Slavonice

{{Infobox settlement | name = Slavonice | other_name = | settlement_type = Town  | image_skyline = Slavonice-náměstí Míru.jpg | image_caption = The square Náměstí Míru | image_flag = Slavonice CZ flag.gif | image_shield = Slavonice_znak.png  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{CZE}} | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = South Bohemian | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Jindřichův Hradec  | image_map = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Czech Republic | pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in the Czech Republic | coordinates = {{coord|48|59|51|N|15|21|5|E|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes =  | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Hynek Blažek  | established_title = First mentioned | established_date = 1260  | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 45.81  | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 512  | population_as_of = 2026-01-01 | population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Population in municipalities as at 1. 1.|url=https://data.csu.gov.cz/datastat/data/VYBER/OBY02AT02|work=DataStat|publisher=Czech Statistical Office|date=2026-05-18}}</ref> | population_total = 2207 | population_density_km2 = auto  | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2  | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 378 81 | area_code_type = | area_code =  | website = {{URL|https://www.slavonice-mesto.cz/}} | footnotes = }} '''Slavonice''' ({{IPA|cs|ˈslavoɲɪtsɛ}}; {{langx|de|Zlabings}}) is a town in Jindřichův Hradec District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,200 inhabitants. The town is located on the stream Slavonický potok, on the border with Austria.

Slavonice was founded in the 12th century and reached its greatest prosperity in the 16th century, when the town acquired its Renaissance look. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument reservation.

==Administrative division== Slavonice consists of seven municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Census 2021 – basic data|url=https://vdb.czso.cz/vdbvo2/faces/en/index.jsf?page=vystup-objekt-parametry&z=T&f=TABULKA&sp=A&skupId=4690&katalog=33475&pvo=SLD21043-CO|work=Public Database|publisher=Czech Statistical Office|language=cs|date=2022}}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=12em}} *Slavonice (2,093) *Kadolec (2) *Maříž (10) *Mutišov (55) *Rubašov (3) *Stálkov (37) *Vlastkovec (41) {{div col end}}

==Etymology== The name is derived from the personal name Slavoň, meaning "the village of Slavoň's people".<ref>{{cite web |title=Slavonice, kdysi téměř neznámé město na hranici, dostalo přezdívku Mexiko|url=https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/vase-zpravy-slavonice-kdysi-temer-nezname-mesto-na-hranici-dostalo-prezdivku-mexiko-309824|work=Novinky.cz|language=cs|date=2017-02-27|access-date=2026-05-27}}</ref>

==Geography== Slavonice is located about {{convert|29|km}} southeast of Jindřichův Hradec and {{convert|63|km|abbr=on}} east of České Budějovice. It lies on the border with Austria and is adjacent to the municipality of Waldkirchen an der Thaya. Despite being a part of the modern South Bohemian Region, the town lies in the historical land of Moravia.

The eastern part of the municipal territory with the town proper lies in the Křižanov Highlands, the western part lies in the Javořice Highlands and includes the highest point of Slavonice at {{convert|695|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. The stream Slavonický potok flows through the town and supplies several fishponds in the municipal territory.

==History== thumb|The square Horní náměstí Slavonice was founded in the 12th century. The first written mention is from 1260. The settlement and later a market village slowly developed into a fortified town. From the 13th century, the underground system was built, which served as drainage and town's defense system. In the 14th century, Slavonice extended to the west (today's square Náměstí Míru) and to the east (today's square Horní náměstí).<ref name=history>{{cite web |title=Program regenerace městské památkové rezervace: Textová část|url=https://www.slavonice-mesto.cz/evt_file.php?file=709|publisher=Město Slavonice|pages=5–6|language=cs|date=2015|access-date=2025-08-27}}</ref>

At the end of the 15th century, ponds began to be established in the area.<ref name=history/> Slavonice reached its greatest prosperity in the 16th century, when it was an important town on the trade route from Prague to Vienna, which brought it great wealth. During these times, it gained its Renaissance look. When the route was relocated, the town's source of wealth dried up, which contributed to the preservation of a unique set of Renaissance houses.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ve Slavonicích si užijete skvělé letní dny|url=https://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktuality/ve-slavonicich-si-uzijete-skvely-vikendovy-program|publisher=CzechTourism|language=cs|access-date=2022-08-29}}</ref>

The town and the surrounding countryside were lightly fortified in the period leading up to World War II. Some of these small bunker complexes have been repaired and refurbished. The area and defences were never used against Nazi Germany, being settled by a German-speaking majority, as the town and region had to be surrendered to the Nazi Germany following the Munich Agreement. The original German-speaking population was expelled in June 1945 following World War II.

