Strážkovice
The origin of the name can be derived from the word “stráž” (guard) – to guard or keep watch. The village's location on a hill places Strážkovice among the so-called “signal fire villages,” where in times of danger, the inhabitants would light fires at night to warn others of advancing troops, due to its visibility.
The first written mention of the village dates back to 1391. Its regular layout and spacious village green indicate that Strážkovice was established during the peak of the colonization period in the 13th or 14th century. From the Middle Ages until the mid-19th century, the village was divided among several landlords. Part of it belonged to the Nové Hrady estate of the Rosenberg family. Another portion was held in the early 15th century by a man named Metl, and after his death – no later than 1412 – Mikuláš of Bukvice claimed the inheritance. Another part was attached to the Komařice estate. Several farms also belonged to the noble Doudlebský family. After 1522, Petr of Doudleby sold his share of Strážkovice to Václav Metelský of Feldorf, who later sold it in 1543/1544 to the city of České Budějovice.
Until the end of feudalism, Strážkovice was divided among five authorities – the Komařice estate of the Vyšší Brod Cistercians, the Krumlov prelature, the city of České Budějovice, and the Schwarzenberg estates of Krumlov and Třeboň. This led to frequent disputes between neighbors, each of whom answered to a different lord.
At the end of World War II, soldiers of General Vlasov’s army were executed in Strážkovice by members of the Red Army.
One of the preserved landmarks of the village is the blacksmith’s forge on the village green, declared a technical monument in 1972. The forge remained in operation until 1969, producing and repairing iron goods. Although it now serves a different function, the forge in Strážkovice is part of the Blacksmithing Trail, which links active and former forges in the Novohradsko and Doudlebsko regions.
Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the highest point in Strážkovice and the surrounding area – Strážkovice Hill (557 m): Mount Kleť, the southern Slepičí hory (Hen Mountains), the Novohradské hory (Gratzen Mountains), and the distant ridges of the Šumava.
