Kozovazy

What secret lies hidden in the name “Kozovazy”? Right here, just a stone’s throw from Vyšehořovice, lies a village with a curious name, steeped in history and whispering tales of the past. Kozovazy, first mentioned in 1391, has a name shrouded in mystery. Some say it’s purely fictional, a figment of imagination. Others whisper a more intriguing theory – that the village’s name reflects the rolling hills that resemble the space between a goat’s shoulder blades. The first known owner of Kozovazy was Jan of Čach, a member of a prominent Prague family, who held this land in the late 14th century. Sadly, his time here was cut short by his untimely death in 1401. But his legacy lived on in the very stones of this land. Centuries ago, Kozovazy was home to a bustling quarry, its remnants still visible today. This quarry was just one piece of a much larger network, extending to neighboring villages like Vyšehořovice, Horoušany, and Nehvizdy. These villages, bound by the earth’s treasures, provided crucial building materials since medieval times. While the quarry has long since fallen silent, Kozovazy has never strayed far from its agricultural roots. Since its founding, farming has been the lifeblood of this village. Even the local mill, built on the Výmoly Stream and mentioned as early as the 15th century, served as a testament to Kozovazy’s agricultural heritage. Sadly, time took its toll, and the mill, deemed unsafe, was demolished in 2013. Although the mill is gone, the spirit of Kozovazy lives on, a quiet testament to centuries of history, whispered in the rustling leaves and the gentle flow of the Výmoly Stream.