An easy walk along Rožmberk dam, near Třeboň: up to 5 km

• The dam that was built in the 16th century to create the Rožmberk fishpond is the longest in Europe, an astonishing 2.4 km long. This unique engineering feat designed by the Renaissance fishpond creator, Jakub Krcin, was undertaken by 800 workers between 1584 and 1590. The resulting lake is the largest man-made fishpond in Central Europe.
• Rožmberk is at the center of the vast network of fishponds that dot the landscape of the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area, a former marshland close to the Austrian border in Southern Bohemia. Most of the ponds were created in the 16th and 17th centuries under the direction of the Lords of Rožmberk, who had their seat in the important town of Třeboň.
• The walk around the whole lake is around 20 km long, and definitely one of the highlights of a visit to this remarkable landscape. For those without the time to complete the full circuit, one of the most scenic sections is the walk along the dam. It is a paved track, so easily managed with a stroller (unlike the full circuit, which has sections on narrow footpaths).
• The walk begins at a parking area at one end of the dam (or at the bus stop a short distance from there). As it is a ‘there and back again’ walk, it can be as long or short as desired. There is a scenically situated snack bar a short way along the dam (not currently marked on mapy.cz) which is well worth stopping at, when open during the main tourist season.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• 5 km north of the town of Třeboň, on the main road 24 is a small turning sign posted ‘Rožmberk’. 600m along this narrow road is a (paid) parking area directly next to the start of the dam. There is a bus stop by the turning, with occasional buses from Třeboň
• From the car park, join the RED hiking trail which traverses the length of the dam
• The paved path also serves as a cycle trail so may be walked with a stroller for as far as desired, returning on the same route
• The snack bar is located approximately 200 from the car park, directly on the dam