Zlín is a city in the South Moravia region of the Czech Republic. Bata shoe company started and developed here before the World War II. The city is most well known for its interesting functionalistic architecture.
Zlín was first mentioned in 1302 and soon became a local center for crafts and mining. But it was not until the industrial revolution that the rise to fame began. After the foundation of the Baťa shoe factory in 1896, the town rapidly grew into a major city, and the modernist industrial architecture, together with housing and social facilities, remains a representative of early 20th-century social and industrial architecture.
The communists took over management of Zlín and Baťa factories after the end of the WWII in May 1945, and in October the Bata company in Czechoslovakia was nationalized. Zlín was renamed Gottwaldov in 1949 after the first communist president of Czechoslovakia Klement Gottwald. After the Velvet revolution, Zlín regained its original name in 1990.
In addition to the internationally well known shoe factory Baťa, Zlín is also famous for the animation film studios, whose works from the 1960s also became popular in Western Europe.
- Shoe making museum
- Museum of South-east Moravia
- Chateau
- one of best Czech ZOOs - Zlín Lešná
- marvellous functionalistic architecture of whole city
- view from city's "skyscraper"
- Church of St. Wenceslas in Sazovice. A modern church, rewarded as one of the worlds best buildings of 2017.
Church of St. Wenceslas in Sazovice. A modern church, rewarded as one of the worlds best buildings of 2017.
- Hiking
- Cycling trips
- ZOO
- River Moravia - boat trips
- Beautiful nature around the city
Bata shoes
- Local specialities
- Fine Moravian wines
- Wide range of brews