Protivín

Protivín is a town in Písek District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,800 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Chvaletice, Krč, Maletice, Milenovice, Myšenec, Protivín, Selibov, Těšínov and Záboří are administrative parts of Protivín.

Etymology
The name is derived from the personal name Protiva, meaning "Protiva's (court, castle)".

Geography
Protivín is located about 12 km south of Písek and 30 km northwest of České Budějovice. Most of the municipal territory lies in the České Budějovice Basin, but the eastern part extends into the Tábor Uplands and includes the highest point of Protivín, a nameless hill at 555 m above sea level. The Blanice River flows through the town. There are several fishponds in the municipal territory.

History
The first written mention of Protivín is from 1282. It was founded around 1260 as a village and fortress by a ford across the river Blanice.

In the late 19th century, Protivín developed. However, the prosperity ended with the closure of the sugar factory and a wave of emigration, especially to Iowa in the United States, where the settlement named Protivin was founded by immigrants in 1872. However, the population continued to grow, and in 1899, Protivín was promoted to a town.

Economy
The town is known for the Protivín Brewery, which produces a regional beer label Platan. It was founded in 1598.

Transport
The I/20 road (part of the European route E49) from České Budějovice to Plzeň and Karlovy Vary passes through the municipal territory.

Protivín is located on the main railway lines Prague–České Budějovice and Brno–Plzeň.

Sights
There are three churches in the municipal territory. The Church of Saint Elizabeth on the town square was built in 1662 in the early Baroque style. The Church of Saint Gall in Myšenec is from the end of the 11th century and after several reconstructions it still retains its Gothic character. The Church of Saint Wenceslaus in Krč was built in 1352.

A Renaissance castle is located on the town square. It also includes a park with an area of 7.6 ha.

The Crocodile Zoo Protivín was established in 2008 and is unique by breeding of all of Crocodilia species.

Notable people

 * Ottokar Brzoza-Brzezina (1883–1968), Polish brigadier general
 * Marta Krásová (1901–1970), operatic singer
 * Jiří Kolář (1914–2002), poet, writer, painter and translator

Twin towns – sister cities
Protivín is twinned with:
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Blackwood, Wales, United Kingdom