Blovice

Blovice consists of nine municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):{{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}}

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• Blovice (3,035)
• Bohušov (41)
• Hradiště (376)
• Hradišťská Lhotka (49)
• Hradišťský Újezd (41)
• Komorno (80)
• Stará Huť (19)
• Štítov (98)
• Vlčice (260)

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File:Kostel Blovice.JPG

Blovice is located about {{convert|20|km}} southeast of Plzeň. It lies in the Švihov Highlands. The highest point is a hill with an altitude of {{convert|559|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The Úslava River flows through the town.

There are several fishponds in the territory, the largest of which is Huťský rybník with an area of {{convert|8.8|ha|abbr=on}}.{{cite web |title=Historie rybníku Huťský|url=https://mocrszdirec.estranky.cz/clanky/historie/historie-rybniku-hutsky/|publisher=ČRS z.s. MO Ždírec|language=cs|access-date=2022-11-23}}

The first written mention of Blovice is from 1284, when it was a market village owned by the Pomuk monastery. At the end of the 14th century, Blovice was first referred to as a market town. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Blovice prospered and acquired various rights.{{cite web |title=Historie a památky|url=https://www.blovice-mesto.cz/mesto/historie-a-pamatky/|publisher=Město Blovice|language=cs|access-date=2022-11-23}}

Owners of Blovice often changed. The most notable owners were the Kolowrat-Krakowsky family, who purchased the estate in the late 17th century and held it until 1872. In the 18th century, Blovice was promoted to a town. In 1865–1868, the railway Plzeň–České Budějovice was built via the town and the character of the town began to change. From 1872 to 1918, the town was property of the Hungarian Pálffy ab Erdöd family.

{{historical populations

|align=none|cols=3

|1869|3254

|1880|3469

|1890|3273

|1900|3222

|1910|3249

|1921|3317

|1930|3818

|1950|3576

|1961|3696

|1970|3751

|1980|3732

|1991|3591

|2001|3868

|2011|4177

|2021|3999

|source=Censuses{{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}}{{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}}}}

The largest employer based in the town is ProMinent Systems, manufacturer of dosing systems and plastic tanks with more than 300 employers.{{cite web |title=O nás|url=https://prominentsystems.cz/o-nas/|publisher=ProMinent|language=cs|access-date=2022-11-23}}

Blovice is located on the railway line Plzeň–Horažďovice.{{cite web |title=Detail stanice Blovice|url=https://www.cd.cz/stanice/blovice/5473955|publisher=České dráhy|language=cs|access-date=2024-07-08}}

File:Blovice (4).jpg

File:Hrbirtov 2.JPG

The Church of Saint John the Evangelist was built in the Baroque style in 1760–1767. Next to the church is the Chapel of the Holy Cross with the tomb of the Kolowrat-Krakowsky and Pálffy families, which was rebuilt in 1833 from the original older building.

The main landmark of the town square is the town hall from 1825. In 1893, it was reconstructed in the pseudo-Gothic style. In front of the town hall is a sandstone statue of St. John of Nepomuk from 1702.

Hradiště Castle was built on the site of a former fortress in the 16th century, then baroque rebuilt in 1704 and 1726, and finally rebuilt in the pseudo-Gothic style in 1872–1874. Today it houses the Museum of Southern Plzeň Region.{{cite web |title=Zámek Hradiště|url=https://www.muzeum-blovice.cz/navstivte-nas/zamek-hradiste/|publisher=Museum of Southern Plzeň Region|language=cs|access-date=2022-11-23}}

The Jewish cemetery is a remnant of the Jewish community that existed in Blovice. It was allegedly founded in 1683. The cemetery has an area of {{cvt|1433|sqm|abbr=on}}. Approximately 350 Baroque and Neoclassical tombstones have been preserved.

• Henri Blowitz (1825–1903), journalist
• Adolf Kraus (1850–1928), American lawyer
• Luděk Beneš (1937–2016), slalom canoer

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic}}

Blovice is twinned with:{{cite web |title=Partnerská města|url=https://www.blovice-mesto.cz/mesto/partnerska-mesta/|publisher=Město Blovice|language=cs|access-date=2022-11-23}}

• {{flagicon|GER}} Teublitz, Germany
• {{flagicon|GER}} Triptis, Germany

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Blovice}}

• {{official|https://www.blovice-mesto.cz/}}

{{Plzeň-South District}}

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Category:Populated places in Plzeň-South District

Category:Cities and towns in the Czech Republic

Category:Jewish communities in the Czech Republic