Batelov

Batelov (Battelau) is a market town in Jihlava District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,400 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Bezděčín, Lovětín, Nová Ves and Rácov are administrative parts of Batelov.

Etymology
The name is derived from the personal name Batel.

Geography
Batelov is located about 16 km southwest of Jihlava. The municipal territory lies in three geomorphological regions: the central part lies in the Křižanov Highlands, the northern part lies in the Křemešník Highlands, and the southern forested part lies in the Javořice Highlands. The highest point is the hill Rovina at 761 m above sea level. The Jihlava River flows through Batelov. There are several ponds around the market town.

History
The first written mention of Batelov is from 1272. The original settlement was founded in a part called Na Vůbci. The owners changed often and included various lesser noble families. In 1534, Batelov was promoted to a market town.

Transport
Batelov is located on the major railway lines Brno–Plzeň and Jihlava–Tábor.

Sights
The landmark of the town square is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. The church awas built in the mid-18th century and has a Neoclassical façade from 1836. A staircase lined with several valuable statues leads to the church.

There are two castles in Batelov called Old Castle and New Castle. The Old Castle is a one-storey Renaissance building from the second half of the 16th century. It served mostly as an administrative seat. The New Castle is a Neoclassical building with Renaissance core, which served as the seat of the nobility.

Notable people

 * Zdeněk Mahler (1928–2018), writer, screenwriter and musicologist