Horažďovice (; ) is a town in Klatovy District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,100 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Administrative parts Villages of Babín, Boubín, Horažďovická Lhota, Komušín, Svaté Pole, Třebomyslice and Veřechov are administrative parts of Horažďovice. Etymology The name Horažďovice is derived from the old personal Czech name Gorazd, meaning "village of Gorazd's people". The oldest name of Horažďovice was Gorazdějovice. Geography Horažďovice is located about east of Klatovy and southeast of Plzeň. It lies on the border between the Blatná Uplands and Bohemian Forest Foothills. The highest point is the hill Svitník at above sea level. The Otava River flows through the town. The territory is rich in ponds. History The early history of the territory was influenced by the establishment of the Prácheň gord on the nearby eponymous hill, which became the administrative center of the historical region of Prácheňsko two centuries later. When the stronghold lost its significance, the centre was moved to Horažďovice. The first written mention of Horažďovice is from 1251. It was a market village located on a trade route from Prague to Bavaria. It was owned by the Bavors of Strakonice, who had a Gothic castle and fortifications built. In 1292, King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia promoted Horažďovice to a town. After the town became property of Půta Švihovský of Rýzmberk in 1483, the town began to develop rapidly and prosper. He initiated development of administrative centres in the town vicinity such as the castles Rabí, Švihov and Velhartice. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, a monastery was built behind the walls. In the 16th century, the town's development continued. After the Battle of White Mountain, the properties of the Švihovský family were confiscated. The prosperity of Horažďovice ended with the Thirty Years' War, when the town was damaged by two large fires and twice looted by the Swedish army. The estate was sold to the Sternberg family in 1622. During their rule, the badly damaged castle was rebuilt and the monastery was enlarged during the Sternbergs rule in the 17th century. Since the mid-19th century, walls and barbicans have been demolished in the northern part of Horažďovice. The Rummerskirch family owned Horažďovice from 1800 to 1843 and had a significant impact on the town by introducing pearl