Prachatice – Renaissance, the Golden Trail and Libín

Prachatice combines a well-preserved Renaissance appearance with the history of the Golden Trail and a distinctive mountain landscape. In the historic centre, at exhibitions and during the annual festivals, you will encounter the city’s past, while the surrounding area, with its mountains and other regional destinations, offers different highlights. The public Hulák swimming pool also complements the cultural side with water areas and sports facilities.

History and culture in the city centre

The Golden Trail Festival has taken place every year in Prachatice since 1991. The exhibition „Prachatice – pohled do minulosti města“ offers an in-depth encounter with the city’s history. It covers the history of Prachatice up to the mid-19th century and displays numerous artefacts from Prachatice. The Prachatické muzeum also exhibits original objects from the Golden Trail in a special display case. The period extending to the mid-19th century thus reaches beyond the Renaissance and connects the consideration of individual buildings with other chapters of the city’s history. The numerous artefacts from Prachatice give this overview tangible objects.

The historic centre of Prachatice preserves its Renaissance appearance within a ring of city walls that remain relatively well preserved to this day. In 1981, it was declared an urban heritage conservation area. A prominent sacred building is the late Gothic Church of St James the Greater on Kostelní náměstí. Its historic doors at the main entrance date from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. You will find the Prachatice Information Centre at Velké náměstí 1. The city walls provide the spatial framework for the Renaissance appearance. The doors at the main entrance add a specific detail from around 1500 to the late Gothic church.

Mountains around Prachatice

The area around Prachatice forms a submontane mountain landscape dominated by 1,096-metre-high Libín and continuously merging into the Šumava mountain range. Libín and Volovický vrch lie in the immediate vicinity of Prachatice. Rohanovský vrch is located in the surrounding area of the city. Further afield in the region are Včelenský vrch and the ancient site of Chlumany. The continuous transition into the Šumava mountain range makes the area around Prachatice appear as a cohesive mountain region.

Water and sports at Hulák swimming pool

The public Hulák swimming pool has three water areas: a swimming pool with four lanes, a relaxation pool and a children’s pool. There is also a landing pool for a four-lane waterslide. For adults, Hulák offers beach volleyball, nohejbal and table tennis.

More destinations for your research

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Prachatice, you can also include Borova Lada, Vrbice, Řasnice, Strunkovice Nad Blanicí, Pěčnov, Vlachovo Brezí, Zábrdí and Zdíkov in your broader search.

To the higher-level travel overview: Prachatice District.