Bystřice pod Hostýnem
Bystřice pod Hostýnem lies at the foot of the Hostýn Hills, about 34 km north-east of Kroměříž by road. It has been a town since 1864. It became famous for bentwood furniture: in 1861 Michael Thonet founded a factory here where bentwood chairs are still made today, now under the TON brand.
In the centre stands the chateau, for a long time the seat of the Laudon family. It houses a permanent exhibition on the history of bentwood furniture, from the Thonet brothers' company to today's TON production.
About 3 km from the town rises Svatý Hostýn with the pilgrimage Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, one of the best-known pilgrimage sites in Moravia. Bystřice is therefore a popular starting point for trips into the Hostýn Hills.
