Boskovice (; ) is a town in Blansko District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 12,000 inhabitants. The area of the historic town centre, Jewish quarter, château complex and castle ruin is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Administrative parts Villages of Bačov, Hrádkov, Mladkov and Vratíkov are administrative parts of Boskovice. Geography Boskovice is located about north of Brno. It lies on the border of the Boskovice Furrow and Drahany Highlands. The Boskovice Reservoir is largely located in the municipal territory. The reservoir lies on the river Bělá which flows through the eastern part of the town and the southern part of the territory. History Boskovice was probably founded in the 13th century as a market village. The first written mention of Boskovice is from 1222, when the lord Jimram of Boskovice was listed as a witness in a deed of the King Ottokar I of Bohemia. The Boskovice Castle was first mentioned in 1313. During the reign of Maria Theresa (1740–1780), Boskovice was promoted to a town. Boskovice used to have one of the largest Jewish communities in Moravia. The first mention of Jews in Boskovice is from 1343. After 1454, many Jews expelled from Brno came to Boskovice. In the first half of the 16th century, the Jewish community was established. A closed ghetto separated from the town with two gates was established in 1727. After 1848, The Jewish community of Boskovice has become a politically independent town with its own mayor. At its peak in 1857, more than 1,800 Jews lived here. Until 1918, Boskowitz – Boskovice was part of the Austrian monarchy (Austria side after the compromise of 1867), head of the district with the same name, one of the 34 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Moravia. In 1918, Boskovice became part of independent Czechoslovakia. The period of German occupation lasted from March 1939 until May 1945. During this time, Boskovice was administered as a part of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. From 1848 until 1960, Boskovice was a district town. Since 1960, it has been part of the Blansko District. Demographics Economy Boskovice is known for the Minerva Boskovice company, manufacturer of sewing machines. It was founded in 1881. In 1997, the German company Dürkopp Adler became the majority shareholder. Transport Boskovice is located on the Velké Opatovice – Skalice nad Svitavou railway of