At the Zvíkov castle, the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic

 "Instead of a dull, uninteresting country, as I expected, [Bohemia] is a land full of the most lovely scenery. There is every thing which can gratify the eye -- high blue mountains, valleys of the sweetest pastoral look and romantic old ruins."

-- Bayard Taylor
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(in the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia) The South Bohemian Region is an administrative unit 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 part of the South Bohemian Region is the former Prachens, a huge archaic region with distinctive features; its capital is Písek. 

+ The region is divided into the following districts: České Budějovice, Český Krumlov, Jindřichův Hradec, Písek, Prachatice, Strakonice and Tábor. The town of Český Krumlov is one of the highlights of the region and one of Czechia’s most frequently visited places outside of Prague.

+ The central part of the South Bohemian Region consists of the České Budějovice Basin and Třeboň Basin. The southwest consists of the Bohemian Forest mountain range and its foothills, the Gratzen Mountains and its foothills are located to the south. The northern part of the region extends to the Central Bohemian Hills. The eastern part lies in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. The region is located in the drainage basin of Vltava river. Other significant rivers are Malše, Lužnice, Otava, Nežárka and Lomnice.

+ South Bohemia is known for its many ponds. In the past, more than seven thousand ponds were established across the region. With its 489 hectares (~1,208 acres), Rožmberk is the largest one, followed by Bezdrev (450 ha) and Horusice pond (415 ha).

+ A big part of the Šumava National Park is situated in South Bohemia. Many natural and cultural sights are connected with more than 500 km (~312 mi.) of summer marked trails in the park. The region is famous for its small villages with a pond in the middle. These are generally built in the style of the South Bohemian Baroque, or "Rustic Baroque," a term for the unique architecture of South Bohemia. The local folk bricklayer masters Martin Paták and František Šoch created a new type of South Bohemian farmhouse with an ornate frontispiece in the middle of the 19th century. A typical structure of this style is a massive rustic farmhouse with two richly decorated frontispieces, which are joined by an arched gate with small doors. The marshland frontispieces are beautifully decorated, they have lavish contours, the surface is usually divided by allusive decorative columns, completed by arches, stylised hearts, four-leafed clovers, meadow flowers.

+ Pictured here is Zvíkov, often called "the king of Czech castles," which is in the Zvíkovské Podhradí municipality, about 15 kilometers (~8 mi.) north of Písek. It stands on a steep promontory above the confluence of the Vltava and Otava rivers. (The castle is one of the most important early-Gothic castles in Czech lands.).