P�sek is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29,909 (est. January 1, 2007).

P�sek is usually called "The Athens of the South", although Athens is much more southerly, because it has many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in P�sek. Up to the last decades of 19th century P�sek was a centre of large autonomous Pr�che? Region (also Pr�che?sk� kraj) (today's Prachatice, P�sek, Strakonice and part of P?�bram, Klatovy, ?esk� Bud?jovice and Ji�n� Plze?sko Counties).

P�sek is easily accessible by road I/4 and I/20 from Prague (I/4 toward Prague is mostly highway R4), road I/20 from ?esk� Bud?jovice, road I/29 from T�bor and road I/20 from Plze?. Road I/20 forms west-southern road bypass (Prague - ?esk� Bud?jovice) and road I/29 forms eastern road bypass, while joining I/20 at the south.

Also, P�sek lies on Zdice�Protiv�n and T�bor�Ra�ice rail lines. It is superbly connected to central and western Bohemia or the same way as to the southward situated �umava (historically called B�hmerwald or Gabreta in Germanic and Celtic languages)

The climate in P�sek is mild (one of the 3 warmest part of Czech Republic) because it is protected from all sides against cold winds. Low precipitations (about 500-550 mm/annum) and with temperatures 0 to 20 �C temperature in Blue Time season (March-April), about 15 to 35 �C in summer season (May-September), 10 to 25 �C fall season (October-December) and -5 to +10 �C in winter season with rare snow (January-February). Predominantly sunny all the year. Extreme cold weather has reached -19,6�C and extreme hot +37,9�C (last decades observation). P�sek is surrounded by P�sek Mountains (or Gem Mountains) which its highest peak is 633 metres high (260 metres above city center). The river which flows across the city has the old Celtic name, Otava.

This South Bohemian town was, up to its serious damage in 1620, one of the biggest towns in Bohemia. It is considered to be of prehistorical origin (about 900 BC, when it was officially built in the 13th century - but in these times one part of this town had been still inhabited by descendants of Celts (today's Saint Wenceslas). The oldest town in the area of modern P�sek ("P�sek" in fact means "sand") was Hradi�t? (Oppidum on top of Hradi�t? hill). Close to this place two graves of Celtic kings can be found. P�sek has still his unique atmosphere and has a well-preserved, picturesque medieval centre. A large part of P�sek was built in 19th century, so one can still find there many buildings built in classical or neo-styles. In P�sek is the oldest bridge (P�sek Stone Bridge) in the Czech Republic (and the second oldest in the whole central European region).

The Southern Bohemia town of P�sek was founded on the River Otava by Czech kings in the 13th century. The town may be steeped in history, but P�sek is a modern town. You will find high-quality hotels and restaurants here, interesting events are held all year round. The town has a wide range of sports facilities and venues for all sorts of meetings, seminars and the like. Source: IC Pisek.

The so-called Euro Promenade leads from the famous Stone Bridge, which is the oldest remaining bridge in the country, below the buildings that make up the well-known panorama of the town. They are dominated by the remaining wing of the former royal castle, which today houses the Pr�che? Museum, and the renovated building of the Malt house. On the way, you can stop off to visit the former mill in which Franti�ek K?i��k installed the Municipal hydropower station. Source: IC Pisek.

August Sedl�?ek (1843, Mlad� Vo�ice, Bohemia � 1926) was a distinguished Czech historian and archivist. Notably, he worked in medieval history, detailing the history of Medieval castles in the Bohemian Kingdom. He wrote among others extensively on autonomous region of Prachens in the southwest of Bohemia in 1926 (D?je Prachensk�ho Kraje, P�sek). Source: Wikipedia.

