Strážov (Klatovy District)

Strážov
Strážov
Town
	Panorama of the town
	Flag Coat of arms
	Strážov Location in the Czech Republic
	Coordinates: 49°18′4″N 13°14′52″E / 49.30111°N 13.24778°E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Plzeň
District	Klatovy
First mentioned	1352
Government
• Mayor	Josef Rousek
Area
• Total	35.7 km2 (13.8 sq mi)
Elevation	482 m (1,581 ft)
Population (2020-01-01)
• Total	1,420
• Density	40/km2 (100/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	339 01, 340 24
Website	mesto.strazov.cz

Strážov (German: Drosau) 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 (Czech: strážit = to guard).

Geography

Strážov lies approximately 11 kilometers (7 mi) south of Klatovy, 49 km (31 mi) south of Plzeň, and 122 km (76 mi) south-west of Prague at an altitude of 482 meters (1,581 ft) above sea level in the valley of Strážovský potok (Strážov Stream).

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 (in 1641). Strážov was recovering slowly. The stimulus for its development was mainly the production of lace and the establishment of a leather factory.