Kopidlno

Kopidlno is a town in Jičín District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,200 inhabitants.

Kopidlno consists of five municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):

The name Kopidlno is probably derived from the name of medicinal plants found in the surrounding forests (Asarum europaeum, colloquially known in Czech as kopidlen). According to other theories, it might be derived from the Old Czech kopjo dlinno (i.e. 'long spear') or from kopidlo ('hay stake').

Kopidlno is located about 13 kilometres (8 mi) south of Jičín and 59 km (37 mi) northeast of Prague. It lies mostly in the Central Elbe Table, but the municipal territory also extends to the Jičín Uplands in the north and east. The town is situated on the Mrlina River. There are several fishponds in the territory, the largest of which are Zrcadlo and Zámecký rybník.

The first written mention of Kopidlno is from 1322. The first owners of Kopidlno were the Kopidlanský family. Among the next owners were many notable noble families, including Haugwitz, Trčka of Lípa, Thurn und Taxis and Schlick, and individuals Albrecht von Wallenstein and Ludwig of Dietrichstein. In 1514, Kopidlno was promoted to a town by King Vladislaus II. The most important owners of Kopidlno were the Schlick family. During their era, crafts and education developed in the town.

The I/32 road, which connect the D11 motorway with Jičín, passes through the town.

Kopidlno is located on the railway line Jičín–Nymburk.

There is an experimental railway line between Kopidlno and Dolní Bousov, on which an autonomous train was put into operation in 2025, the first on a free track in Europe.