Strakonice

Strakonice (Strakonitz) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 23,000 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
Strakonice is made up of the town parts of Strakonice I and Strakonice II, and the villages of Dražejov, Hajská, Modlešovice, Přední Ptákovice, Střela and Virt.

Geography
Strakonice is located about 51 km northwest of České Budějovice. It lies mostly in the northern tip of the České Budějovice Basin, but the municipal territory also extends to the Blatná Uplands on the north and to the Bohemian Forest Foothills on the south. The highest point is the hill Velká Kakada with an altitude of 564 m.

The town is situated at the confluence of the Volyňka and Otava rivers. There are several ponds in the territory; the largest of them are Velkoholský and Blatský. In the municipal territory there are the Bažantnice u Pracejovic nature reserve and the Tůně u Hajské nature monument.

History
A moated castle on the Otava River was built by the noble family Bavors of Strakonice at the beginning of the 13th century, the first written mention of the castle is from 1235. The first written mention of the village of Strakonice is from 1243, when the Church of Saint Wenceslaus already existed and when Bavors donated a part of the castle and several villages in the vicinity to the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of Saint John. In 1318, Strakonice already was a town.

From 1402, the Knights Hospitaller owned the whole castle as well as the surrounding estate. In 1420 the Hussite commander Jan Žižka occupied Strakonice, but failed to capture the fortress. Strakonice Castle experienced an extensive reconstruction to a representation residence of the Grand Priors of the Order in the 16th century, the later modifications were minor only. After the Thirty Years' War, the castle has lost its significance.

During the 19th century, the town was industrialized. In the 1860s, the town was connected with České Budějovice and Plzeň by railway, which helped its further development.

Climate
Strakonice has a cool, wet, and temperate inland version of a humid continental climate (Dfb).

Economy
Since the 19th century Strakonice was a main production site for fez hats and it also became an industrial centre known for its motorbikes and hand guns production.

Strakonice is also known for its brewery called "Dudák – Burghers' Brewery Strakonice", located nearby the castle. It produces the beer under the brand Strakonický Dudák. The Strakonice Burghers' Brewery is the last brewery in the Czech Republic to still be owned by a town. The tradition of beer brewing in the town started in 1367 and the Burghers' Brewery was founded in 1649.

Transport
Strakonice lies the railway line of national importance heading from Brno to Plzeň via České Budějovice and Strakonice. It is also the starting point of the lines to Beroun, Milevsko, Blatná and Volary.

Culture
Every year, the town hosts the International Bagpipe Festival. The town's bagpipe tradition refers to the famous work of Josef Kajetán Tyl Strakonický dudák ("The Bagpiper of Strakonice"). The festival has been held since 1967 and is one of the most important folklore festivals in the world.

Sights
Most of the historic buildings were demolished during the 20th century. The Strakonice Castle today serves as a regional museum and gallery. Its exhibitions focus on motorcycles, weapons, bagpipers and the traditional fez production. The Rumpál Tower serves as a lookout tower. Part of the castle complex is the Church of Saint Procopius. It is originally a Romanesque building, rebuilt in the Baroque style with Rococo elements.

The Church of Saint Margaret was built in the late Gothic style with many Renaissance elements in 1580–1583. Baroque modifications were made in 1777. It is among the main landmarks of the town centre.

The Church of Saint Wenceslaus was originally a medieval Gothic church, founded in the 1300s. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1720–1730. It is a cemetery church.

The Church of the Virgin Mary is a pilgrimage church located in Přední Ptákovice. It was built in 1771–1774, when it replaced a chapel from 1749.

Notable people

 * Jan Antonín Losy (c. 1650–1721), lute player and composer
 * František Čelakovský (1799–1852), writer and translator
 * Martin Mathias Secor (1841–1911), American businessman
 * Leopold Ehrmann (1886–1951), architect
 * Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli (1882–1949), Italian composer
 * Xena Longenová (1891–1928), actress
 * Josef Skupa (1892–1957), puppeteer
 * Věra Machoninová (born 1928), architect
 * Marie Poledňáková (1941–2022), film director
 * Pavel Pavel (born 1957), engineer and experimental archaeologist
 * Roman Turek (born 1970), ice hockey player
 * Alexander Salák (born 1987), ice hockey player
 * Zdeněk Ondrášek (born 1988), footballer
 * Jindřich Staněk (born 1996), footballer
 * Vít Krejčí (born 2000), basketball player

Twin towns – sister cities
Strakonice is twinned with:
 * 🇩🇪 Bad Salzungen, Germany
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Calderdale, England, United Kingdom
 * Lengnau, Switzerland

Strakonice also has friendly relations with Rawicz in Poland.