it was part of the Vratimov Paper Mill, State Company, during 1950-1981. Then it became part of Olšan Paper Mills, State Company.

In 1910, these business existed in the town: a dye works, a confectioner’s shop, a jeweller and watchmaker, 2 barbers, 16 inns, 2 stonemasons, a hat maker, 2 tinsmiths, 2 bookbinders, a chimneysweep, 3 blacksmiths, 13 tailors and seamstresses, 5 barley shops, 3 painters, 33 various stores, 16 cobblers, 5 bakers, 5 tobacco sellers, a strap maker, 6 butchers, a lathe operator, 7 cabinetmakers, 5 weavers, and 2 locksmiths.
In the middle of the 19th century, the textile industry came to Rožnov. It built upon the domestic production of cloth in Rožnov and the surrounding area. After 1850, Rožnov had two bleach and cloth works, of which Herliczkova was in operation during 1861-1948. In 1905, it had 40 employees and in the 1920s only the bleach and cloth works. The largest textile company was the Brill knitted and hosiery goods mechanical factory, which was founded in 1889. In 1902, a branch of the Monti factory in Valašské Meziříčí was opened in Rožnov. Another company in Rožnov was the Kantork tannery, which during 1923-1949 had the character of a factory (in 1923 it had 40 employees). After 1945, a factory for producing delicate Elite Varnsdorf stockings relocated to Rožnov. After 1945, the knitting companies merged into the State company of Moravian-Silesian Knitting Works of Rožnov, which during the reorganization of the textile industry in 1967 was renamed Loana Rožnov State Company. The company had district branches in Valašské Meziříčí, Dolní Bečva and in Kelč. The Rožnov plant produced primarily tights, and knitted baby and orthopaedic goods.

In 1949, the Tesla company, specializing in electronic-vacuum technology, was built on the swampy land near the railway station. It changed over from originally making vacuum tubes to making transistors, television picture tubes, and later integrated circuits. In 1984, a building was put into operation for making colour television picture tubes. After 1990, production declined and the company split up into several smaller companies.
A first-rate tourist attraction in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm is the Walachia Outdoor Museum, which was founded at the initiative of the Museum society, which was established in 1911. On the basis of successful experience with the settlement from Walachia, built in 1895 at the Czech-Slav Ethnographic exhibition in Prague by the Vsetín builder Michael Urbánek and his assistant Dušan Jurkovič, and after the world’s response to the outdoor Museum built in Stockholm in 1891, the Rožnov wooden Town Hall from the square, built in 1770, the Billův timber burgher building from 1750, the bee house with carved beehives, originating in Ženklavy, and the bell tower from Dolní Bečvy were moved to the town’s park named Hájnice. In 1928, another burgher house was moved from the square – the so-called Walachia Pub from 1660 – and several small buildings. In 1932, a copy of the estate in Velký Karlovice was built in the Museum, which closed the first stage of building the Museum. The only larger event in the following years was the building of a copy of the timber church, the original of which, from the 18th century, burned down in Větřkovice. The interior of the church houses precious Madonna with child sculptures from the 16th century, a painting of the Saints Anna and Mary in Walachia traditional dress by František Hlavici. A cemetery was built around the church that has gravestones of portášů, and magistrates, and cast iron crosses. In 1969, a Walachia Pantheon was created here that contains the remains of founders of the Museum, the Jaroněk brothers, collector Miloš Kulišťáka, musical composer and collector of folk songs Jan Nepomuk Polášek, writers Čeňek Kramoliš and Josef František Karas, folk musician Jan Pelára, painters Jan Kobzáň and František Podešva, poet Metoděj Jahn, and others that were collected from various cemeteries. Others are buried here who in one way or another belonged to Walachia.

The Museum was significantly expanded in the 1960s with the building of the so-called Walachia village, which was opened in 1971. This village consists of a timbered structure from the estate in Lidečka (from 1815), shepherds’ huts from Nedašov and Černa hora near Radhošť, a livestock pen from Rákošové of Karolinky-Stanovnice, the Šturalova glade, the Mališův court from Lužné from 1781, timbered buildings from Horní Bečva, fruit drying building from Seninky, a farmstead from Velký Karlovic-Jezerného, a blacksmith’s from Lutoniny, a partisan cottage from Prlova, and other buildings. In 1982, the third section of the Museum was finished – the complex of water structures and mill, water saw, a washboard – located in the so-called Mill’s glen, and later a water hammer was added. A statue of Vladimír Navrátil stands in the park in front of the entrance to the Museum. The Píseň rodného kraje (Songs of My Native Region) monumental column, by folk woodcarver Michael Žitníka, dominates the entrance hall to the Museum. It has allegorical scenes from Walachia’s past.

Besides the outdoor Museum, a noteworthy archaeological monument is the Rožnov castle ruins on Hradiska hill. The castle was built sometime at the turn of the 13th – 14th centuries and was “not by its own fault” torn down in 1538. Not far from the square is the All Saints Baroque church with Baroque statues of St. Jan Nepomuc and St. Florián, built during 1745-1764. This is a single-aisle building with a tower and a tabernacle. Inside there are 5 alters and paintings by Gustav Boček of Šternberg. Close to the former Lázeňského (Spa) building, renamed Společenský (Social) building, there is a monument with a bust of František Palacké from 1879.
The timbered building of the Czech Brothers Evangelical congregation was built according to the design of architect Boh. Bareš of Prague in 1950-1953. Inside there is a positive from 1824 from Prague organ maker Gartner, brought from the Evangelical church in Rybníčkách u Příbora.
The town has a T. G. Masaryk monument, a monument commemorating liberation, and a commemorative plaque with the names of those who were executed and tortured to death because they took part in the fight for national liberation, and the victims of race persecution.