Podebrady were established approx. one thousand years ago, when a settlement near a former ford over river Labe was established. The name Podebrady can be derived from "pode brody" - "under fords". The river was here crossed by the commerce way from Prague to east Bohemia and further to Poland. Since half of the 12^th century the name Podebrady was more often mentioned in documents of that time and in the period of king Premysl Otakar II. a stronghold of the same name was founded, which after many reconstructions stays till nowadays. This stronghold, later castle, moved by marriage in hands of lords of Kunstat house. Also later Czech king, Jiri (George) of Podebrady, came of this house. He was born on 23. 4. 1421 in Podebrady and he is, by the way, the predecessor in the 16^th generation of today's British Queen Elisabeth II. He was an outstanding king above all in two ways: he was a king of "dual people", which meant, that he ruled to people of two religions, who lived together lead by Jiri's diplomacy of peace. It would be unimaginable only short time ago.

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.