Kestřany: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Kestřany has a historic ensemble comprising two well-preserved medieval fortresses and a château. In the centre of the village stands the Church of St Catherine near the château and the two fortresses. It is located opposite the château; the two fortresses are approximately 100 metres from the church. The church has a cruciform ground plan.

Culture and History

Several protected religious and urban-planning features are part of the villagescape. The Chapel of St John of Nepomuk is located in the centre of Kestřany and is an important architectural and urban-planning feature of the village. The protected Calvary Chapel lies south of Kestřany near the Otava and is an architectural and urban-planning landmark. Also in the south, at a road intersection, stands the protected and highly visible Chapel of St Florian, a niche chapel. Northwest of Kestřany, on the field road to Nové Kestřany, is the protected wayside shrine known as “boží muka”, which is an important landscape-defining feature.

The Lower Fortress is currently closed to the public. It has a massive stone tower.

Routes

Cycle Route 1045 leads to Kestřany. Yellow- and blue-marked hiking trails run around the grounds of the two fortresses and the château. The nearest railway station is Sudoměř u Písku; from there, a footpath follows the blue-marked hiking trail to Kestřany.

A longer cycle tour also includes the village: the 24 km “Povodím Otavy” tour leads from Strakonice via Hajská, Štěkeň and Kestřany to Písek.

Landscape

In the vicinity of Kestřany, the gold-washing complex on the right bank of the Otava between Strakonice and Kestřany includes a preserved area of spoil heaps. This area is 600 m long and 50 to 150 m wide. Kestřany is also a traditional venue for the annual gold-panning competitions on the Otava.

Velký Potoční Pond is now a natural monument. Around the fortresses, visitors can enjoy newly planted vineyards and a peaceful park.

Other Places

Hrazany, Horosedly, Okrouhlá, Branice, Křenovice, Putim, Zebrakov and Milevsko

To the higher-level travel overview: Písek District.