Mašťov (german: Maschau) is a town in

Chomutov District Chomutov District ( cs, okres Chomutov) is one of seven districts ('' okres'') located within the Ústí nad Labem Region in the Czech Republic. Its capital is the city of Chomutov. List of municipalities Bílence - Blatno - Boleboř - Březno ...

in the

Ústí nad Labem Ústí nad Labem (, , ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 92,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of its eponymous region and district. It is a major industrial centre and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway ju ...

of the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

. It has about 600 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Administrative parts

Hamlets of Dobřenec and Konice are administrative parts of Mašťov.

Geography

Mašťov is located about southwest of

Chomutov Chomutov (; german: Komotau) is a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. There are almost 80,000 inhabitants in the city's wider metropolitan area. The city centre is well preserved and is protec ...

and east of

Karlovy Vary Karlovy Vary (; german: Karlsbad, formerly also spelled ''Carlsbad'' in English) is a spa town, spa city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It lies on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá. ...

. It briefly borders

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

in the north. It lies in the Doupov Mountains. The highest point is at above sea level. The Sedlec pond is located in the northwestern part of the municipal territory and together with its surroundings, it is protected as a nature reserve. There are also several other smaller ponds.

History

The first written mention of Mašťov is from the first half of the 12th century, when it was awarded to the local aristocrat Milhost by Soběslav I. Throughout seven centuries the town changed hands multiple times due to political instability, economic hardship, and several wars that also subjected the town to plunder, disease, fire, and famine. In 1918, when the independent country of Czechoslovakia was formed with Mašťov located in the northwestern part of the country, the town was still dealing with the after effects of the

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, such as homelessness and unemployment. Gradually the town recovered, but the booming economy was affected by the worldwide depression of the 1930s. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Mašťov was a part of the

Sudetenland The Sudetenland ( , ; Czech and sk, Sudety) is the historical German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the ...

, awarded to Germany through the

Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, Germany, the United Kingdom, French Third Republic, France, and Fa ...

, with all Czech residents forced to leave their homes and move to the central part of Bohemia. After the war the town slowly recovered but never fully developed into the business and industrial town it had been before.

Sights

The main landmark is the Mašťov Castle. In 1571, Jan Valdemar of Lobkowicz had a Renaissance castle built on the site of a former fortress and Gothic castle. In the 17th century, it was modified in the Baroque style. Today it serves as an orphanage. Other sights include Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Church of Saint Barbara, funeral chapel of the Mladotové of Solopysky noble family, a rectory, and a Jewish cemetery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mastov Cities and towns in the Czech Republic Populated places in Chomutov District