Zruč nad Sázavou

Zruč nad Sázavou is a town in Kutná Hora District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,800 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Domahoř, Dubina, Nesměřice and Želivec are administrative parts of Zruč nad Sázavou.

Geography
Zruč nad Sázavou is located about 25 km south of Kutná Hora and 51 km southeast of Prague. It lies on the Sázava River, at the northern tip of the Švihov Reservoir. The municipal territory extends into three geomorphological regions: the largest part lies in the Křemešník Highlands, the northern part lies in the Upper Sázava Hills, and the eastern part lies in the Vlašim Uplands.

History
The first written mention of Zruč nad Sázavou is from 1328. The settlement was probably founded between 1032 and 1150. For a long time, it was owned by the Kolowrat family. In 1561, it was promoted to a market town and in 1662 it became a town.

After 1885, a railway was built. In 1939, Baťa company built a factory here and the town became known as an industrial centre. The footwear production lasted until 1997.

Transport
Zruč nad Sázavou is located on the railway lines Kutná Hora–Zruč nad Sázavou and Ledeč nad Sázavou–Čerčany.

Sights
The town is known for the Zruč nad Sázavou Castle, which is as old as the town. In 1781, the castle, especially the interiors, burned down. It was rebuilt in its present form in 1892–1894 in pseudo-Gothic style. Today it is owned by the town and serves as the town hall and gallery. The southern wing is open to the public and contains several expositions.

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was originally built in the early Gothic style. The tower was added in the 16th century. The church was modified in the Baroque style and reconstructed in 1788 after a fire in 1781, but retained its Gothic character.

Notable people

 * Petr Linhart (born 1990), handball player