Katovice

Katovice is a market town in Strakonice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,300 inhabitants.

For the city in Poland, see Katowice.
Katovice
Market town
Church of Saints Philip and James
Flag
Coat of arms
Katovice
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°16′25″N 13°49′49″E
Country Czech Republic
RegionSouth Bohemian
DistrictStrakonice
First mentioned1045
Area
 • Total9.58 km2 (3.70 sq mi)
Elevation
412 m (1,352 ft)
Population
 (2021-01-01)[1]
 • Total1,338
 • Density140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
387 11
Websitewww.katovice.cz

Katovice is located 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Strakonice in the centre of the former Prácheňsko region on the Otava River.

History
Statue of Jan Hus

Katovice was founded in the 9th or 10th century, probably as a Slavic gold panning settlement on the Otava River and later a market settlement. The first written mention of Katovice is from 1045, when Duke Bretislav I donated the settlement to the Břevnov Monastery. Since then Katovice was mainly an agricultural village.[2]

From the 13th century, Katovice was a serfdom village of the Střela castle. In 1505, Katovice was mentioned as a market town for the first time.[3]

In 1867, Emperor Franz Joseph I built the first railroad which serves till today. Since 1902 until 1922, graphite was extracted from the steep hills of Kněží hora. Before the end of World War II, on 20 April 1945, American fighting jets attacked a train carrying concentration camp prisoners that stopped at local railway station. More than 200 prisoners managed to run away. However, few of them were consequently tracked down by the SS men and killed instantly.

Demography
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1869816—    
1880918+12.5%
1890916−0.2%
1900967+5.6%
19101,046+8.2%
19211,099+5.1%
19301,206+9.7%
19501,161−3.7%
YearPop.±%
19611,214+4.6%
19701,194−1.6%
19801,214+1.7%
19911,189−2.1%
20011,250+5.1%
20111,331+6.5%
20211,338+0.5%
Source: Historical lexicon of municipalities of the Czech Republic[4]

Sport

Local football team SK Otava Katovice participates in South Bohemian Regional Championship (4th tier of the Czech football system).

Sights

The main landmark is the Church of Saints Philip and James. Originally it was built in the Romanesque style. It was rebuilt to its current form in 1587.[5]

Notable people

References
  1. "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2021". Czech Statistical Office. 2021-04-30.
  2. "Starověk" (in Czech). Obec Katovice. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  3. "Středověk" (in Czech). Obec Katovice. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  4. "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Strakonice" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 7–8.
  5. "Turistika" (in Czech). Obec Katovice. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
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