Ledenice

Ledenice is a market town in České Budějovice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,500 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Ohrazení, Ohrazeníčko, Růžov, Zaliny and Zborov are administrative parts of Ledenice.

Etymology
The oldest record of the name was Leděnice. The name was derived from the personal name Leděn, meaning "the village of Leděn's people".

Geography
Ledenice is located about 11 km southeast of České Budějovice. It lies mostly in the Třeboň Basin, only a small part of the municipal territory in the south extends into the Gratzen Foothills. The highest point is at 555 m above sea level. The area is rich in small fishponds, supplied by several brooks.

History
The first written mention of Ledenice is from 1278, when it was owned by the Lords of Krumlov (a branch of the house of Vítkovci). After they died out, Ledenice became the property of the Lords of Landštejn (another branch of Vítkovci). In 1398, during their rule, Ledenice was promoted to a market town. In the 15th century, Ledenice was acquired by the Rosenberg family.

In 1611, after the death of the last Rosenberg, the market town became the property of the Schwamberg family. From 1660 until the establishment of an independent municipality in 1849, it was owned by the Schwarzenberg family. The greatest growth of Ledenice occurred in the second half of the 19th century.

Transport
A railway runs through the municipal territory, but there is no train station. The market town is served by the station in neighbouring Borovany.

Sights
The main landmark of Ledenice is the Church of Saint Lawrence. Originally an early Gothic building from the end of the 13th century, it was rebuilt several times. In 1782, the tower was added.

Notable people

 * Josef Stejskal (1897–1942), theatre director
 * Vlastimil Hajšman (1928–1978), ice hockey player