About the city and the twinning
About Třebechovice pod Orebem
Třebechovice pod Orebem is a historic town near Hradec Králové in eastern Bohemia, Czechia. It developed along a medieval trade route and first appears in written records in 1358, when Charles IV granted it town status. The Dědina River runs through the town, where tanning, pottery and locksmithing were once important trades.
The town is best known for its Museum of Nativity Scenes, which preserves more than 400 historic and contemporary Nativity scenes. Its centrepiece is Probošt’s mechanical Nativity scene, a wooden work more than a century old. It consists of about 2,000 carved components and 350 figures, many of which move. The Czech Republic designated it a national cultural monument in 1999.
Partnership with Bethlehem
On 19 November 2005, the two municipalities marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and Friendship in Bethlehem. At the ceremony, Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh drew a connection between Bethlehem’s Nativity heritage and the Czech town’s museum, and spoke of opportunities for cultural exchange and cooperation between their institutions and residents. The Czech town was represented by Mayor Jiří Němec. In September 2013, Bethlehem Mayor Vera Baboun sent a message of greetings for the opening of the museum’s new building.