Písek
- See other locations named Písek.
Písek (IPA: [ˈpiːsɛk]) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29,081 (est. January 1, 2005).
About
Písek is usually called "The Athens of the South" (despite Athens being more southerly) because it has got many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in Pisek. Up to the last decades of 19th century Písek was a centre of large autonomous Prácheň Region (also Prácheňský kraj) (today's Prachatice, Písek, Strakonice and part of Příbram, Klatovy, České Budějovice and Jižní Plzeňsko Counties).
This town has its own freeway (under construction) to Prague and it lies on Zdice–Protivín and Tábor–Ražice rail lines. It is superbly connected to central and western Bohemia or the same way as to the southward situated Šumava (historically called Böhmerwald or Gabreta in Germanic and Celtic languages)
The climate here is mild (one of the 3 warmest part of Czech Republic) because it is from all sides protected 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). Písek is surrounded by Písek 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.
History
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 Písek ("Písek" in fact means "sand") was Hradiště (Oppidum on top of Hradiště hill). Close to this place two graves of Celtic kings can be found. Písek has still his unique atmosphere and has a well-preserved, picturesque medieval centre. A large part of Písek was built in 19th century, so one can still find there many buildings built in classical or neo-styles. In Písek is the oldest bridge (Písek Stone Bridge) in the Czech Republic (and the second oldest in the whole central European region).
Famous residents
- Přemysl Otakar II – Czech king
- John I of Bohemia – Czech king
- Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor – Czech king
- Václav IV – Czech king
- Fráňa Šrámek – poet
- Adolf Heyduk – poet
- Josef Holeček – writer
- Otakar Ševčík – fiddle's teacher
- Mikoláš Aleš – painter
- August Sedláček – historian
- Kateřina Neumannová – cross-country skier
- Tomáš Zíb
Twin towns
Caerphilly, Wales, United Kingdom
External links
- Official Website (English)/(Czech)/(German)
- Písek (en)
- Online webcam in the center of Pisek
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