The border town Domažlice and the near Chod region belong to the most attractive places in West Bohemia. The rich history of this country is combined with a quiet landscape of the Bohemian Forest (Český les), intacted by industrial development. As in late ages, an important international route is leading through the region. It has been connecting Bavaria with the Czech inland for centuries.
The close surroundings of the former royal town of Domažlice was settled as far back as the prehistoric times. The archaeological discoveries from the mound burial site of Milavče, situated about 5 km from Domažlice, date to the period of 13th century B.C. One of the mounds, fitted with special gifts, contained the grave of a leading warrior from the period of Middle Bronze Age. The well-known bronze cart from this mound is deposited in the National Museum in Prague - the Museum of Domažlice has its faithful copy.
The region of Domažlice played an important part in the new principality of Přemysl dynasty. In the period of 9th - 10th centuries the important site of Tuhošť was founded near Domažlice. It gave name to tho whole country and is preserved in the German name od Domažlice - Taus and in the Latin equivalent Tusta. Tuhošť was an important administrative place of princely power in Southeast Bohemia. From here it was possible to control the troubled Bavarian border and the traffic on the important path connecting Prague with Regensburg in Bavaria and with the countries in South Europe. It was proved that two neighbouring sites existed here in the 9th - 11th centuries. Their traces can be found 3 km southeast of the town between the villages of Smolov and Bořice.
The oldest written mentions of Domažlice appear in 993 and from this date they are more offen. In the 11th century Domažlice took over the function of the declining site of Tuhošť.
The centre of the old market settlement Domažlice was in the east (Lower) suburb near the All Saints’ Church where also the St. Jacob’s Church was situated, built probably as early as in the 1st half of the 11th century.
An important change occurs in the 60ties of the 13th century when the market settlement was changed into a fortified royal town from the decision of the King of Bohemia. It was the period of founding and fortifying activities of the Bohemian King Přemysl Otakar II. In that time Domažlice became a part of a grandiose border fortification against Bavaria and also one of the important supports of the state policy of Přemysl. The new town was fortified by the walls with twenty half-cylindrical towers, moats and ramparts. The southeast corner was strengthened by a castle where the royal officials had their seat. In the opposite corner the Augustiner monastery was situated and in the centre of the fortified area the Church of the Birth of Our Lady was built.
The free Chod villages belonged under the authority of royal officials. They are mentioned in the written sources expresly not untill 1325. The Chods were free farmers who looked after the unchanged borders of the Kingdom of Bohemia and after the safe traffic on the trade path going through the town via Pasečnice to the Bavarian town of Furth im Wald. Through the border forest, full of snares and danger, also other paths from Domažlice to the Všeruby Pass and to the town of Waldmünchen were leading.
The members of the Czech royal dynasty of Luxemburgs paid great attention to the border town. Johann von Luxemburg offen stayed in Domažlice during his knight campaignes to Germany and Italy. Also the emperor Charles IV. had a close connection to Domažlice.
The location on the path to Regensburg brought the town not only advantage. In 1373 the Bavarian forces burnt the suburb of Domažlice and the surrounding villages to the grounds. The biggest enemy of the medieval towns were numerous fires in which a great part of the houses was reduced to ashes because the houses were mostly made of wood.
The reform doctrine of the burnt Czech preacher and chancellor of the Prague University Jan Hus divided the inhabitants of Domažlice to two enemy camps. After the victory of the radical Hussites many Catholics, especially German burghers, left
the town. Domažlice became the town with considerable superiority of Czech inhabitants whose orientation between the old Catholic orders and new Hussite religion offen vacillated. In this period many local wars between the Hussites of Domažlice and the inhabitants from the neighbouring Bavaria occured.
An important historical event occurs almost in front of the town gates in 1431. Just here the deciding battle of the V. crusade against the Czech heretics should take place.. The crusade forces awaited the Hussite troops near Domažlice but when they saw the Hussites to draw near they gave way to a panic and took to flight to the near border. The Hussites pursued the crusaders as far as to the German territory. The tradition of this battle is still popular in the Domažlice region.
The period of the late Gothic and Renaissnace brought the development of trade to Domažlice. The leading export article of the burghers of Domažlice was beer. An important post among trades had also cloth making, pottery and other trades of daily use. Also the appearance of the town is changed. The high watch tower is built near the church in the centre of Domažlice. It becomes the dominating feature of the town forever. The town fortification is improved. The town houses acquire their characteristic arcades which are depicted on the oldest picture of the town from 1592.
In the early 17th century Domažlice joined the uprising against the ruling Habsburg dynasty. After the lost battle on the White Mountain a considerable part of the property of the town was confiscated. It was repeatedly plundered by the Swedisch forces of Protestant coalition and also by their enemies - the emperor’s troops. The town recovered from the deep decline still in the late 17th century. It did not attained the importance which it had in the early and high Middle Ages never more.
