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Žďár nad Sázavou

Coordinates: 49°33′46″N 15°56′21″E / 49.56278°N 15.93917°E / 49.56278; 15.93917
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Žďár nad Sázavou
Town
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Interactive map of Žďár nad Sázavou
Coordinates: 49°33′46″N 15°56′21″E / 49.56278°N 15.93917°E / 49.56278; 15.93917
CountryFile:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic
RegionVysočina
DistrictŽďár nad Sázavou
First mentioned1253
Government
 • MayorMartin Mrkos (STAN)
Area
 • Total
37.06 km2 (14.31 sq mi)
Elevation
580 m (1,900 ft)
Population
 (2026-01-01)[1]
 • Total
20,247
 • Density546.3/km2 (1,415/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
591 01
Websitewww.zdarns.cz
Official namePilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora
Criteriaiv
Reference690
Inscription1994 (18th Session)

Žďár nad Sázavou (Czech pronunciation: [ˈʒɟaːr ˈnat saːzavou]; German: Saar) is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 20,000 inhabitants. The town is located on the Sázava River, in the hills of the Křižanov Highlands. The town is both an industrial and tourist centre.

Žďár nad Sázavou was founded in the 13th century. It is known for the Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Administrative division

Žďár nad Sázavou consists of 12 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):[2]

  • Žďár nad Sázavou 1 (3,909)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 2 (2,139)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 3 (4,764)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 4 (2,608)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 5 (1,598)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 6 (3,069)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 7 (1,342)
  • Žďár nad Sázavou 8 (76)
  • Mělkovice (127)
  • Radonín (63)
  • Stržanov (266)
  • Veselíčko (163)

Etymology

Žďár is a common Czech toponym. In the Middle Ages, the Old Czech word žďár denoted a place where the forest had been cleared and burned to make way for meadows and fields.[3]

Geography

Žďár nad Sázavou is located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of Jihlava and 60 km (37 mi) northwest of Brno. It lies in a hilly landscape of the Křižanov Highlands and is one of the highest municipalities in the country with a population of over 10,000. The highest point is the hill Holý kopec at 665 m (2,182 ft) above sea level.

Žďár nad Sázavou is situated on the Sázava River. The municipal territory is rich in fishponds. The largest body of water is Pilská Reservoir, which was built in 1959–1962 and today it serves as a recreational area, for fishing and as protection against floods.[4]

History

Žďár was founded as a settlement of the nearby Cistercian monastery, which was established in 1252. The original settlement was soon moved on the left bank of the Sázava, in the site of today's historic centre. In 1293, Žďár was first referred to as a market town.[5]

From 1588, Žďár came under administration of Olomouc bishopric, but remained loyal to the Cistercian monastery, which resulted in a long-running dispute. In 1606, the monastery was abolished and the dispute settled down. In 1607, Žďár was promoted to a town. The monastery was rebuilt into a castle in 1614. In 1638, the monastery was restored, but was attacked by Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War. The town was ransacked in 1645. After it was destroyed by a great fire, the monastery was abolished in 1784.[5][6]

In the second half of the 19th century, Žďár developed both culturally and economically. In 1898 and 1905, railways were constructed. The first factories were established and part of the old town was rebuilt.[5]

After World War II, a large engineering and foundry company ŽĎAS was founded and the population significantly increased. New suburbs were created and in the 1970s the entire historic centre was rebuilt.[5]

Demographics

Economy

The engineering and foundry company ŽĎAS was founded in 1951 and to this day is still one of the most important employers in the region.[9] Other large industrial employers based in the town include Cooper-Standard Automotive ČR (manufacturer of car parts), Hettich ČR (manufacturer of furniture fittings) and Tokoz (Czech manufacturer of keys and fittings).[10]

Transport

The town lies at the crossroads of two first class roads: I/19 (from Havlíčkův Brod to with the Kunštát) and I/37 (connecting Pardubice with the D1 motorway in Velká Bíteš).

Žďár nad Sázavou is situated on a major railway link from Prague to Brno, further continuing to Slovakia, Austria and Hungary. It is also the starting point of the lines to Kolín, Velké Meziříčí, Nové Město na Moravě and Tišnov. In addition to the main station, there is a stop in Veselíčko.[11]

Sights

Žďár nad Sázavou is best known for the Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the hill Zelená hora. It was designed by Jan Santini Aichel.[12] It was built in the Baroque style in 1719–1722.[13]

Žďár nad Sázavou Castle today serves cultural purposes and houses the New Generation Museum – an audiovisual museum presenting the history of the castle complex and other important buildings in the region. Part of the complex is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Nicholas of the former monastery.[6]

In the centre of the town is the Church of Saint Procopius. The parish church was first mentioned in 1391 and rebuilt in the late Gothic style in 1560. The church tower is open to the public. Next to the church is the Chapel of Saint Barbara, built in the Baroque style in 1729.[14]

The main sight of the town square is the Old Town Hall, a Renaissance building from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries with Neoclassical façade from the 18th century.[14]

Post-secondary Vocational School Žďár nad Sázavou exhibits its collection in the Museum of Computer Technology.[15]

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

Žďár nad Sázavou is twinned with:[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Population in municipalities as at 1. 1". DataStat. Czech Statistical Office. 2026-05-18.
  2. ↑ "Public Census 2021 – basic data". Public Database (in čeština). Czech Statistical Office. 2022.
  3. ↑ Profous, Antonín (1957). Místní jména v Čechách IV: S–Ž (in čeština). p. 815.
  4. ↑ "Rekreační oblast Pilská nádrž" (in čeština). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Brief history of the town". Město Žďár nad Sázavou. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Zelená hora". Žďár nad Sázavou Castle. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  7. ↑ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in čeština). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21.
  8. ↑ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  9. ↑ "About Us". Město Žďár nad Sázavou. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  10. ↑ "Registr ekonomických subjektů". Business Register (in čeština). Czech Statistical Office. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  11. ↑ "Station details Žďár nad Sázavou". České dráhy. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  12. ↑ "The impulse and preparation of the church". Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelená hora. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  13. ↑ "Zelená hora". Město Žďár nad Sázavou. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Significant monuments". Město Žďár nad Sázavou. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  15. ↑ "Muzeum počítačů ve Žďáru nad Sázavou". CzechTourism. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  16. ↑ "Partnerská města" (in čeština). Město Žďár nad Sázavou. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
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