Týnec nad Sázavou

Týnec nad Sázavou is a town in Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,700 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Brodce, Čakovice, Chrást nad Sázavou, Krusičany, Pecerady, Podělusy and Zbořený Kostelec are administrative parts of Týnec nad Sázavou.

Geography
Týnec nad Sázavou is located about 9 km northeast of Benešov and 30 km south of Prague. It lies in the Benešov Uplands. The highest point is the hill Čížov at 433 m above sea level. The Sázava River flows through the town. There is a set of fishponds in the southern part of the municipal territory, supplied by the stream Janovický potok (a tributary of the Sázava).

History
The first written mention of Týnec nad Sázavou is from 1318, when Oldřich of Týnec was documented as the owner of the local castle. The oldest part of the castle is a Romanesque rotunda, which indicates that the castle was built around 1200. In 1622, after the Battle of White Mountain, the town was acquired by Albrecht von Wallenstein. During his rule, the castle was burned down and the town was devastated. The castle was partially repaired, but in 1654, it burned down for the second time and became a ruin.

In 1785, the Konopiště estate with Týnec was acquired by Count František Josef of Vrtba, who restored importance to the neglected town. He founded a factory for earthenware here in 1791, and had the Týnec Castle with its Romanesque rotunda repaired. After his death, the Konopiště estate was inherited by the Lobkowicz family.

Economy
A traditional Czech manufacturer of motorcycles and mopeds, Jawa Moto, is based in the town.

Transport
Týnec nad Sázavou is located on the railway line Prague–Čerčany.

Sights
The most valuable building and landmark of the town is the Romanesque rotunda, which is a part of the castle. Today, the Týnec Castle houses the Town Museum. Its Gothic tower serves as a lookout tower.

The Church od Saints Simon and Jude is originally a Gothic building, rebuilt in the Baroque style.

The Church od Saints Catherine is located in Chrást nad Sázavou. It was built in the first half of the 14th century and rebuilt into its current neo-Gothic form in 1888–1889.