Velká Losenice

Velká Losenice is a municipality and village in Žďár nad Sázavou District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,200 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The village of Pořežín is an administrative part of Velká Losenice.

Geography
Velká Losenice is located about 7 km west of Žďár nad Sázavou and 26 km northeast of Jihlava. Most of the municipal territory lies in the Upper Sázava Hills, only the northeastern part extends into the Křižanov Highlands. The highest point is a hill at 640 m above sea level. There are several ponds in the municipality. The northeastern half of the municipality is situated in the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area.

History
The first written mention of Velká Losenice is from 1352. It was probably founded at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1366, a hammer mill in Velká Losenice was documented. From 1502, the village was part of the Polná estate. Between 1597 and 1620, the estate was owned by the Zeidlitz family, but their properties were confiscated after the Battle of White Mountain. In 1623, the estate was acquired by the Dietrichstein family.

Transport
The I/19 road from Žďár nad Sázavou to Havlíčkův Brod passes through the municipality, outside the built-up area.

Sights
The main landmark of Velká Losenice is the Church of Saint James the Great. It is a Gothic building with an early Gothic core, which makes it one of the oldest churches in the region.

The landmarks of Pořežín are a belfry from the 19th century and the former Durnštejn fortress.