Horažďovice is a home to approximately five thousand residents. The oldest settlement records go back thousand years before century and it has been declared a town in 1292 by king Wenceslas II. The most attractive features which lure tourists to visit the town are mainly historic buildings, a renaissance palace, gothic Franciscan monastery, remnants of the gothic town fortification and a close fortified settlement Prácheň which dates back to a period between the 11th and the 13th century.
The region around the town of Horažďovice (5,800 inhabitants) has been populated for a very long time. The Celtic name of the Otava River bears evidence of it. The beginning of settlements around Horažďovice is closely connected to the fortified castle of Prácheň, which dates back to the 12th century. The name of the town could somehow derived from the name of saint Methodius´s successor, the priest Gorazd. According to folktales, Gorazd founded a village on the place where Horažďovice is situated now. In 1997 St. Gorazd was proclaimed a patron of the town. The settlement, which is situated on the trade route from Prague to Bavaria, was elevated to town status by King Wenceslas II in 1292. At that time a Bavarian from Strakonice, a noble family, was the owner of the fortress that had been built there. During the reign of Půta Švihovský from Rýzmberk and Švihov the Monastery of Friars Minor and the town water mains were built there. The town water mains was built in 1503 and was in use up to 1932! Despite the far-reaching fires of 1619, 1627 and 1635 through which the town was badly damaged, the new owners the Šternberks, contributed significantly to the reconstruction of Horažďovice. During their 100 year reign, the church and the castle were rebuild thoroughly.
DISCOVER THE SURROUNDING REGION
On your way to Horažďovice, do not miss a chance to visit Prague. Follow the tracks of the great personalities of music such as Josef Mysliveček, Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák or Otakar Ševčík. Once, Prague was considered a cultural metropolis and a conservatoire of Europe. Let yourself be enraptured by the magic of Prague alleys and pubs known for having been visited by renowned writers such as Franz Kafka or Jaroslav Hašek. Visit modern galleries of world-class fame. Prague is opened for all culture and art enthusiasts.
The Pilsen Region is the third largest region in the Czech Republic. It is located in the southwest of the country and has a strategic position as it lies on the route from Western to Eastern Europe. Its centre is Pilsen, a city of great economical and social importance. It is renowned all over the world, especially for brewing Plzeňský Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquell). Apart from Pilsen, cities such as Klatovy, Domažlice, Tachov, Rokycany or smaller towns like Sušice, Stříbro, Nepomuk, etc. also play their cultural and social role within the region.
