Historic City of České Budějovice
The grand founding of České Budějovice at the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers was the work of King Přemysl Otakar II in 1265. The town was granted numerous privileges and soon became a crossroads of trade routes connecting Bohemia with the Danube region.
It flourished not only through trade but also thanks to silver mining, with deposits discovered in the 16th century in Rudolfov. The expansive square, unusually wide streets, and stately houses reflect the town’s worldly prosperity, while its oldest structure – the Dominican Monastery – points to its religious values.
Protected by royal favor and well-managed by its councillors, the town thrived for centuries. Decline set in only during the Thirty Years’ War. At the end of the 18th century, České Budějovice became the seat of a bishop, marking a new chapter in its role as a cultural hub with a network of ecclesiastical and secular schools.
Economically, the greatest turning point was the opening of the horse-drawn railway between České Budějovice and the Austrian city of Linz. Built between 1825–1832 based on the designs of father and son Gerstner, it provided transport for goods and passengers. Other industries that flourished included brewing and pencil manufacturing.
The historic center is dominated by a one-hectare square, lined mainly with Renaissance and Baroque burgher houses featuring arcades. A major highlight is the Baroque Town Hall from 1730. In the center of the square stands the Baroque Samson Fountain with a statue of Samson wrestling a lion. Other landmarks include the 72-meter-high Black Tower, once used as a watchtower and belfry. Next to it stands the Baroque-style Cathedral of St. Nicholas. The oldest building in town is the Dominican Monastery with the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary on Piarist Square, next to the former salt storage building.
Remnants of the medieval fortifications, such as the Rabenštejn Tower and the Iron Maiden, are still visible around the center, along with other cultural monuments.
Do you know that...
… in 1832 the horse-drawn railway from České Budějovice to Linz was opened – the first and longest of its kind on the European continent? Today, several preserved guardhouses and some original rail segments serve as reminders. Guardhouse No. 1 on Mánesova Street in České Budějovice, now a national cultural monument, houses a branch of the South Bohemian Museum with an exhibition featuring authentic furnishings from that era.
