Valašské Meziříčí (; ) is a town in Vsetín District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 22,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Administrative parts Town parts and villages of Bynina, Hrachovec, Juřinka, Krásno nad Bečvou, Lhota and Podlesí are administrative parts of Valašské Meziříčí. Etymology The name Meziříčí literally means "between the rivers" and is related to its location on the confluence of rivers. The attribute Valašské (i.e. "Wallachian") refers to its locations in the region of Moravian Wallachia. Geography Valašské Meziříčí is located about northeast of Zlín. The Vsetínská Bečva and Rožnovská Bečva rivers join in the town to form the Bečva River. The municipal territory of Valašské Meziříčí lies in three geomorphological regions. The western and northern parts lie in the Moravian-Silesian Foothills, the eastern part lies in the Rožnov Valley, and the southern part lies in the Hostýn-Vsetín Mountains. The highest point is the top of the hill Brdo with an elevation of . History The first written mention of Valašské Meziříčí is from 1297. The village on the left bank of the Rožnovská Bečva was first referred to as a town in 1377. Krásno nad Bečvou was founded on the right bank of the Rožnovská Bečva and in 1491 it was promoted to a market town. Krásno nad Bečvou was a separate entity until 1924, when it was merged with Valašské Meziříčí, however, their history is similar and they had common owners. The most significant owner of the two manors was the Zierotin family, who had built a Renaissance castle here. In the 19th century, Valašské Meziříčí became the centre of education and Krásno nad Bečvou was industrialized. Demographics Economy Valašské Meziříčí has a tradition of chemical, automotive and food industry. The town is known for one of the largest chemical plants in Europe, DEZA a.s., a part of the Agrofert conglomerate. The plant was founded in 1960 and is focused on processing of tar and benzene. The Moravská gobelínová manufaktura is a unique tapestry manufactory established in 1898. Sights Valašské Meziříčí has a small historic centre formed by the town square and its surroundings, including the Žerotín Castle. The town square is lined by preserved burger houses. One of the most valuable monuments of the historic centre is the parish Church of the Assumption of the Virgin