Husovo Square
Area of the square
The square is located 324 m above the sea level; it is 143 meters long and 68 meters wide. The chateau tower is 54 meters high, the church tower 40 meters high and the temple tower 46 meters high.
The square was paved in the year 1934. In 1951 to 1954 gables were renovated and also modernization of the northern block of houses together with modification of apartments was performed.
In 1973 the surface of the parking lot in the square was covered with the acid resistant paving. Surface of triangles developed in this way along both sides of the road has 1864 m2. Rest of the square area is paved. That time even appearance of arcades was improved by introduction of lighting and occasional lighting of facades, sculptures and chateau.
The current appearance of the square is the result of a reconstruction from 2011. The reconstruction included road re-paving, the construction of an elevated walkway for pedestrians along the arcade, and the installation of new public lighting in the square.
Layout of houses
Houses in the square were solved quite in a unified way. Lower entrance areas were provided with the cylindrical vault. On the ground floor there was a big mazhaus, a spacious room, which was usually used for handicraft and for sales of products. In the ground floor there is a corridor leading to the back tract with the exit to the courtyard and to the backhouse area, the staircase goes to cellars and up to the floor. On the ground floor there was even one more small room. With exception of the lower mazhaus there was also the upper mazhaus. In addition there were even other rooms on the first floor of the townsman’s apartment together with the black cuisine and conical vaulted chimney of Italian provenance. From the first floor it was possible to access the attic.
Even at foundation of the town there was taken in consideration that each house should have its background in form of farming land out of the town. These lots, e.g. in Bořetín, were divided according to position of houses. However it was only initial decision, which it was not possible to maintain, since sales resulted in changes.
Emblems on houses
In history each house had its emblem. From time to time it is however necessary to renew a facade or at least a paint and to retain the emblem is extrawork. Therefore only the golden star in the blue round field on the house No. 1222, golden ram No. 1223, painting of the Savior No. 1230 and the blue star in the white round field No. 1223 have remained till today. Stylization of the Kosek’s business company and three stars of the house No. 1234 are of newer date. There is neither a green tree in the festooned field on the house No. 1213, nor a lion on the house No. 1229, nor a golden sphere in the niche of No. 1237, nor an elephant on the No. 1238 and nor two wide axes in the sandstone in the house No. 1242, where the butchery was. The newest house emblem – miner’s lamps – were added in the 90’s of the 20th century on the house No. 1236, which became a property of the Kahanecs family (a miner’s lamp is “kahan” in Czech).
Selected buildings in the square
For easier identification of individual houses there are given today’s allocated numbers. In Nové Město nad Metují houses were numbered in 1785. It is not so long time when there was A at numbers of houses in the square, B at numbers of houses of Krajské předměstí and C at numbers of houses of Horské předměstí. This marking was cancelled. There was added 1200 to numbers of houses in the square, 1000 to numbers of houses of Horské předměstí and numbers in Krajské předměstí remained unchanged.
Nowadays there is a gallery and an information center in house No. 1210.
