More Sponsored Links For:
OstravaColumbia Encyclopedia entry: Ostrava
Ostravaô'strävä, formerly Moravská Ostravamô'räfskä, Ger. Mährisch Ostrau, city (1991 pop. 327,371), NE Czech Republic, in Moravia, near the junction of the Oder and Ostravice rivers. It is the heart of the Ostrava-Karviná industrial and mining region, the most heavily industrialized area of the Czech Republic. Anthracite and bituminous coal, iron and steel, railway cars, and chemicals are the major products of the city. One of the Czech Republic's largest cities, Ostrava is a regional administrative center, a road and rail hub, and the site of several hydroelectric stations. It was well known as a small town in the Middle Ages and later became important because of its strategic location guarding the Moravian Gate, the entrance to the Moravian lowlands. The city's industrial prominence dates from the late 19th cent., after the opening of its first coal mine and the coming of the railroad. German forces occupied Ostrava from 1939 to 1945. The city is a cultural and educational center, noted especially for its college of mining and metallurgy.
The Columbia Encyclopedia. Copyright © 2001-09 Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
Wikipedia search results for: Ostrava
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic, however it is the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. It is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava is located at the confluence of the Ostravice, Oder, Lučina and Opava rivers. Its history and growth have been largely affected by exploitation and further use of the high quality black coal deposits discovered in the locality, giving the town a look of an industrial city and a nickname of the “steel heart of the republic” during the communist era of Czechoslovakia. Many of the heavy industry companies are...more »
Columbia Encyclopedia search results: Ostrava
Results 1 - 3 of 3
- Beskids
Beskids, Czech and Slovak Beskydy, Pol. Beskidy, mountain range of the Carpathians, extending c.200 mi (320 km) along Poland's border with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The highest peak, Ba...
- Moravia
Moravia, Czech Morava, Ger. Mähren, region in the E Czech Republic. The region is bordered on the W by Bohemia, on the E by the Little and White Carpathian Mts., which divide it from Slovakia,...
- Czech Republic
Czech Republic, Czech Česká Republika (2005 est. pop. 10,241,000), republic, 29,677 sq mi (78,864 sq km), central Europe. It is bordered by Slovakia on the east, Austria on the south, Germany ...
