| ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA
| CZECH REPUBLIC
|
| Plzeňský kraj
| Plzeň region
|
| Okres: Klatovy
|
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Klatovy
• lt: Klatovai
• de: Klattau
• ru, sr, uk: Клатови
Klatovy was founded by King Přemysl Otakar II between 1262 and 1273 as a Royal town.
The town prospered during the following centuries so that in 1502 it ranked among the ten richest towns in Bohemia.
The decline of the town began with the Thirty Years' War (1618–1848). The townsmen were followers of the Protestant
Hussites. After the victory of the Imperial army in the Battle at the White Mountain (Bílá Hora, today part
of Prague) in 1620 the town losts its estates. The Jesuits founded their monastery at Klatovy in
1656 in order to recatholicize the inhabitants.
The 
Jesuit church of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady and St. Ignatius
(kostel Neposkvrnìného poèetí Panny Marie a svatého Ignáce)
was built in 1655–1675. After a damage by fire it was remodelled in 1689–1717.
Below the church, catacombs of 1674–1783 (open to the public) contain mumified bodies of the Jesuits.
Next to the church the Černá věž (Black tower)
of 1547–1557 is the dominating structure (76 m) of Klatovy.
The old town hall (radnice) [no. 345 and 649: to the right of the black tower]
was erected 1557–1559 in Gothic style. In 1925 it received an impressive new façade in Neo-Renaissance style
[which is not depicted on the glasses].
The church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary
(kostel Narození Panny Marie) [left, no. 2452: background right]
was built in Gothic style in the second half of the 13th century. The church was later rebuilt at the beginning of the 15th century
and between 1550 and 1560. The Baroque interior decorations were removed in the 20th century, but the Gothic decorations
of the 15th century have remained. The tin baptismal font dates from 1526. The north chapel houses the Baroque altar of
St. John of Nepomuk.
The bell tower next to the church is called the
White Tower (Bílá věž).
It was built in 1581 in place of an earlier tower of 1540.
![[scale]](lineal.jpg)
