THE TOP

everyday
THE TOP
České Budějovice
everyday
České Budějovice, that means beer and pencils. However,
Jára Cimrman already knew that this city offered much more
than that, which is the reason why “everybody would love to
České Budějovice
live in České Budějovice.” Everybody, including history,
landscape, and culture lovers, will find places of interest here. The location of the city makes it
the perfect starting point to go discovering the well- (or less-) known tourist gems of South
Bohemia. Two UNESCO World Heritage sites can be found within 30 km – Český Krumlov and
Holašovice – and a thirty-minute ride will bring you to the chateau of Hluboká, the monastery
in Zlatá Koruna or the village of Římov. Admirers of landscapes will enjoy a visit to the mountain
range of Novohradské hory or to the Blanský Forest. Surrounded by such places, the heart of
South Bohemia, founded in 1265 by Ottokar II of Bohemia, is rightly a popular travel destination.
THE TOP
TOP sights
Přemysl Otakar II Square
The City Hall
The Black Tower
St. Nicholas Cathedral
Piarist Square
Masné krámy (Meat Shops)
Towers
Přemysl Otakar II Square
Would you like to know what made this square
famous? It is its regular, square-shaped ground plan
and the area of over 1 hectare, which makes it one of
the biggest squares in the Czech Republic. There are
even more attractions to notice: the square is lined
on all sides by 48 Baroque and Renaissance buildings
with arcades and its centre is marked by the Baroque
Samson’s Fountain. However, be careful after 10 pm
and watch out for the erratic boulder. Unless you
want to wander the streets till dawn, you had better
not step on it.
The City Hall
The most important building of the Square is remarkable for its Baroque facade and chimes. Four allegorical statues are a reminder of the four bourgeois
virtues: Justice, Courage, Wisdom, and Caution. The
interior is accessible with a guide; all you need to do is
book a tour at the Tourist Information Centre.
The Black Tower
The reward for climbing 225 steps is a beautiful view
of the city and its surroundings. Several bells can be
found in this 72-metre high 16th century Renaissance tower. The largest of them, called Bumerin,
weighs 3.5 tons.
St. Nicholas Cathedral
Do you know the patron of České Budějovice? It
was St. Auratianus whose remains lie in this
Baroque monument. The cathedral’s front is decorated with three statues representing the patrons of
the Czech land. Can you name them?
Piarist Square
This square may not be very large but it holds an
extremely valuable architectural site – the Dominican Monastery with the Church of the Sacrifice
of the Virgin Mary. There you can admire 14th and
15th century wall paintings, a Gothic cloister or
the portrait of the Virgin Mary. The cloister garden
provides a place to rest. Furthermore, the Salt
Warehouse is located at the Square. The premises
of the former armoury (later a salt warehouse) now
house an exhibition of historical motorcycles.
Masné krámy (Meat Shops)
No doubt you have heard of them! Formerly a
meat marketplace which has become a well-known
restaurant. Have a glass of Budweiser Krausened
Lager here tapped straight from the keg.
Towers
You can see the preserved towers of the city’s
14th century fortification. The Rabenštejn Tower
is a home to an exhibition of historical weapons. It
is said that a medieval torture device of the same
name used to be in the Iron Maiden tower. This
tower is attached to a well-preserved part of the
city fortification.
TOP experiences
The Museum
of South Bohemia
Beer Tradition
Horse-drawn Railway
Exhibition of historical
motorcycles
A city of water
and greenery
The Museum
of South Bohemia
If you are interested in history, the nature of South
Bohemia or if you want to learn about the city, you
should visit the Museum of South Bohemia. It is located in a late-19th-century Renaissance building
which also holds various exhibitions.
Beer Tradition
České Budějovice without beer? That is something
hard to imagine. Since the Middle Ages, it has been
clear that granting the city the brewing right was
a step in the right direction. Nowadays, there are
two breweries in the “city of beer”: The Budweiser
citizens brewery (formerly called Samson) and the
Budweiser Budvar, founded by Czech entrepreneurs
in 1895. You can visit Budvar in person, watch how
the beer is brewed, taste it, and learn about the history of the beer brewing industry.
Horse-drawn Railway
The oldest railway in mainland Europe – even such
a unique gem can be found in the city. At the beginning of the 19th century, the railway connected
České Budějovice and Linz. With its 130 kilometres,
the railway made the transport of people and wares
faster between these cities for 40 years. It passed by
the salt warehouse, the U Zelené ratolesti inn or the
guardhouse in the Mánesova Street where you can
find the Museum of the horse-drawn railway and its
history.
Exhibition of historical
motorcycles
Over 90 historical motorcycles, engines, historical bicycles, airplane models, winning trophies,
children’s carts, scooters, and toys. All of this can
be seen in the Salt Warehouse at the Piarist Square.
A city of water
and greenery
After all the sightseeing, one welcomes a while
of relaxation. You don’t have to leave the city to
find a green place to relax. The Sokolský Island
provides a convenient space for both rest and sport
right in the centre. Or you can take a nap in the
adjacent Háječek Park with an observatory and a
planetarium. You will surely appreciate the open
air cinema located here, too. The largest city park,
Stromovka, is perfect for a picnic, inline skating or
cycling. You can even go fishing at the Bagr Pond.
Should you find yourself in a mood for a boat ride,
you can set off from the Lannova Boathouse to
Hluboká or Týn nad Vltavou.