When the Committee of the European Council appreciated the Museum of Pr�che? in P�sek with an honorary prize "European Museum of the Year" in 1996, the absolute majority of Czech and foreign visitors stated that it was fully legitimate. Perfectly arranged expositions in modern design provide plastic illustrations of the P�sek region. The visitors can find there many themes such as Prehistory and Slavic Age, Beginnings of the castle and the city of P�sek, History of the region, Protected areas, Mineral resources, Cultural traditions of the P�sek region, Gold in the river Otava basin, Fishes and fishery. Source: Prachenske Museum

Jarník hill (609 m) is one of the highest peaks of the Písecké Hory (Písek Mountains). It lies about 3 km east of the town Písek. On the top there is a observation tower. There are nice views of the scenery of the regions of the towns Týn nad Vltavou and Písek. The remains of gold mining can be found on the south-western slope of the hill - the desolate former pit with remains of the adit. The former limepit with the natural rock bridge can be seen on this slope as well. Source: IC Pisek.

Tomáš Zíb (born January 31, 1976, Písek), is a male tennis player from the Czech Republic. He reached a career high ranking of 51 in 2005, and is ranked number 290 in the world as of August 18, 2008. Source: Wikipedia.

Otakar Šev?ík (22 March 1852 – 18 January 1934) was a Czech violinist and influential teacher. He was known as a soloist and an ensemble player, including his occasional performances with Eugène Ysaÿe. Biography Šev?ík was born in Hora�?ovice, Austro-Hungary. He received his first lessons from his father. He studied under Antonín Bennewitz at the Prague Conservatory (1866–1870) and began his career in 1870 as concertmaster of the Mozarteum concerts in Salzburg, where he also taught. After 1873, he was concertmaster at the Prague Interim (Provisional) Theatre and the Komische Oper at the Ring Theatre in Vienna. From 1875 to 1892 he was professor of violin at the music school of the Russian Music Society in Kiev, at the same time appearing frequently as soloist. In 1892 he became head of the violin department at the Prague Conservatory, where he remained until 1906. He then taught privately in Písek. Source: Wikipedia

In 1909, he became director of the Violin Department at the Vienna Music Academy, until 1918, when at the end of World War I his nationality forced him to leave his position. He returned to the Prague Conservatory, where he stayed until 1921. He afterwards travelled in the United States and Great Britain as a teacher. He died in P�sek. The phenomenal success of some of his pupils, such as Jan Kubel�k, Jaroslav Koci�n, Efrem Zimbalist, Juan Man�n, Marie Hall, Victor Kolar and Erika Morini brought to him students from all parts of the world. �ev?�k was famous as a violin teacher in Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, Kharkiv, Kiev, London, Boston, Chicago, and New York. His violin studies and violin methods were published in several books and are still important as major teaching tools. These studies include The Little �ev?�k, an elementary violin tutor, which teaches the semitone system in 149 exercises, the School of Violin Technics (Schule der Violintechnik, four parts, 1880), First Position, vol. II, 2nd to 7th Positions, and Vol. III, Shifting, and Preparatory Exercises in Double-Stopping, Opus 9, and the Schule der Bogentechnik (six parts, 1893). Source: Wikipedia.

Josef Hole?ek (27 February 1853, Sto�ice, Strakonice District � 6 March 1929, Prague) was a Czech writer of the realism and ruralism movements who wrote about his native South Bohemian Region, a journalist and translator. He studied in P�sek, ?esk� Bud?jovice and T�bor (the oldest park there is named after him Hole?kovy sady) and since 1926 there is his monument there. Having befriended several South Slavs in T�bor, he became interested in their folklore and also in literature, art and history in general. After his studies, he worked in Zagreb and in 1875 he became a correspondent of the Prague newspaper N�rodn� listy in the Balkans. He was a Slavic patriot; in 1887 he visited Russia and in 1889 he travelled through Anatolia and visited Istanbul. Source: Wikipedia.

ump to: navigation, search Fr�?a �r�mek, cca 1926 Memorial plaque to Fr�?a �r�mek in Sobotka Fr�?a �r�mek (January 19, 1877, Sobotka � July 1, 1952, Prague) was a Czech anarchist, impressionist, and vitalist poet, novelist, and playwright. In 1885 his family relocated to P�sek, where he lived for a long time and much of his work was created in and about this town. After study he joined the military for a period of about a year, but was forced to continue service for another due to bad behavior. In 1914 he fell seriously ill. Source: Wikipedia.

