Local tips
Doudleby
Autem 16 min
Doudleby are worth a trip mainly for history older than České Budějovice itself. The church of St Vincent stands on a Slavic stronghold that once administered much of South Bohemia. Old ramparts are still visible in the land and you can walk them.
Doudleby is an unobtrusive village on the Malše twelve kilometres from České Budějovice — and was the administrative centre of South Bohemia when Budějovice did not yet exist. A Slavic stronghold stood here, held by Přemyslid princes and ruling the region until the end of the 12th century. Today the church of St Vincent stands on the site and ramparts remain visible.
Practical details
- Autem 16 min
- Opening hours: areál hradiště a valů volně přístupný, zdarma, bez otevírací doby
On site
The best thing is on foot: walk around the hill with the church and look for ramparts in the terrain. The outer eastern rampart is still clear and shows the fortification was not uniform — three ramparts on the west, two cross walls with a bailey on the east. The size, about 60 × 200 metres, can be paced out and is surprisingly large when you realise today's church, rectory and part of the cemetery sit inside. The church is visible from afar above the river; the position above the Malše explains why the place was chosen.