TOP culture
South Bohemian Theatre
House of Art
Philharmonic
of South Bohemia
Cultural centres
Kotva Cinema
TOP events
South Bohemian Theatre
Drama, ballet, opera, puppet shows. The theatre
of four companies is located in the building called
U Zlatého mostu, built in the Empire style. During
the summer, performances are made on the unique
revolving stage in the chateau gardens in Český
Krumlov. Josef Kajetán Tyl played his last performance in the theatre building. His bust stands right
next to the building, alongside a memorial to Ema
Destinnová. The world-famous opera singer died in
České Budějovice in 1930.
House of Art
This gallery holds works of modern art and architecture. This significant cultural space houses exhibitions by local and foreign artists throughout the
year.
TOP events
BUDĚJOVICKÝ MAJÁLES, a celebration of youth, May
UMĚNÍ VE MĚSTĚ (Art in the City), modern sculptural art in the streets, June–September
LÉTO VE MĚSTĚ (Summer in the City), an open-air multi-genre festival, June–September
MATTONI HALF MARATHON, a race for professional and amateur runners
of all age categories, June
MÚZY NA VODĚ (Muses on the Water), a festival of music, singing,
and dance by the Vltava river, July
MUSICAL EVENINGS AT THE SQUARE, concerts of various genres, July–August
SOUTH BOHEMIA JAZZ FESTIVAL, jazz musicians under the summer sky, August
MĚSTO LIDEM, LIDÉ MĚSTU (City for the People, People for the City), cultural and social
meeting in Krajinská Street, August
MUSIC FESTIVAL OF EMA DESTINNOVÁ, a classical music festival, August–September
ZEMĚ ŽIVITELKA (Earth the Provider), a traditional exhibition devoted
to agriculture and more, August–September
CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY, markets, an angel’s descent from the Black Tower,
gospels, carols, creative workshops and more, December
3
a
tř íd
ská
Pr a ž
Na
U Černé věže
Plachého
ež í
1
J ir
sí k
5
4
L
G oethov
U Zimní
a
2
ho stad
á
ík
Ka
ov a
rla
Ži
á
4
žk
ov
da
8
9
10
11
IV
.
1
k
idic
Lannova tří
at
ř íd
a
Žižkova
7
ionu
Tourist Information Centre
Information, marketing materials,
advice and tips
Přemysl Otakar II Square 1.2
370 92 České Budějovice
T +420 386 801 413, T/F +420 386 801 414
[email protected], www.inbudejovice.cz
... more about the city
Published by: Statutor y City of České Budějovice, 2015
Photos: Kolegar M ., Motejl A ., Znachor P., Binder M .,
Baloun A ., Statutor y City of ČB
Graphic design: srneczekdesign
Subject to changes without notice. Mistakes and errors reser ved.
56
tř ída
Tourist Information Centre
á
F. A .Fer
4 7
2
Kněžská
ala
Jir s
a
ov
stnera
9
3
Dr. Stejsk
ábř
Kanovnick
Karla IV
.
Široká
on
h
Čechova
Česká
Biskupská
2
7
va
V lta
ko v
ec
Na Sadech
Z át
ad
4,5
nám.
2 ys
Př1,em
O takaralaII.
ní
aS
oka
8
e
N
á st
Malš
ce
nsk
10
ní
á
2
3
4
5
6
ská
olfov 7
Ru d
e ch
s to
Mlý
6
Sad
s ké
eb
Hroznov
3
Radnič
lýn
ad
á
Krjainsk
5
11
6,8
7
Piaristic
ká
10 11
Na
M
Hr
Česká
M lýn
ská
9
Panská
n
oka
1
2
í
Mlý
st
ská
Přemysl Otakar II
Square
Samson’s Fountain
The City Hall
The Black Tower
ská
olfov
St. Nicholas
Rud Cathedral
Piarist Square
The Dominican
Monastery with the
a
Church of theLaSacrifice
a tř íd
n n ov
of the Virgin Mary
The Salt Warehouse
The Rabenštejn Tower
a
The Iron Maiden
va tř íd
Žižko
Masné krámy (Meat Shops)
ražn
3
1
Nád
Husova třída
elsk
6
12
If you like classical music, visit the Concert Hall
of Otakar Jeremiáš. At this venue, the local philharmonic and its guests usually perform. You can also
listen to other famous, local and foreign, ensembles
and their soloists.
Cultural centres
Theatre plays, concerts, exhibitions, dance performances, and many other events are organised by
various cultural centres. The multicultural environment of the Metropol building offers all kinds of
cultural events. You can also visit the Slávie centre
where you will find music clubs, dance club and
other types of activities.
Kotva Cinema
The cosy interior of the Kotva cinema offers a place
to hide from the city bustle and enjoy a film without
disturbance.
TOP experiences
TOP sights
České
Budějovice
Centre
D uk
1
Philharmonic
of South Bohemia
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
The Museum
of South Bohemia
The Budweiser
Citizens Brewery
Budweiser Budvar
Horse-drawn Railway
Exhibition of historical
motorcycles
Sokolský ostrov
(The Sokolský Island)
The Háječek Park
Observatory and
planetarium
Open-air cinema
The Stromovka Park
The Bagr Pond
Lannova Boathouse
TOP culture
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
South Bohemian
Theatre
House of Art
Philharmonic
of South Bohemia
Metropol Cultural Centre
Slávie Cultural Centre
Vltava Cultural Centre
The Kotva Cinema
TOP trips
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Hluboká nad Vltavou
Český Krumlov
Holašovice
Zlatá Koruna
Římov
Novohradsko (mountains
and region)
The Blanský Forest