Bludov (Šumperk District)

The name of "Bludov" is derivered from the name of its probable founder Blud of Bludov.[2]

Bludov was established in the 13th century and was the only Czech village in the German Šumperk District. Bludov was a farming village during the medieval and early modern eras. Local historian Jan Březina has speculated that gold was mined on Zlatník Hill, but there is little historical evidence for this claim. Panning may have been done in Vitonický Creek at Vlčí Důl.

Blud of Bludov's son built the castle on the slope of the Háj Hill. The Bludov Castle was destroyed during the Bohemian–Hungarian War. During the 16th century Bludov became the possession of a Zierotin noble, who built the Bludov Chateau.[2]

During the 15th century Bludov became a possession of Tunkl of Brníčko, who built six large ponds near the village. The pond were dried in the 19th century, because their maintenance did not pay off economically.[2][3]

During the second half of the 19th century, Bludov was industrialized with the construction of two mills, a sawmill, two textile workshops, an engineering works and a limekiln. At the beginning of the 20th century, the textile factories failed and a dairy, an iron-foundry and a distillery were established.

In 1929 the Bludov Spa was opened. In 1963, the Vlčí Důl pool was opened.[2][4] Small and medium-sized businesses were suppressed by the communist government during the 1950s, and the spa and dairy were nationalized. The head office of the farm collective was built opposite the Bludov Chateau, with concrete functionalist architecture.

Granodiorit quarry

During the 1970s the dairy was rebuilt as the Nealko, a soft-drink factory. Agrega, a factory repairing electric motors, was also established. Nealko and Agrega faced financial troubles after the Velvet Revolution, prompting Agrega to expand its services to repair injection pumps, alternators, starters and cars and sell Peugeot and Citroen cars and auto parts. Nealko produced an unsuccessful soft-drink brand, Monáda. It then produced soft drinks for diabetics before going bankrupt at the beginning of the 21st century.

In the Mohelnická Brázda lowlands, corn, barley, wheat, oilseed rape, poppy, sugar beet, alfalfa and flax are grown and cattle and broilers raised.[5][6]

The Granodiorite quarry is located on the Chocholík Hill, where stone is processed into sand and a type of wollastonite known as Bludovit is sometimes mined. Bludovit is used decoratively, and its powder is used in blast furnaces.

Bludov Spa is focused on treatment of obesity and musculoskeletal disorders.[7]

There is a small hydroelectric plant at Habermann's Mill.

Bludov is twinned with:[8]

• Lehota pod Vtáčnikom, Slovakia

• Bludoveček and Zámeček

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bludov (Šumperk District).

• Official website (in Czech)