The beginning of Podebrady can be sought a thousand years ago when a settlement was established here in the proximity of a former ford across the Labe River. From this location it is possible to deduce the origin of the city's name - "below the fords". A trade route from Prague into Eastern Bohemia and further to Poland crossed the river here. From the middle of the twelfth century the name Podebrady appears more often in documents of those times. And then in the times of King Premysl Otakar II a castle was built on this strategic place over the Labe which, after numerous modifications, has stood till our times.

This castle, later a chateau, came by marriage into the hands of the Lords of Kunstat from which the later Czech king, George of Pod∞brady also originated. In April 23, 1421 he was born here and in addition, he is a 16^th generation ancestor of today's Queen Elisabeth II. Two features are characteristic of his rule, as a king of a "dual people" he ruled over people of two religions who lived beside each other in peace due to the merits of his wise policies and at the same time he made an attempt to resolve international conflicts without weapons.

In 1464 he proposed to other sovereigns of Europe to create an European Christian community, which would solve possible problems in a peaceful way. He preceded a later idea of United Nations Organisation for many centuries.