Strážov (Klatovy District)


Strážov is a town in Klatovy District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of about 1,400. The center of the town has preserved its historical character and is protected by law as urban monument area since 2003.

Etymology

The name of the town is derived from its original purpose when residents were maintaining a trade route and guarded the payment of customs duties.

Geography

Strážov lies approximately 11 kilometers south of Klatovy, 49 km south of Plzeň, and 122 km south-west of Prague at an altitude of 482 meters above sea level in the valley of Strážovský potok.

History

The first written mention of the town dates from 1352 when Strážov belonged to the estate Opálka. Silver and lead began to be quarried in the 15th century. Louis II of Hungary granted Strážov's town privilegies on June 24, 1524, and the right to the fortifications and the coat of arms a year later. The town was burned during the Thirty Years' War. Strážov was recovering slowly. The stimulus for its development was mainly the production of lace and the establishment of a leather factory.

Notable people