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Znojmo

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Statistics
Area: 65.9 km²
Population: 35,280 (2003)
Map
Map of the Czech Republic highlighting Znojmo
Coat of Arms

Znojmo (German: Znaim) is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near the border with Lower Austria.

The city is situated on a rock outcropping on the steep left bank of the Dyje river, and retains a number of examples of its medieval architecture. The Gothic Church of St. Nicholas and the city hall's Gothic tower are the most recognizable landmarks. The Church of St. Nicholas was built in 1348 by the emperor Charles IV, and the city hall, with its 75-m (250-ft) tower, dates from about 1446. There is also an ancient castle atop a nearby hilltop.

The present town of Znojmo was founded in 1226 by King Ottokar I on the site of the ancient capital of the tributary margraves of Moravia, which had been destroyed in 1145. Znojmo is best known to history for the armistice concluded here in 1809 after the Battle of Wagram between Napoleon and the archduke Charles.