   |
|
PÍSEK | |
|
| Bechyně Blatná České Budějovice Červená Lhota Český Krumlov Dačice Dívčí Kámen Hluboká Jindřichův Hradec Klokoty Kratochvíle Landštejn Nové Hrady Ohrada Orlík Pelhřimov Písek Prachatice Rožmberk Schwarzenberg tomb Strakonice Tábor Třeboň Vimperk Vyšší Brod Zlatá Koruna Zvíkov We recommend |
|
The first mention of the royal town of Písek dates back to 1257.
Its founder, Přemysl Otakar II, incorporated a castle into the town fortifications
consisting of a high wall and a lower-lying ditch. Also joined to the defence system were
the monastery, Church of the Birth of Our Lady and a bridge with seven narrow arches,
today the oldest preserved stone bridge in Bohemia. The royal building works centred in
Zvíkov shared in the construction of the castle and bridge. Písek castle had relatively
frequent visits from the royal court, the last ruler to stay there was Wenceslav IV. He
pledged the castle to Jan Hájek of Hodětín, after whom there came a series of such
owners. In 1479 under Jindřich of Jenštejn the castle was decorated with murals on
various themes - the Adoration of the Three Kings, Calvary, the taking of the castle by
force, tournaments etc. At the start of the 16th century a big fire in the town and three conquests of the castle during the rebellion of the Estates damaged the castle to such an extent that only a small part of it was repaired and today houses the municipal museum. Besides the houses and town hall, another building worthy of note is the Church of the Birth of Our Lady. Later changes in the architecture were eliminated by J. Mocker's re-Gothicisation work in 1886, during which Gothic murals of remarkable quality were uncovered on the pillars between the naves. The Dominican monastery with the Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross were half demolished in the Hussite wars, restored again in 1636, and then abolished under the reforms of Joseph II. Among the notable buildings we can mention the much younger Empire Schrenk pavilion in Palacký Park and the pseudo-Renaissance Otava Hotel with scenes in graffiti from the history of Písek after a design by Mikoláš Aleš. Those who have enough time and are not tired out with walking round the town, can have a walk to Jarník hill not far away. The hill opens up on Good Friday and blue flames show the way to a treasure. |
|
|
