Exploring Places LII: Kostelec, the Czech Republic

The 25th postcard received comes from KOSTELEC!

Aerial view of Kostelek stare mesto. Wikimedia Commons

WHERE IS KOSTELEC NAD VLTAVOU?

Kostelec nad Vltavou is a village and municipality in the Písek District of the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The municipality covers an area of 32.81 square kilometres.

Location of the Czech Republic. Wikipedia

Kostelec nad Vltavou lies approximately 23 kilometres north of Písek, 62 km north of České Budějovice, and 67 km south of Prague.

THE SOUTH BOHEMIAN REGION OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC IS FAMOUS FOR...

...its small villages with a pond in the middle. These are generally built in the style of the Rustic Baroque, also known as South Bohemian Baroque.

Holasovice. Wikipedia

fishpond cultivation and forestry

Fishpond cultivation. Jiznicechy.cz

PLACES TO VISIT

If you ever travel to this beautiful Czech region you can visit:

Hluboká Castle

Hluboká Castle. Wikimedia Commons

It is a historic château situated in Hluboká nad Vltavou and it is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic.

Old Český Krumlov

Old Ceský Ckrumlov.com

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district.

Horse-drawn Railway

Horse-drawn railway. Ckrumlov.com

The oldest railway line on the European continent, connecting České Budějovice and Linz, was built in 1825-1832 mostly for the purposes of transporting salt from the Upper Austrian Salt Chambers to Bohemia. It was the culmination of many years of efforts to connect the watersheds of the Vltava and Danube Rivers.

The Šumava National Park and Protected Landscape Area

Sumava National Park, npsumava.cz

In 1963, Šumava was declared a protected landscape area, and in 1991 the Czech government declared it a national park. In 1990 it became a UNESCO biospheric reservation. It holds remnants of glacier basins, glacier lakes, and stone and granite outcroppings that resulted from glaciation. The national park is one of the most extensive forestlands in central Europe and even though most of the forest growth is secondary, it is approaching the condition of a natural forest composition. Šumava is the headwater area for the longest Czech River, the Vltava (Moldau).

LIFESTYLE

South Bohemia is a dream paradise for holidays whether you decide to spend time sightseeing or relaxing. The countryside here offers endless possibilities for visiting places of natural beauty, but also has lots of historical monuments and great conditions for cycling and water sports.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Ckrumlov.com
Sumava National Park
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