Stožice, Czech Republic

Stožice is a municipality and village in Strakonice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 500 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Křepice and Libějovické Svobodné Hory are administrative parts of Stožice.

Etymology
The name is derived from the personal name Stoh, meaning "the village of Stoh's people".

Geography
Stožice is located about 22 km southeast of Strakonice and 28 km northwest of České Budějovice. It lies on the border between the České Budějovice Basin and Bohemian Forest Foothills. The highest point is the hill Svobodná hora at 640 m above sea level.

History
The first written mention of Stožice is from 1416. In 1927, gold was discovered near the village of Křepice, and the village thus became the last place in the country where the gold rush occurred.

Transport
There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality.

Sights
The most valuable monument is the Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk in Křepice. It is a small chapel from the 19th century with a belfry on the top.

The main sights in Stožice are the neo-Gothic Chapel of Saints Simon and Jude and the birthplace of the writer Josef Holeček.

Notable people

 * Josef Holeček (1853–1929), writer