Kyjov (; or Geyen) is a town in HodonÃÂn District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 11,000 inhabitants. It lies in the valley of the Kyjovka River.
Kyjov became a town in the 16th century, when it was purchased by the royal chamber and the period of its greatest development began. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. The main landmark of the town centre is the Renaissance town hall, which is a national cultural monument.
Kyjov consists of four municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):
Kyjov is located about north of HodonÃÂn. Most of the municipal territory lies in the Kyjov Hills, only a small northern part lies in the Chà Âiby highlands. The highest point is the hill Lenivá hora at above sea level. The town is situated in the valley of the Kyjovka River.
The first written mention of Kyjov is from 1126. Until 1539, it was a property of the Hradisko Monastery. In the 12th century, a Romanesque church and new market place were established here. In 1201, Kyjov was first referred to as a market town. In 1284, King Wenceslaus II allowed to fortify the market town. Kyjov had no funds for the stone walls and built only wooden palisades.
Due to financial difficulties of the monastery, in the 14th and 15th centuries, Kyjov was pawned to various lower nobles. In 1515, Kyjov became a town. The monastery sold the town in 1539. After it changed its owners few times, in 1548, Kyjov became a royal town, received a royal promise not to be sold or pawned again, and gained an advantageous position that led to further development. The town repaired buildings, built three town gates and new Renaissance town hall, and acquired new properties.
In 1710, the first Capuchins came to Kyjov. They had a new church built. In 1784, the Capuchin monastery was abolished. From 1784 to 1848, the town was in good economic condition and expanded. In the second half of the 19th century, Kyjov had a German speaking minory, which included Jewish population.
Until 1918, Kyjov was part of Austria-Hungary, head of the district with the same name, one of the 34 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Moravia.
As of 2025, with an average age of 46.9 years, the town has one of the oldest populations in the country, and the oldest among the cities and towns with a population of over 10,000.
Kyjov is located on the railway line from Brno to Uherské Hradià ¡tÃÂ. It is served by three train stations and stops: Kyjov, Kyjov zastávka and Bohuslavice u Kyjova.
Kyjov is a centre of regional folklore. The town lies in the cultural region of Moravian Slovakia. The festival Slovácký rok ('Moravian Slovak Year') is the oldest Moravian folklore festival. It has taken place here since 1921 every four years.
Kyjov participated and won silver in the 2008 Entente Florale Europe, which is an international horticultural competition.
The historic centre is formed by the square Masarykovo námÃÂstàand the nearest surroundings. In the middle of the square is a Marian column from the 1720s. The square is dominated by the Renaissance town hall. It was built by Italian architects in 1561âÂÂ1562. It is decorated by sgraffiti and has a -high tower. Since 2024, it has been protected as a national cultural monument.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is also located on the town square. It was built in 1713âÂÂ1720 and extended in 1734. Under the church is a Capuchin tomb with 40 coffins.
The Chateau is the oldest preserved building in the town. It was built in the first half of the 16th century as a manor house and gradually served various purposes. In 1911, it was reconstructed and decorated by sgraffito. Since 1928, it houses the Kyjov Ethnographic Museum with archeological, ethnographic and natural science expositions.
Kyjov is twinned with: