Frýdek-Místek

Sister cities

• Žilina
• Myslowice, Silesian Voivodeship
• Bielsko-Biała

History

The first written mention of Frýdek (as Friedberg) is from 1267, when it appeared in the will of bishop Bruno von Schauenburg. It was later renamed Místek, and a new village called Frýdek was founded nearby, probably between 1327 and 1335. In the 16th century, Frýdek and Místek were parts of the Frýdek-Místek estate. The then owner, bishop Stanislav Pavlovský, decided to split the estate and sell Frýdek in 1584, and merged Místek with the Hukvaldy estate. Místek remained part of it until 1850. The history of both towns includes devastating fires, plague epidemics and war damage. In the 19th century, several textile factories were established in both Frýdek and Místek, and in 1833 an ironworks was established in Lískovec. Industry caused the economic prosperity of both towns, new houses and public buildings were built. Místek was one of the few places in former Czechoslovakia where the Czech army offered military resistance to the German invaders. An armed engagement took place here on 14 March 1939. On 1 January 1943, the Germans joined the previously separate towns of Frýdek and Místek into a single town called Frýdek. In 1955, the town was renamed to its current name. In 2006, Frýdek-Místek became a statutory city.

Geography

Frýdek-Místek is located about south of Ostrava. It is situated on the border of two historical regions. Místek lies in Moravia, while Frýdek lies in Czech Silesia, and the Ostravice River forms the border between them. The city is situated relatively close the borders of Poland () and Slovakia (). Frýdek-Místek is located at the confluence of the Ostravice and Morávka rivers. The city lies mostly in the Moravian-Silesian Foothills, but a small part in the north also extends into the Ostrava Basin. The highest point of Frýdek-Místek is the hill Ostružná at above sea level, located in the southwestern tip of the municipal territory.