Vodňany

Sister cities

• Zlaté Hory
• Aarwangen

History

Vodňany was originally a Slavic settlement, gradually transformed into a market town. Its typical colonisation ground plan with a regular network of streets and a large regular square testifies to its origin to the reign of King Ottokar II in the second half of the 13th century. The first written mention of Vodňany is from 1327. In 1336, it was promoted to a town by King John of Bohemia. In 1400, Vodňany was referred to as a royal town. For centuries, the town profited from the old trade route and the collection of customs duties. Originally, the mining of precious metals was also planned, but it was never fully developed, and the town's orientation towards pond farming became much more profitable. Since the second half of the 15th century, the town established fishponds, which are still a characteristic feature of the landscape.

Geography

Vodňany is located about southeast of Strakonice and northwest of České Budějovice. It lies mostly in the České Budějovice Basin. A small western part of the municipal territory extends into the Bohemian Forest Foothills and includes the highest point of Vodňany, the hill Svobodná hora at above sea level. The town is situated on the right bank of the Blanice River. The territory of Vodňany is rich in fishponds.