City of Studénka
The City of StudénkaStudénka is situated 20 km south-west of
Ostrava, close to the Odra River and the Protected Landscape Area Poodří. It was formed by merging two originally independent municipalities. The first documented reference to one of them – Butovice – dates back to 1324, Studénka to 1377.
Significant economic growth of Studénka is associated with the Blücher family, descendants of the famous Prussian marshal Blücher, who became famous thanks to his contribution to the defeat of the Napoleon’s army in the battle of Waterloo. In the local picturesque castle,which the Municipality bought from the Blüchers in 1936, presently houses Wagon Museum.
The railway was fundamental for the industrial growth of both municipalities. In 1847, the railway station of Studénka was built on the North Railway of the Emperor Ferdinand, the first railway in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. An advantageous traffic position at the crossing of secondary rail tracks was the driving power of the development of the entire region.
In 1901, the joint-stock company of Staudinger Waggonfabrik, AG was established – a wagon building factory in Studénka. This company gradually became one of the biggest companies in the Czechoslovak Republic, the significance of which got beyond the country boundaries. During more than one hundred years of its tradition, it produced more than 88 000 various vehicles, mostly railcars. It was also manufacturing motor airplanes in the 1930’s.
The City of Studénka has an extremely advantageous traffic position. The recently reconstructed railway station is situated on the main line Ostrava - Prague, which is the European corridor.
Leoš Janáček’s International Airport of Ostrava is only 6 km away in a beeline. The airport landing runway allows the biggest airplanes to land there.
In 2008, Studénka will be connected to the newly established extension of the D1 highway(D 47) Ostrava-Olomouc.
Studénka had 10 210 citizens as of December 31, 2007.