The town of Čelákovice is situated some 20 km north-east of Prague upon the Elbe, in a variable countryside of forests, meadows and pools. The town inherited a millennial history and culture. Many archaeological finds witness continuous settlement since the late Stone Age. The elevated Elbe terrace hosted old Slavonic settlements and a modest wooden seat and Romanesque church date back to the l2th century. A fortress of stone was built around 1300 and was rebuilt many times since, in Gothic and Renaissance styles. Today the fortress is called "Na Hrádku" and harbours the Town Museum in its stately, dominating walls. The Romanesque church went through Renaissance redevelopment in the lóth century and once again through baroque restoration in the early l8th century. East of the church a deanery from 1782 is situated. The Town Hall has its own history. Built in 1553, destroyed during the 30-Year War, restored and extended after the fire of 1719, it was replaced by a new building designed by K. Sax of Čelákovice in 1911 which copied the original plan. Now it is the mayor's office once again. The oldest written deed Čelákovice is mentioned by speaks about it as royal township. The inhabitants lived on fishing and agriculture for a long time and started basket-making in the middle of the l9th century, the basket- making exhibition in Čeněk Janda's house recalls. A water mill was built underneath the fortress in the lóth century, being a state-ofthe-art and Bohemia's largest installation at that time. Industrial development set in after 1900 and the position of largest and best-known producer was taken up by Volman's mechanical factory. Between the world wars Čelákovice became the synonym for the river spa at Grádo on the Elbe Island. This time left behind an architectural footprint - the functionalist Volman's Villa designed by J. Štursa and K. Janů. Several celebrities' lives have been linked with Čelákovice: Matěj Červenka, the Bishop of Unitas Fratrum; composer Jan Zach; Alois Vašátko, war fighter flight commander in Britain; poet and writer Eduard Petiška; etc. Čelákovice is a suitable base for walking, biking and car trips through the Elbe region and Central Bohemia.