Polička (; ) is a town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 8,700 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Administrative parts Polička is made up of town parts of Polička-Město, Dolní Předměstí and Horní Předměstí, and villages of Lezník, Modřec and Střítež. Etymology Polička was founded in the area of meadows and forests called Napolickach, which most likely meant "on the plains", and the town's name was derived from this local name. Geography Polička is located about west of Svitavy and southeast of Pardubice. It lies in the Svitavy Uplands. It is situated on the borderline of historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia. The Bílý brook flows through the town and supplies Synský pond in the centre of the town. History Until 1200, the area was under the administration of the Praemonstratensian monastery in Litomyšl. Polička was founded in 1265 by King Ottokar II of Bohemia to defend the country's trading route from Moravia to Bohemia through dense forests. On 27 September 1265, Ottokar II issued a decree in which he ordered the lokator Conrad of Lewendorf to take care of setting up the new town. In the first decades of its existence, the town was administered from the Svojanov Castle. In 1307, Polička was donated to Queen Elizabeth Richeza by her husband King Rudolf I and for next centuries became a dowry town, administered by Bohemian queens. During the reign of Charles IV, the town streets were paved, stone houses built, and the town fortified. In 1421, Polička was taken by Jan Žižka and afterwards plundered by one of Hungarian armies of Sigismund. After the Hussite Wars, Germans were expelled and Polička became a purely Czech town. 16th–18th century Polička enjoyed the favour of the Jagiellonian dynasty during their rule. Later, the town actively participated in the fight against Ferdinand I. In 1547 after Ferdinand I got to power, Polička was punished by suspension of its rights, fined, and its real estate was confiscated. Twelve years later, the town had to purchase the property for additional money. In the second half of the 16th century, the town prospered and Renaissance-style buildings started to be built. including the Church of Saint Michael. In 1613, Polička was devastated by fire. Only the southwestern part of the town the Gothic town hall,