ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA	CZECH REPUBLIC
Plzeňský kraj	Plzeň region
Okres: Domažlice

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Domažlice is situated at an elevation of 422 m in the foothills of the Šumava (Bohemian Forest) mountains of western Bohemia.

The earliest mention of the village dates from 1231. In 1262–1265 Domažlice was fortified as a town by order of King Přemysl Otakar II for the purpose of protecting the border with Bavaria. The Chodes (free farmers) who settled in this area were recruited as border guards. The town was pawned to Bavaria in 1331, lasting, with some interruptions, until 1419. During the Hussite period, the German citizens were expelled from Domažlice (German: Taus) and since then the population was predominantly Czech. In 1431, the Hussite general Andreas Prokop (a.k.a. Prokop the Great or Prokop the Bald) defeated the crusaders of the Holy Roman Empire near Domažlice. During the 15th and 16th century Domažlice changed hands frequently, and its importance diminished after the Thirty Years' War (1618–1848). It was not until 1770 that it recovered, largely due to the development of textile industry. In 1850 Domažlice became the administrative seat of the district of the same name.

The Chodes' castle [left, nos. 612 and 2854: top pictures; and right, nos. 595 (above) and 546 (below)] dates back to the 13th century. After a thorough renovation the castle was opened again to the public and today houses a museum on the history, ethnography and nature of the region.

The early Gothic deanery church of the Nativity of Our Lady [left] dates from the 13th century. The cylindrical tower has a height of 56 m and is a popular landmark of Domažlice.

The monument for Jan Sladký Kozina [right] on the Hrádek hill at Újezd near Domažlice was erected in 1895. Kozina (1652–1695) was made famous by the book "Psohlavci" by Alois Jirásek which was published in 1885. Kozina was a leader of the Chodes in their struggle to retain their traditional privileges. Kozina was executed in 1695 in Plzeň. Next to him the monument also shows the typical Chodsko dog.