Being so close to the Austrian border, Slavonice was heavily affected by the creation of the Iron Curtain during the period of communism. The hamlet of Maříž was emptied of its inhabitants during the communist era in an effort to prevent people from living anywhere near the border with non-communist Austria. After the Velvet Revolution and the fall of communism, Maříž was recolonised by ceramics artists.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fenomén Maříž|url=https://www.keramika-mariz.cz/o-marizi/|publisher=Keramika Maříž|language=cs|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref>

==Demographics== {{historical populations |align=none|cols=3 |1869|3663 |1880|3616 |1890|3468 |1900|3421 |1910|3394 |1921|3133 |1930|3063 |1950|2702 |1961|2743 |1970|2675 |1980|2670 |1991|2615 |2001|2717 |2011|2455 |2021|2241 |source=Censuses<ref>{{cite web |title=Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011|url=https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/historicky-lexikon-obci-1869-az-2015|publisher=Czech Statistical Office|language=cs|date=2015-12-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Population Census 2021: Population by sex|url=https://vdb.czso.cz/vdbvo2/faces/en/index.jsf?page=vystup-objekt-parametry&z=T&f=TABULKA&sp=A&skupId=4429&katalog=33515&pvo=SLD21001-OB-OK|work=Public Database|publisher=Czech Statistical Office|date=2021-03-27}}</ref>}}

==Transport== On the Czech-Austrian border is the road border crossing ''Slavonice / Fratres''.

Slavonice is the final station on the railway line heading from Havlíčkův Brod.<ref>{{cite web |title=Station details Slavonice|url=https://www.cd.cz/en/stanice/slavonice/74822|publisher=České dráhy|access-date=2026-05-27}}</ref>

==Sights== thumb|Náměstí Míru and the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary thumb|Jemnice Gate The town has a traditional Renaissance town centre. Cellar vaults, facades of houses with typical gables derived from the Italian Renaissance and a guild rooms with murals have been preserved. The rich sgraffito decoration of the houses is also typical, including complex figural scenes.<ref name=history/>

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is located between the two town squares. Its tower was built in 1503–1549 and is one of the symbols of the town.<ref name=history/> It is accessible to the public as a lookout tower.<ref name=sights>{{cite web |title=Památky|url=https://i.slavonice-mesto.cz/ubytovani-1/turistika/pamatky/|publisher=Město Slavonice|language=cs|access-date=2025-08-27}}</ref>

The Church of Saint John the Baptist was built in the 13th or 14th century. It has a façade decorated with sgraffito from the end of the 16th century. Today it serves to cultural purposes. Church of the Holy Cross is a cemetery church from 1702. Outside the urban area, there is the pilgrimage Church of Corpus Cristi, which was built originally in the 13th century and renewed after it was burned down during the Hussite Wars.<ref name=sights/>

The Gothic underground system is preserved to this day. About {{convert|380|m|ft}} of tunnels are open to the visitors.<ref name=sights/> Part of the town fortifications have also been preserved, including two gates, two bastions and several fragments of town walls.<ref>{{cite web |title=Městské opevnění|url=https://pamatkovykatalog.cz/mestske-opevneni-18886137|publisher=National Heritage Institute|language=cs|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref>

==In popular culture== The films ''Valerie and Her Week of Wonders'' (1970) and ''Barefoot'' (2017) were filmed here.<ref>{{cite web |title=Čarokrásná Valerie a Slavonice. Český film inspiroval slavného Tima Burtona|url=https://jihlavsky.denik.cz/ctenar-reporter/carokrasna-valerie-a-slavonice-cesky-film-inspiroval-slavneho-tima-burtona-20220.html|work=Deník.cz|language=cs|date=2022-02-18|access-date=2023-07-16}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities== {{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic}} Slavonice is twinned with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerské obce|url=https://www.slavonice-mesto.cz/mesto/partnerske-obce-a-mesta/|publisher=Město Slavonice|language=cs|access-date=2025-08-27}}</ref> *{{flagicon|GER}} Bogen, Germany *{{flagicon|AUT}} Dobersberg, Austria *{{flagicon|SVK}} Stakčín, Slovakia

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Slavonice}} {{wikivoyage}} *{{official|https://www.slavonice-mesto.cz/}}

Category:Cities and towns in the South Bohemian Region Category:Renaissance architecture in the Czech Republic Category:Populated places in Jindřichův Hradec District Category:Austria–Czech Republic border crossings