Železná Ruda

Železná Ruda
Town
256px St. Anna Chapel
75 px Coat of arms
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Plzeň
District	Klatovy
Little District	Klatovy
Parts	6  - Alžbětín  - Debrník  - Hojsova Stráž  - Pancíř  - Špičák  - Železná Ruda
Center	Klostermannovo náměstí
- elevation	820 m (2,690 ft)
- coordinates
Area	79.79 km2 (30.81 sq mi)
Population	2,118 (2005-01-01)
Density	27 / km2 (70 / sq mi)
Mayor	Michal Šnebergr
Postal code	340 04
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Železná Ruda
Website: www.sumava.net/muruda

Železná Ruda (literally "iron ore", Czech pronunciation: [ˈʒɛlɛznaː ˈruda], German: Markt Eisenstein) is a town in the Pilsen Region of the Czech Republic. It is located in the Šumava Mountains, close to the border with Bavaria and the German town Bayerisch Eisenstein. It is one of the important sports and tourism centres of the Šumava Mountains. The German name of the town comes from The Middle Ages, when it was a market town.

Places of interest

Natural

The town is surrounded by forests and green mountains. There are many popular tourist sites, such as the lakes Černé jezero and Čertovo jezero and Špičák peak (1,202 m).

Historical

Historical sites include the Church of Panna Maria Pomocná z Hvězdy (with an Eastern-style cupola), the Chapel of St. Barbora (saint of mineworkers) and the Way of the Cross. The local museum and information centre are located in a house, which was the home to a well-known family of glassmakers in the past. There is an exhibition of traditional glass, documents and photographs concerning history available all year round.

Geography and Climate

Železná Ruda, lying in a wild mountain terrain between 710 metres and 1214 metres (2330 and 3983 feet) is surrounded with thick coniferous woods. Its climate is cool and wet humid continental hemiboreal (Dfb) with moderately cold, long winters and cool summers. Average July temperature is 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) and average January temperature is −4.2 °C (24.4 °F). All year average is 5.7 °C (42.3 °F) and there falls some 967 mm of precipitations.

Climate data for Markt Eisenstein - Železná Ruda
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	−1.2 (29.8)	0.1 (32.2)	5.2 (41.4)	10.3 (50.5)	15.3 (59.5)	18.6 (65.5)	20.3 (68.5)	19.7 (67.5)	16.3 (61.3)	10.7 (51.3)	4.0 (39.2)	0.2 (32.4)	10.0 (50)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−4.2 (24.4)	−3.4 (25.9)	0.9 (33.6)	5.3 (41.5)	10.0 (50)	13.4 (56.1)	15.1 (59.2)	14.6 (58.3)	11.3 (52.3)	6.4 (43.5)	1.2 (34.2)	−2.4 (27.7)	5.7 (42.3)
Average low °C (°F)	−7.2 (19)	−6.9 (19.6)	−3.4 (25.9)	0.3 (32.5)	4.7 (40.5)	8.2 (46.8)	9.9 (49.8)	9.5 (49.1)	6.4 (43.5)	2.2 (36)	−1.6 (29.1)	−4.9 (23.2)	1.4 (34.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	85 (3.35)	60 (2.36)	70 (2.76)	59 (2.32)	86 (3.39)	96 (3.78)	111 (4.37)	101 (3.98)	80 (3.15)	64 (2.52)	64 (2.52)	91 (3.58)	967 (38.07)
Source: Climate-Data.ORG

Technical

The longest train tunnel (1,747 m) in the Czech Republic goes under Špičák peak.

Economy

The local economy is very dependent on tourism because Železná Ruda is one of the most popular skiing centres of Šumava, as well as a starting point for many hiking trips on both sides of the border. The town has also gained a reputation as a hotspot for prostitution since the Velvet Revolution.

Transportation

The town is located on a train line leading from Plzeň and Klatovy to the border station at Bayerisch Eisenstein, named Železná Ruda-Alžbětín in Czech. This station building is divided by the national border between the Czech Republic and Germany.

File:Železná Ruda - Hlavní nádraží.jpg

Reconstructed main train station – Železná Ruda město