Jan ?arek (29 December, 1898 - 27 March, 1966) was a Czech poet, essayist, and literary critic. He was greatly popular in his day for his children's books a "rural" poetry. Biography From 1910 to 1918 he studied at the gymnasium in P�sek. He was initially working as a railway clerk. Since 1946 he started his professional writer career. Since the 1920's he regularly published his works in a number of Czech literary magazines. After 1948 he devoted himself almost exclusively to children's literature. Source: Wikipedia.

Born in Rychmburk (today P?edhrad� u Skut?e), he began his studies in Prague in 1850. After finishing his studies in 1859, he then became a teacher in Prague, then later in P�sek. In 1876, he began to teach at the Prague's gymnasium, then also became the chairman of the literary section of the Um?leck� beseda association. He married in P�sek in 1877. His two daughters died. Source: Wikipedia.

Further on you will come to the reconstructed part of the Gothic moat, where you can order a picnic basket to be brought to you while you sit in the park between medieval walls. From there you can go on to the so-called Bakal�?e, which houses and exhibition of artefacts dating from the Bronze Age up to the Middle Ages. The deanery church with its 70-metre tower - newly opened for visitors - dominates this part of the town. Source: IC Pisek.

The Film Academy of Miroslav Ond?�?ek in P�sek is a private school located in South Bohemia in P�sek. The school is named after Miroslav Ond?�?ek, a well known Czech cinematographer and patron of the school. The school offers bachelor degrees and vocational courses in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound and editing. The programme gives graduates high level of technical competence, while it stresses out the importance of theory and the underlying aesthetic principles of film-making. Hands-on experience, and team-work and leadership are given a strong emphasis. In addition, the course includes practical exercises in studio lighting, camera work and film editing compulsory for all students. The school has a long list of associate teachers, who are active professionals, travelling from Prague to read lectures and give seminars. This makes the school very popular as students are able to meet influential people in a friendly and informal way. The school has an International Film Studies Program, which is an intensive one-year film course in English language. International students can embark on courses in directing, producing, screenwriting, sound and editing, cinematography and animation. The school competes with the publicly funded Film faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Every autumn, the school organizes a popular international student film festival. Source: Wikipedia

Tom� Verner (Czech pronunciation: [?toma?? ?v?rn?r] ( listen)) (born 3 June 1986 in P�sek) is a Czech figure skater. He is the 2008 European Champion, a two time European medalist (2007 and 2011), and an eight-time (2002�2004, 2006�2008, 2011�2012) Czech national champion. He has won six senior Grand Prix medals, including the 2010 Cup of Russia title. Source: Wikipedia.

Nowadays the city accomodates a diversity of industries which produce a variety of products like food supplies, wood products, machines and tabacco. The city was founded in the 13th century by Premysl Otakar II who started the building of a castle within the fortifications of the city. Source: Sumava.com

Really worth a visit is the early Gothic Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary with its 74 m. high tower. Despite the several reconstructions of the church, its frescos in the nave are very well kept through the years. The tin font and the Madonna panel on one of the alters are from the Renaissance period. Source: Sumava.com

The city hall of P�sek that lies at the same square as the church was build between 1737 and 1764 and is adorned with statues. In the courtyard are the remains of the in 1532 burned down castle. There is nowadays the city museum located. Around the market square are several grand houses. Also very beautiful is the 17th century Wenceslas Church. Source: Sumava.com

One of the main attractions of the city is the stone bridge. This bridge is the oldest still existing stone bridge in the whole Czech Republic. The exact building date of the bridge is unknown but it is certain that it was constructed before the Charles bridge in Prague. With its decorations of 17th century statues of saints it resembles much to its Prague equelness but mainly because of the absence of the bridge towers the bridge looks much less grand. From the bridge you have a perfect view over the city. Source: Sumava.com