# Zlín

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.

## Understand

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.

## Get in
### By train

The nearest mainline railway station to Zlín is Otrokovice station, which can be reached by direct Czech Railways trains from Prague (3 hours), Brno (1.5 hours), Olomouc (35mins) and Ostrava (1 hour). From Otrokovice, you can either connect to a local train to the central 49.2263317.658531 Zlín střed station or take the trolleybus (number 1, 2 or 6) into the centre of Zlín.

### By bus

The main bus station in Zlin is 49.225717.6612422 Zlín AN, located next to the railway station. Student Agency offers up to 3 buses a day from Prague, via Brno. The total journey time is 4 hours and 30 minutes.

## See

* 49.22323917.6582971 Baťa's skyscraper. 14 story building, originally the company HQ
* 49.22921617.6577522 Baťa's villa.
* Museum of South-east Moravia.
** Includes shoe making museum
* 49.2393317.569373 Church of St. Wenceslas in Sazovice. A modern church, rewarded as one of the worlds best buildings of 2017. (updated Dec 2017)
* 49.2742717.7201124 Zlín Lešná Zoo, Lukovská 112 (Take bus Nr. 34 or 36 from náměstí Práce), ☏ +420 577 577 101. 190 Kč for adults; 130 Kč for children. (updated Apr 2022)
* 49.22583317.6630565 Zlín castle. A four-winged chateau in Baroque-Classical style with an inner courtyard
* 49.22315117.6643726 Congress center. A multifunctional building intended for organizing cultural, social and educational events, home to the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra.
* marvellous functionalistic architecture of whole city

## Do

* Hiking
* Cycling trips
* River Moravia - boat trips
* Beautiful nature around the city
* Football: FC Zlín were relegated in 2024 and now play soccer in the National League, the second tier. Their Letná Stadion (capacity 5900) is on the river bank 500 m north of town centre.

## Buy

Bata shoes

## Drink

* Fine Moravian wines
* Wide range of brews

## Sleep

* 49.2212917.662941 Hotel Garni, nám. T. G. Masaryka 1335, ☏ +420 577 211 312, recepce@hotelgarnizlin.cz. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. (updated Apr 2022)
* 49.22705417.6713052 Hotel Ondráš, Kvítková 4323, ☏ +420 724 057 082. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00. (updated Apr 2022)

## Go next

* Luhačovice