Kostelec (Jihlava District)

49°21′41″N 15°29′27″E / 49.36139°N 15.49083°E / 49.36139; 15.49083Country Czech RepublicRegionVysočinaDistrictJihlavaFirst mentioned1288Area • Total8.90 km² (3.44 sq mi)Elevation519 m (1,703 ft)Population • Total911 • Density100/km² (270/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal codeWebsitewww.kostelec-u-jihlavy.cz

Kostelec (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkostɛlɛts]; German: Wolframs) is a municipality and village in Jihlava District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants.

Kostelec is located about 7 kilometres (4 mi) southwest of Jihlava. It lies in the Křižanov Highlands. The highest point is the hill Kostelecký vrch at 657 m (2,156 ft) above sea level. The municipality is situated on the right bank od the Jihlava River, at its confluence with the stream Třešťský potok. The Třešťský potok supplies two fishponds in the southern part of the municipality.

The first written mention of Kostelec is from 1288.^[2]

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 380 —     1880 411 +8.2% 1890 413 +0.5% 1900 412 −0.2% 1910 470 +14.1%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 470 +0.0% 1930 502 +6.8% 1950 545 +8.6% 1961 481 −11.7% 1970 432 −10.2%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 480 +11.1% 1991 693 +44.4% 2001 826 +19.2% 2011 891 +7.9% 2021 900 +1.0%
Source: Censuses[3][4]

Since 1917, the meat packing factory Kostelecké uzeniny has been operating in the municipality.^[5] It is the largest meat processor in the country.^[6] With more than 1,000 employees, it is one of the largest employers in the region.^[7]

Kostelec is located on the railway lines Jihlava–Tábor and Havlíčkův Brod–Slavonice. The municipality is served by two stations: Kostelec u Jihlavy, which is situated just outside the municipal territory, and Kostelec u Jihlavy masna; the latter one is situated just beside the meat packing factory.^[8]

The main landmark of Kostelec is the Church of Saint Cunigunde. It was built in 1250 on the site of an older wooden church. In the mid-15th century, it was extended. In the mid-17th century, it was rebuilt into its present form, but a Gothic side entrance portal from the original church has been preserved to this day.^[9]