Bechyně - film town
Who doesn't know the movie Mr. Voke's Wedding? At the confluence of the Smutný Brook and the Lužnice River, Přemysl Otakar II founded a castle in 1268, whose forecourt was upgraded to a town in 1323. It flourished especially during the reign of the Rosenbergs, and it was here that Petr Vok of Rožmberk spent the best part of his life - and especially his wedding in 1580.
Recent archaeological investigations from 2011-2013, which found pits from the poles of so-called half-timbered houses, i.e. houses embedded in the bedrock, prove that the site was inhabited as early as the 2nd to 1st century BC. Celts, who built an oppidum here.
Around the castle, a town with craft production was founded. In 1422, at the time of the Hussite conquests, the houses and fortifications were severely damaged, and further boom was brought about by the ruling Sternbergs and especially the aforementioned Rožmberks. The town was famous for its pottery and also for its healing springs, which were used for medical treatments as early as the 18th century.
The dominant feature is the Bechyně castle, which rises on a narrow promontory, protected on three sides by deep cuts in both watercourses. The Bechyně castle illustrates the generous building activity of Peter Vok of Rožmberk and the work of Rožmberk artists and craftsmen during the Renaissance. It presents Petr Vok and, among other things, his wedding hall, whose walls are covered with 460 m2 of unique wall paintings. The wedding ceremony in this place is thus also witnessed by all important members of the medieval ruling class. Also worth a visit is the late Gothic Tree Hall, which was used as a fractimore until the end of the 16th century.
The town is very photogenic, which is why many famous films were filmed here, such as Fish out of Water, Golden Eels, I Am Heaven, Jan Hus, The Devil's Bride and others. A plaque on the square commemorates the film history with an educational film trail, which is a part of the project South Bohemia in Film.
Less photogenic is the Bechyňská duha bridge designed by Eduard Viktory, which was completed on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the republic, in 1928. The bridge, more than 200 metres long, is designed for road and rail traffic and can best be seen from the monastery garden on the northern walls of the Bechyně fortification.
The history of the railway is also connected with the Bechyně Rainbow: in 1903 the first electrified railway in the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was built here, which was extended to the town after the completion of the bridge in 1928. Today there are two historic locomotives, Bobinka and Elinka, which evoke the atmosphere of the old days with their nostalgic ride.
Additional information
Personalities
- František Křižík (1847-1941) - Czech electrical engineer, inventor, author of the regulating device of the arc lamp.
- Petr Vok of Rožmberk (1539-1611) - one of the most important figures of this prospectus, representative of the Czech Estates. The most beautiful part of his life is connected with Bechyně, especially his marriage to the young Catherine of Ludanice. He married at the age of 40, when his newlywed wife was not even 16 years old. The marriage was childless and Petr Vok became the last member of his family. He died in 1611 and was buried in the Rosenberg tomb in the monastery in Vyšší Brod.
Our tip
The tradition of pottery still flourishes here, especially during the annual pottery markets. They are organized by the local Association of Traditional Ceramic Crafts.
Do you know that...
...the city is also famous for its spa with a set of modern white buildings on the outskirts of the city? Today, it mainly treats diseases of the joints and nervous system.
