Přeštice

Přeštice (Prestitz) is a town in Plzeň-South District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,800 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Skočice, Zastávka and Žerovice are administrative parts of Přeštice.

Geography
Přeštice is located about 18 km south of Plzeň. It lies on the border between the Švihov Highlands and Plasy Uplands. The highest point is the hill Střížov at 522 m above sea level. The Úhlava River flows through the town.

History
The first written mention of Přeštice is in a deed of King Ottokar II from 1226, when it was referred to as a market village. In 1239, the village was bought by the monastery in Kladruby. During the Hussite Wars (1419–1434), Přeštice was acquired by the Švihovský z Rýzmberk family, who owned it for two centuries.

In the early 19th century, Přeštice was badly damaged by a large fire, but the town recovered. The construction of the road from Plzeň to Klatovy, which began to be built in 1809, contributed to the development of the town. The new town hall was built in 1832. In 1874, the Plzeň–Klatovy railway was put into operation.

Until 1918, the town was part of Austria-Hungary, in the district of the same name, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.

Transport
The I/27 road (the section from Plzeň to Klatovy, part of the European route E53) passes through the town.

Přeštice is located on the railway line Prague–Klatovy via Plzeň.

Sights
The main landmark of Přeštice is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It was built in the Baroque style in 1750–1775 and was designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer.

Notable people

 * Jakub Jan Ryba (1765–1815), composer
 * Josef Hlávka (1831–1908), architect and philanthropist
 * Milena Jelinek (1935–2020), Czech-American screenwriter and playwright

Twin towns – sister cities
Přeštice is twinned with:
 * 🇺🇸 Chadron, United States
 * 🇸🇮 Krško, Slovenia
 * 🇩🇪 Nittenau, Germany