The area of the actual town has been inhabited for millennia , but a significant growth of its population did not begin until the 19th century . It was the construction of the railway that stimulated a strong population growth . Factories were built near the railway , and the Oil Campaign of World War II targeted the oil refinery on December 28 , 1944 . During the totalitarian communist rule ( 1948 – 89 ) the town lacked democratic municipal government . The town centre was damaged by flood in 2002
flood in 2002
2002 European floods
Kralupy nad Vltavou