Danube River Cruise #47: Cesky Krumlov: History, Famous Meteorite & Crater

Dining out while overlooking a river

Continuing our May vacation blog, today we'll give you a photographic tour of the city of Cesky Krumlov  in the Czech Republic. In this blog you'll learn about some early history and tell you about famous meteorites and an impact crater! 

HISTORY OF THE CITY - The website for the city says: According to legend, the name Krumlov is derived from the German "Krumme Aue", which may be translated as "crooked meadow". The name comes from the natural topography of the town, specifically from the tightly crooked meander of the Vltava river. The word "Český" simply means Czech, or Bohemian (actually one and the same), as opposed to Moravian or Silesian. In Latin documents it was called Crumlovia or Crumlovium. The town was first mentioned in documents from 1253, where Krumlov was called Chrumbonowe.  

One of Cesky Krumlov's 3 rivers

 

Moldavite from the 15 million year old meteorite

RIVER USED FROM ANCIENT TIMES - The flow of the Vltava River has long been a natural transportation entrance to this region. The area's oldest settlement goes back to the Older Stone Age (70,000 - 50,000 B.C.). Mass settlement was noted in the Bronze Age (1,500 B.C.), Celtic settlements in the Younger Iron Age (approx. 400 B.C.) and Slavonic settlement has been dated as from the 6th century A.D. 

 Nördlinger Ries impact crater in western Bavaria, Germany

FAMOUS METEORITES - Moldavite (Czech: Vltavín) is a forest green, olive green or blue greenish vitreous silica projectile rock formed by a meteorite impact in southern Germany (Nördlinger Ries Crater) that occurred about 15 million years ago. It is a type of tektite. It comes from the Nördlinger Ries impact crater.


WHAT IS THE NORDLINGER RIES IMPACT CRATER? -  The Nördlinger Ries is an impact crater. It's a large circular depression in western Bavaria, Germany, made by a large meteor that fell to Earth. It is located north of the Danube in the district of Donau-Ries. The city of Nördlingen is located inside the depression, about 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) southwest of its center! 
   The crater is most commonly referred to simply as Ries crater or the Ries. The original crater rim had an estimated diameter of 24 kilometers (15 mi)."Ries" is derived from Raetia, since the tribe of Raetians lived in the area in pre-Roman times.

pastries in Cesky Krumlov!

   
NEXT: Some Ghostly Legends of Cesky Krumlov