Štoky

Štoky (Stecken) is a market town in Havlíčkův Brod District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,000 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Petrovice, Pozovice, Smilov and Studénka are administrative parts of Štoky.

Geography
Štoky is located about 11 km south of Havlíčkův Brod and 10 km north of Jihlava. It lies on the border between the Křemešník Highlands and Upper Sázava Hills. The highest point is at 676 m above sea level.

History
The first written mention of Štoky is from 1347. From 1436 to 1596, it was owned by the Trčka of Lípa family. Sometime during their rule, the village was promoted to a market town. Štoky was devastated during the Thirty Years' War, but soon it recovered and crafts flourished. The next period of prosperity came around 1760, when the Vienna–Prague road was being built.

Transport
The D1 motorway from Prague to Brno passes through the southern part of the municipal territory. The I/38 road from Jihlava to Havlíčkův Brod runs through the market town proper.

Sights
The main landmark of Štoky is the Church of Saint James the Great, built in the Gothic style.

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is located in Petrovice. It was built in the late Baroque style in 1799 and has also Neoclasical elements.

Notable people

 * Jaroslav Rössler (1902–1990), photographer