Gottwaldov

Gottwaldov: see Zlín, Czech Republic.

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Gottwaldov 

a city in Czechoslovakia, in the Czech Socialist Republic in the South Moravia region. Located in the foothills of the western Carpathians, in the valley of the Dřevnice River, a tributary of the Morava. Population, 64.500(1968).

Gottwaldov is one of the greatest world centers of the footwear industry, which grew up there in the early 19th century. In the first third of the 20th century, the manufacturer T. Bata built major footwear enterprises (now the Svit state enterprise) in the area of the city of Zlin. In 1949, as a result of the amalgamation of Zlin with surrounding population centers (including Otrokovice). a single city was formed; it was named in honor of K. Gottwald. Gottwaldov produces about two-thirds of the country’s footwear. There is also machine building (equipment for footwear and other light industry), chemical, rubber, leather, and hosiery industry.

The main body of the city was built in the 1930’s by the architect F. Hagura and others. The city’s planned structure is formed by an industrial complex and the immediately adjacent city center (administrative, commercial, and other buildings), beyond which are the residential regions. The variety of low and multistoried buildings, which were built around a standard module and are identical in construction, lends stylistic unity to the freely built area.

Major construction (including experimental construction) of residential complexes and cultural and domestic buildings is under way.

REFERENCE

Shvidkovskii. O. A. Gradostroilel’naia kul’tura sotsialisticheskoi Chekhoslovakii. Moscow, 1963. Pages 259–74.

L. A. AVDEICHEV and
T. N. SAMOKHINA (architecture)