Atlas of the Dowry Towns of Bohemian Queens

The towns that belonged to the queens of Bohemia, the so-called royal dowry towns (namely Dvůr Králové, Hradec Králové, Chrudim, Jaroměř, Mělník, Nový Bydžov, Polička, Trutnov and Vysoké Mýto), form a specific category among historical Bohemian towns. With the exception of Mělník, they create a specific geographical enclave in the east of Bohemia. The status of the dowry towns emerged in the early 14th century, underwent a complex development and ceased to exist in 1918. Reflections on their historical charm were revived during the National Revival Movement in the 19th century and survive to this day as an identity aspect of these towns in relation to other towns and cities of the Czech Republic. Because of their affinity with urban history, maps and plans represent primary sources of information on the territorial growth and topographic transformations of the dowry towns of Bohemian Queens.