Orlík nad Vltavou is a municipality and village in

Písek District Písek District () is a Okres, district in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Písek. Administrative division Písek District is divided into two Districts of the Czech Republic#Municipalities with extended ...

in the

South Bohemian Region The South Bohemian Region () is an administrative unit (''Regions of the Czech Republic, kraj'') of the Czech Republic, located mostly in the southern part of its historical land of Bohemia, with a small part in southwestern Moravia. The western ...

of the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. It has about 300 inhabitants. It is known for the

Orlík Castle Orlík Castle () is a château in Orlík nad Vltavou, in Písek District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The original position of the spur castle, on a rock above the Vltava valley, was altered by the creation of the Orlík R ...

, protected as a national cultural monument.

Administrative division

Orlík nad Vltavou consists of two municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Orlík nad Vltavou (27) *Staré Sedlo (239)

Etymology

The name is a diminutive of the Czech word ''orel'' (i.e. 'eagle'). Orlík was a common name for medieval castles built on a rock, because they resembled an eagle sitting on its nest.

Geography

Orlík nad Vltavou is located about north of

Písek Písek (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 31,000 inhabitants. The town is known for the oldest bridge in the country. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument z ...

and southwest of

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. It lies mostly in the

Benešov Uplands The Benešov Uplands or Benešov Hills () are uplands and a geomorphological mesoregion of the Czech Republic. It is located mostly in the Central Bohemian Region. It belongs to the largest mesoregions in the country. It is named after Benešov ...

. The highest point is the hill Chlum at above sea level. The municipality lies on the shores of the Orlík Reservoir, built on the

Vltava The Vltava ( , ; ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Elbe River. It runs southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague. It is com ...

River.

History

The first written mention of Orlík is a document from the period 1230–1251, when customs duties were collected on the Vltava River near Orlík, which was only a small wooden castle at that time. Until 1357, Orlík was a royal property; then it was owned by various noble families. In 1719, it was inherited by the Schwarzenberg family, who owned it until 1948.

Demographics

Transport

The I/19 road (the section from

Plzeň Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...

Tábor Tábor (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 34,000 inhabitants, making it the second most populated town in the region. The town was founded by the Hussites in 1420. The historic town centre is well pres ...

) passes through the municipality. Over the Orlík Reservoir, the road leads via the Žďákov Bridge.

Sights

Orlík nad Vltavou is well known for the

. It was originally a fortress dating from the early 13th century at the latest, which was expanded into a strong Gothic castle. Nowadays, the castle once again belongs to the Schwarzenbergs. It is open to the public. Next to the castle is the castle park. Of the park's original area of 180 ha, have been preserved; the rest was flooded during the construction of the reservoir in the 1960s. The castle park includes the Schwarzenberg family tomb from the mid-19th century. For its value, the castle complex is protected as a national cultural monument.

Notable people

Jan Bedřich Kittl Jan Bedřich Kittl (; 8 May 1806 – 20 July 1868) was a Czechs, Czech composer. Biography Kittl was born in Orlík nad Vltavou, Orlík. After studying law in Prague, Kittl studied music with Václav Tomášek. From 1843 to 1864, he headed the P ...

(1806–1868), composer * Jos Divis (1885–1967), New Zealand miner and photographer

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Orlik nad Vltavou Villages in Písek District