The historic town centre with the castle complex is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Holešov consists of six municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):[2] The name is derived from the personal name Holeš.

The western and southern parts of the municipal territory with the town proper lie in a flat landscape of the Upper Morava Valley.

A small eastern part of the territory extends into the Hostýn-Vsetín Mountains and includes the highest point of Holešov, the hill Lysina with an elevation of 598 m (1,962 ft).

[4] The first written mention of Holešov is from 1141 in a deed of Jindřich Zdík, when the settlement was a fief of bishops of Olomouc.

In the late 16th century, the town was held by Karel Sr. of Zierotin and later by Ladislav IV Popel of Lobkowicz.

Holešov suffered during the Thirty Years' War and in 1643, the castle and two thirds of the town were burned down.

During their rule, the town was reconstructed, and a large castle with a Baroque French-style garden and the Church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary were built.

[15] Holešov is located on the railway line of regional importance from Rožnov pod Radhoštěm to Kojetín.

It is an uncommon synagogue of the Polish type built in the Renaissance style which includes ornate ironwork and paintings on ceilings and walls using floral and animal motifs.