History of the town

Domažlice, 1000 years of history

The environs near Domažlice were inhabited as early as the 13th century B.C. In the 9^th - 10^th centuries, the boundary of the Bohemian state was being formed and the site called Tuhošť was founded near the present town.

The oldest historical reference of the market and customs settlement Domažlice is from 993. Its founding is associated with the important trade route from Bohemia to Regensburg in Germany. In the early 11^th century the church St. James was constructed in Domažlice.

In the 11^th century, Domažlice took the administrative and guard function from Tuhošť. In the 1260s Domažlice became a royal town fortified with ramparts and four gates. The royal castle was also part of the town. Its administrators defeated the King´s interests and controlled the nearby boudary with the help of free farmers called „The Chods". The town became wealthy due to the trade on the route to Regensburg but it also suffered from the attacks from Bavaria.

In the 17^th – 19^th centuries Domažlice lost its former importance and the town´s fortifications were demolished. In the late 19^th century the famous history of the town and the surrounding region called Chodsko came of oblivion thanks to the writers of the Czech Revival. Domažlice became a destination for history lovers and tourists. After the reopening of the Czech-Bavarian boundary in the 1990s, a lot of visitors have enjoyed the places of interest and cultural events of this historic town.