At the same time the Chods of Domažlice lost the strugle for their old privileges. After the foiled Chod rebellion one of the leaders of the rebellious farmers Jan Sladký Kozina was executed in Plzeň in 1695. Only the Czech National Revival carried up the Chods and their executed leader to the attention of the public.
Domažlice of the 18th century and the early 19th century are a little border town with a slowly developing industry. After many reconstructions the town houses and public buildings gain Baroque and classicism shapes.
The appearance of the town is considerably changed from the mid-19th century when the Czech towns throw off their walls and outer fortifications. Two historical gates and the walls were demolished in Domažlice and the moats around the town were filled up. The history of the town and of the Chod region was opened, too. Domažlice is visited by the leading representants of the Czech National Revival and cultural life. The Chod museum is founded and the town with amusing surroundings becomes a popular tourist destination. Besides Domažlice the popular Chod villages, Kozina’s farmstead in Újezd, Kozina’s monument on Hrádek, the little town of Klenčí with the museum of J. Š. Baar and the monument of this Chod writer on Výhledy above Klenčí belong to the most visited places.
The World War II. separated Domažlice, which remained in the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia, from the Chod region annexed partially to the German Reich. After the war in 1945 the region is consolidated again. After closing down the border and drowing the iron curtain the Domažlice region loses its traditional post of trade and cultural centre between Germany and Bohemia. Although the region lives on literature from the period of National Revival - A. Jirásek, J. Š. Baar, B. Nűmcová, J. Jindřich, J. Vrba and other authors, the original enthusiasm for the Chod region slipps away with following generations.
The region of the Chods becomes the region of determined border guards watching over the „socialism and peace border“. The Chod timbered cottages disappear step by step and while in other places in Bohemia outdoor museums with traditional
architecture are built, ugly shopping centres appear in the Chod villages. New blocks of flats for hundreds of young families are built. At the same time Domažlice is losing the historical buildings in the suburbs which are replaced by modern buildings of elementary school and district committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The Domažlice fair is moved from the Church of St. Lawrence to the town. The present Chod festival which replaced this fair becomes an important folklore and enthnographic enterprise for long years. It attracted to Domažlice thousands of visitors from the whole Czechoslovakia every year.
The regime change after 1989 was useful for the south and west border areas of Bohemia. Domažlice and the surrounding little towns and villages were connected to the border-crossing roads and railways. The flow of tourists and the border-crossing cooperation of Czech and German companies became evident in the appearance of the district town and in economic situation of most of its inhabitants. During the years 1990 - 2000 almost all fronts of the houses in the old town were renovated They were returned to their original owners in restitutions. The Chod Castle, town hall, tower and other public buildings were recontructed, too.
Domažlice is a state protected historical town. It takes pride in its square with arcades. In the middle of the square you can find the Church of the Birth
of Our Lady with the dominating feature of the town - a cylindrical tower, which deviates from the vertical axis by 60 cm. From its gallery 56 m above the square the visitors can see Domažlice with its surroundings and the border area of the Bohemian Forest and Šumava Mountains. The second cylindrical tower of Domažlice is also open to the public.
It is a part of the Chod Castle where the Museum of the Chod region is situated. The Museum of Jindřich Jindřich is located on the opposite side of the town centre. It shows the visitors rich ethnographic collections, especially the exposition of glass pictures. In the town there is also the Gallery of Špilar brothers where beside permanent exposition also different exhibitions and cultural events take part. To the most important events in Domažlice belongs the Chod festival connected with the traditional fair on the hill Vavřinec in August. In these days the town comes alive with the appearance of local and foreign ensembles. At the same time the historic play Drachenstich (Dragon’s killing) is performed in the Bavarian town Furth im Wald, the partner town of Domažlice.
The town offers quality accomodation and friendly gathering in more than 70 restaurants, bars and pubs. The visitors from Czechia and abroad are interested also in the picturesque Chod region. Its centre is the little town of Klenčí situated on the road to Waldmünchen in Germany. The border forests with the highest hill of the Bohemian Forest - Čerchov rise above Klenčí. The lookout tower on Čerchov is open to the public in summer. In hot summer days some visitors will prefer the near Babylon with a nature bathing place. It offers also accomodation in hotels, boarding houses and campsite. You can visit also the Kdynű region 10 km far from Domažlice with the ruins of important medieval castles, nature bathing place and lookout tower on the hill Koráb. Many tourists are interested in the town of Horšovský Týn, the former bishop’s town with historical churches and large Renaissance castle. The castle is open to the public.
The town of Domažlice, an important border fortification in the reign of the Přemysl dynasty, is open to the tourists now and it forms an important bridge between West and East Europe. We believe that you spend pleasant time here and that you return here again.