Protivín

• Name — Protivín • Settlement Type — Town • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Type1 — Region • Subdivision Name1 — South Bohemian • Subdivision Type2 — District • Subdivision Name2 — Písek • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Name — Jaromír Hlaváč • Established Title — First mentioned • Established Date — 1282 • Area Total Km2 — 61.45 • Elevation M — 383 • Population As Of — 2026-01-01 • Population Total — 4706 • Population Density Km2 — auto • Timezone1 — CET • Utc Offset1 — +1 • Timezone1 Dst — CEST • Utc Offset1 Dst — +2 • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Postal Code — 398 11 • Website — https: www.muprotivin.cz/

Protivín consists of nine municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): • Protivín (3,591) • Chvaletice (93) • Krč (195) • Maletice (50) • Milenovice (169) • Myšenec (250) • Selibov (87) • Těšínov (93) • Záboří (135)

The name is derived from the personal name Protiva, meaning "Protiva's (court, castle)".

Protivín is located about 12 km south of Písek and 30 km northwest of České Budějovice. Most of the municipal territory lies in the České Budějovice Basin, but the eastern part extends into the Tábor Uplands and includes the highest point of Protivín, a nameless hill at 555 m above sea level. The Blanice River flows through the town. There are several fishponds in the municipal territory.

The first written mention of Protivín is from 1282. It was founded around 1260 as a village and fortress by a ford across the river Blanice. In the late 19th century, Protivín developed. However, the prosperity ended with the closure of the sugar factory and a wave of emigration, especially to Iowa in the United States, where the settlement named Protivin was founded by immigrants in 1872. However, the population continued to grow, and in 1899, Protivín was promoted to a town.

• Illustration — Protivín Castle The town is known for the Protivín Brewery, which produces a regional beer label Platan. It was founded in 1598.

The I/20 road (part of the European route E49) from České Budějovice to Plzeň and Karlovy Vary runs through the municipal territory. Protivín is located on the main railway lines Prague–České Budějovice and Brno–Plzeň.

• Illustration — Church of Saint Elizabeth There are three churches in the municipal territory. The Church of Saint Elizabeth on the town square was built in 1662 in the early Baroque style. The Church of Saint Gall in Myšenec is from the end of the 11th century and after several reconstructions it still retains its Gothic character. The Church of Saint Wenceslaus in Krč was built in 1352. A Renaissance castle is located on the town square. It also includes a park with an area of 7.6 ha. The Crocodile Zoo Protivín was established in 2008 and is unique by breeding of all of Crocodilia species.

• Ottokar Brzoza-Brzezina (1883–1968), Polish brigadier general • Marta Krásová (1901–1970), opera singer • Jiří Kolář (1914–2002), poet, writer, painter and translator

Protivín is twinned with: • Blackwood, Wales, United Kingdom

• Illustration — Church of Saint Gall in Myšenec • Illustration — Folk baroque style architecture in Selibov • Illustration — Primary school • Illustration — Platanus alley by the brewery