| Kyjov | |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | South Moravian |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hodonín |
| Pushpin Map: | Czech Republic |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the Czech Republic |
| Coordinates: | 49.0103°N 17.1225°W |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | František Lukl |
| Established Title: | First mentioned |
| Established Date: | 1126 |
| Area Total Km2: | 29.88 |
| Elevation M: | 192 |
| Population As Of: | 2024-01-01 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 10799 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | CET |
| Utc Offset1: | +1 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 697 01 |
Kyjov (pronounced as /cs/; de|Gaya or Geyen) is a town in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 11,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.
The villages of Bohuslavice, Boršov and Nětčice are administrative parts of Kyjov.
Kyjov is located about north of Hodonín. Most of the municipal territory lies in the Kyjov Hills, only a small northern part lies in the Chřiby highlands. The highest point is the hill Lenivá hora at 463m (1,519feet) above sea level. The town is situated in the valley of the Kyjovka River.
The first written mention of Kyjov is from 1126. Until 1539, it was a property of the Hradisko Monastery. In the 12th century, a Romanesque church and new market place were established here. In 1201, Kyjov is first referred to as a market town. In 1284, King Wenceslaus II allowed to fortify the market town. Kyjov had no funds for the stone walls and built only wooden palisades.[2]
Due to financial difficulties of the monastery, in the 14th and 15th centuries, Kyjov was pawned to various lower nobles. In 1515, Kyjov became a town. The monastery sold the town in 1539. After it changed its owners few times, in 1548, Kyjov became a royal town, received a royal promise not to be sold or pawned again, and gained an advantageous position that led to further development. The town had repaired buildings, had built three town gates and new Renaissance town hall, and acquired new properties.[2]
In 1710, the first Capuchins came to Kyjov. They had built a new church. In 1784, the Capuchin monastery was abolished. From 1784 to 1848, the town was in good economic condition and expanded. In the second half of the 19th century, Kyjov has a German speaking minory, which included Jewish population.[2]
Until 1918, Kyjov was part of Austria-Hungary, head of the district with the same name, one of the 34 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Moravia.[3]
As of 2024, with an average age of 46.4 years, the town has one of the oldest populations in the country, and the oldest among the cities and towns with a population of over 10,000.[1]
Kyjov is located on the railway line from Brno to Uherské Hradiště. It is served by three train stations and stops: Kyjov, Kyjov zastávka and Bohuslavice u Kyjova.[4]
Kyjov is a centre of regional folklore. The town lies in the cultural region of Moravian Slovakia. The festival Slovácký rok ("Moravian Slovakian Year") is the oldest Moravian folklore festival. It has taken place here since 1921 every four years.[5]
Kyjov participated and won silver in the 2008 Entente Florale Europe, which is an international horticultural competition.[6]
The historic centre is formed by the Masarykovo Square and the nearest surroundings. In the middle of the square is a Marian column from the 1720s. The square is dominated by the Renaissance town hall. It was built by Italian architects in 1561–1562. It is decorated by sgraffiti and has a 39m (128feet)-high tower.[7] Since 2024, it has been protected as a national cultural monument.[8]
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is also located on the town square. It was built in 1713–1720 and extended in 1734. Under the church is a Capuchin tomb with 40 coffins.[9]
The Chateau is the oldest preserved building in the town. It was built in the first half of the 16th century as a manor house and gradually served various purposes. In 1911, it was reconstructed and decorated by sgraffiti. Since 1928, it houses the Kyjov Ethnographic Museum with archeological, ethnographic and natural science expositions.[10]
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic. Kyjov is twinned with:[11]
Hollabrunn, Austria
Lutsk, Ukraine
Seravezza, Italy
Yvetot, France