Zirnau between Castle, Protected Area and Baroque Architecture

If you choose Zirnau for a trip to the Czech Republic, landscape and culture come together. Dříteň lies on the edge of the Hlubocká (Zbudovská) Basin, in a landscape with ponds and historic buildings. For planning your trip, this creates a balance between nature, local history and distinctive individual monuments.

The combination of ponds, a protected area and historic buildings allows for different focuses in the same place. Visitors interested in nature can turn their attention to the surrounding landscape, while those interested in culture will find various architectural themes in the castle, church, statue and smithy.

Landscape between Ponds and Protected Area

Radomilická mokřina has been a European site of community importance under Government Regulation No. 132/2005 Coll., with the site code CZ0313116. It was designated a nature reserve by Regulation No. 30/2011 of the Council of the South Bohemian Region. Within the municipality of Dříteň, areas in the cadastral territory of Záblatí belong to this European site of community importance.

From the landscape around Dříteň, views extend as far as Blanský les and the Bohemian Forest. If you would like to combine nature and culture during one stay, you can contrast this landscape perspective with the town’s historic buildings.

Castle and Monuments in Dříteň

In the central part of Dříteň stands a Baroque castle with an adjoining agricultural area and public square. The statue of Saint John of Nepomuk is a cultural monument dating from 1757 and originally stood at the castle.

The castle forms part of an ensemble that includes both the open public square and the adjoining agricultural area. The statue adds an independent cultural monument with a historic connection to the castle.

One particularly distinctive building is the Church of Saint Dismas. It was built in 1691 by the Schwarzenberg architect Giacomo Antonio de Maggi. As a Baroque octagonal central-plan building, it has a projecting west tower and a rectangular presbytery. The church is accessible during services.

The combination of its construction date, floor plan, tower and presbytery offers several specific points of reference for an architectural appreciation. If you would like to see the church from the inside, access is possible during services.

Historical Details and Local Life

The smithy in Dříteň also tells part of the town’s architectural history. The plastered masonry building has a rectangular floor plan, opens towards the working area of the entrance space through a classical semi-elliptical arch, and is covered by a gable roof clad with tiles. The former smithy now houses the restaurant “Hospůdka na kovárně”.

The smithy adds a craft-oriented accent, while the present-day restaurant gives the building a contemporary use.

The cultural character of the town also includes the Castle Dříteň Cultural, Social and Educational Centre. A public performance of “Drákula” took place there. The site thus combines historic architecture, a cultural monument and documented cultural life – three different points of reference for planning your trip.

Further Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to consider further destinations in the same area besides Zirnau, you will find Dinin, Rimov, Boschiletz, Slavče, Horní Slověnice, Vidov, Unter Bukowsko and Sitzkreis here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres České Budějovice.