Lnáře

Lnáře
village
Lnáře's centre: the Old Stronghold and New Chateau (in the background) on the shore of Zámecký Pond
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Czech Republic
Region	South Bohemian
District	Strakonice
Commune	Blatná
Municipality	Lnáře
Elevation	565 m (1,854 ft)
Coordinates	49°27′29″N 13°47′16″E / 49.45806°N 13.78778°E / 49.45806; 13.78778Coordinates: 49°27′29″N 13°47′16″E / 49.45806°N 13.78778°E / 49.45806; 13.78778
Highest point
- elevation	577 m (1,893 ft)
Lowest point
- elevation	465 m (1,526 ft)
Area	12.51 km2 (4.83 sq mi)
Population	734 (2009-28-02)
Density	59/km2 (153/sq mi)
First mentioned	1318
Mayor	Lady Stanislava Mašková
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	387 42
Location in the Czech Republic
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.lnare-obec.cz

Lnáře (German: Schlüsselburg, in English Lnar) is a small municipality in the Czech Republic located 35 kilometres (22 mi) northwest of Písek city or 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Pilsen. It is situated on the shores of three ponds within municipal borders in the northwest corner of the formerly autonomous Prachens Region, today in the Strakonice District, South Bohemia.

The name of municipality is derived from the Slavonic word len ("flax") and combined with a suffix which gives a meaning of "flax-makers" or "flax producers". The German name has different etymology: Schlüssel means "key" and Burg means "stronghold, castle"; according to ancient legend, a golden key was found by plougher on the building site of local New Chateau.

The municipality is the former centre of a vast agrary husbandry including two small towns and about 50 villages in its proximity (only the small settlement Zahorčice is still administered by Lnáře). Such was the situation between the mid-15th century and the mid-19th century. After this period of relative prosperity (with a few pauses incurred by civil convulsions) emerged an era of nationwide population decline in all counties in Central Europe (with exceptions in entirely undeveloped mountainous counties in the Carpathian Mountains system etc.), and the local population significantly decreased to the current number of fewer than 750 people.

Municipality have got traces of human settlement since 7th–6th centuries BC. As proof are left burying-grounds with remains of funeral equipment on the shores of pond Měleč close to the municipality. Although continually inhabited, some influx of Slavs also occurred in the 8th century. Since 13th century, the settlement has been denser and small stronghold from wood was built.

The oldest mention of Lnáře or Schlüsselburg dates back to 1319, when it was referenced to the local Old Stronghold, formerly wooden fort, as the site of governor of Lnáře district (descendants of that governor later became hereditary knights of Lnáře). Lnáře was a village hidden in woods, on the shores of muddy streams in moorland. This moorland was (as in case of town Třeboň) very soon turned into a basin with dozens of ponds and lakes, later numbering almost four hundred. When some decline in fishing industry occurred during the 17th century, many ponds and lakes were dried up and these reclaimed plots have been used for pasture for sheep – numbering about 13,000 of those animals as of 1840. Moreover, a new unusual variant of common carp, with the name Lnářský modrák ("Blue carp of Lnáře"), was cultivated at the beginning of the 20th century by specialist Ing. Theodor Mokrý, who substantially contributed to revival of local fishing industry.