Fishpond Network in the Trebon Basin

This was a case of serendipitous discovery for me during my car trip in Southern/Central Czech Republic (August 2020). I decided just the day before to spend a night in Třeboň on the way from Český Krumlov to Telčm following sugegstions from the locals, and then, the day after, it was just because I took the "wrong" road trying to reach the Renaissance church in the minuscule hamlet of Hamr that I could really appreciate the fishpond network.

The day was moody, foggy and rainy, very unlucky for late August, but this might have let me appreciate it more. The number of fishponds is incredible. There is no village that doesn't have its own, either in its "town centre" or hidden in the wood behind the main group of houses. Many are also connected by canals. At some point I felt as I was a guest in the realm of ducks (there are fish, too, of course, but they're not so apparent and decidedly less loud): it is not uncommon to drive/ride on narrow embankments between fishponds, through rows of tall trees, and see large groups of lake birds roaming the cane fields. All the region is very enjoyable by bike, and you'll see many in the high season.

Besides the natural fascination, there are interesting histories too. First of all, just the fact that most of the ponds are the fruit of century-long labor and still at work these days is astounding, especially with regard to one …

I was taking a Flix bus from Brno, Czechia, to Linz, Austria, and this bus went through 3 WHSs (Trebic, Telc, Cesky Krumlov) and 1 TWHS that is Fishpond Network in the Trebon Basin. I had been to all the 3 WHSs before on two different occasions. It seemed like groups of Chinese tourists were using this bus line to go from one WHS to another.

But I did not go into the town center of Trebon because the bus station in Trebon is a little farther out (500m?) from the center. 

Still, I was able to take this photo of Svet Pond, one of the 5 sites included in the nomination, from the bus when it was running on E49. 

I don't know the boundary of this nomination, so I'm not sure if I can claim that I was there, but I got to read about this site and understood the way the carps the Czech people ate on Christmas were supplied. This site would be a unique one if it gets on the WH list.

Třeboňsko fishpond landscape is one of very few cultural landscapes in Central Europe that would deserve the WHS status. Třeboňsko region, now protected natural area and the UNESCO Biospheric reservation, was intensively cultivated since 14th century, but the most extensive works occurred in 16th century. Due to flat geomorphology and plenty of water, the area used to be vast marchlands covered by thick forests before the colonization in 12th century. Most of wetlands were turned to fishponds (all together over 500 fishponds of diverse sizes) with very sophisticated water management.

The largest fishpond is Rožmberk with original area around 1000 ha (now 490 ha) built by Jakub Krčín z Jelčan in 1584-1589. Seventy-six oaks of age upto 400 years strengthen the 2.4 km long embankment. The most prominent work for the water management is Zlatá Stoka (Golden Canal), which is 46.2 km long, wide 2-4 m, deep 1-1.5 m, slope 30m, and built in 1508-1518 by Štěpánek Netolický. Besides works for the water management, the historical center of the area, town Třeboň, was also included to the series. It has an intact town center with prolonged square, houses with porticoes, a castle, and preserved fortification (the ponds were also utilized for this purposes). Třeboň is somehow similar to WHS Telč, but it has different fleur.

(The main altar of the gothic Augustinian church in Třeboň was originally decorated by paintings of the Master of Třeboň Altar from 14th century, now in National Gallery in Prague. It is magnificent …

Visited March 2017.

I can admit that I see a big potential in this site. The fishponds around Třeboň are ones of the oldest in Europe, and some of them are really huge and still in use. The first fishpond was created in 14th century but the big transformation of the area started one century later when Peter IV of Rožmberk invited German fishermen. In the city itself and around there are lots of boards with information about this area (also in English and German). You can rent a bicycle and spent a day cycling around the ponds. The tourist information center distributes some useful maps and can arrange a guided tour of the chateau.

Třeboň is just a half an hour by bus from České Budějovice; in the morning you can visit WHS Holašovice, come back to České Budějovice and then take another bus and spend an afternoon in Třeboň. Český Krumlov is another WHS very close to fishponds but there’s not direct public transportation between both sites – you have to change again in CB.