Zlín

Zlín is a city in the Czech Republic, located in the eastern part of Moravia and the administrative center of the Zlín Region. It has around 75,000 inhabitants and serves as a regional economic and cultural hub.

The city grew rapidly in the early 20th century under the Baťa Shoe Company, which established a model town with company housing, schools, parks, and social infrastructure. This period left a distinctive legacy of modernist and functionalist architecture. From 1949 to 1990, the city was renamed Gottwaldov in honor of Klement Gottwald, before reverting to Zlín after the fall of communism.

Today Zlín has a diversified economy with manufacturing, services, and education. It is home to Tomas Bata University in Zlín (UTB), founded in 2001, named after the company's founder; UTB has multiple faculties and attracts students from across the Czech Republic and abroad. The legacy of Baťa continues in local industry and architecture.

Cultural life includes the Zlín Film Festival, one of the oldest film events in Central Europe, and several museums such as the Zlín Region Museum. The cityscape features a concentration of early 20th-century industrial and functionalist buildings, which are a major draw for architecture enthusiasts. Zlín is connected by rail and road to Prague and other cities, and serves as a regional transportation node.