Bílovec

Sister cities

• Bad Neustadt an der Saale

History

The first written mention of Bílovec is from 1324. The town was probably founded by Vok V of Kravaře between 1293–1324. It was located on the crossroads of two trade routes and belonged to the Duchy of Troppau. Bílovec was heavily fortified with walls with two gates and a fortress. In 1575–1576, the then-owner Bernard Pražma of Bílkov had rebuilt the fortress into a four-wing Renaissance castle. From 1652 until the 20th century, the estate was held by the Sedlnický of Choltice family. The town gained various privileges which allowed it to develop further. After a large fire in 1729, the castle was reconstructed in the Baroque style. In the second half of the 19th century, Bílovec was industrialised. A cloth factory (later a hat factory and then an iron factory), a steam saw, a book printer and a liqueur factory were established. In 1890, the railway connection was opened. Until 1918, Bílovec was part of Austria-Hungary. From 1938, it was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland, the portion of Czechoslovakia turned over to Germany in the wake of the Munich Agreement. After the conclusion of World War II, the German speaking population was expelled from the region in 1945 according to the Beneš decrees and replaced by Czech settlers. After World War II, prefabricated houses were constructed, which disrupted the ancient character of the town.

Geography

Bílovec is located about west of Ostrava. It lies mostly in the Nízký Jeseník range, only a small part of the territory extends into the Moravian Gate lowland. The town is situated on both banks of the Bílovka River. Bílovec Reservoir is located on the outskirts of the town.

Most-observed species

• Daisy

  Bellis perennis L. · Magnoliopsida
  5,479
• Ground-ivy

  Glechoma hederacea L. · Magnoliopsida
  3,897
• Common Nettle

  Urtica dioica L. · Magnoliopsida
  3,199
• Dandelion

  Taraxacum officinale Weber ex F.H.Wigg. · Magnoliopsida
  3,102
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,605
• Garlic Mustard

  Alliaria petiolata (M.Bieb.) Cavara & Grande · Magnoliopsida
  1,460
• Lesser Celandine

  Ficaria verna Huds. · Magnoliopsida
  1,315
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,311

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2026-04-09
  1 km WNW of Radlin, Poland
• M 2.9 — 2025-04-29
  4 km WSW of Bytom, Poland
• M 3.2 — 2025-01-27
  1 km NE of Radlin, Poland
• M 2.9 — 2024-07-11
  4 km N of Jejkowice, Poland
• M 3 — 2023-10-04
  2 km W of Murcki, Poland
• M 2.8 — 2023-01-12
  2 km ENE of Karviná, Czechia