South Bohemia is a beautiful region for those in search of non-mainstream travel destinations. Aside from it’s famous Budweiser beer, South Bohemia’s primary attractions are it’s wonderful nature as well as a rich historic heritage. It's a land of forest mountains and fields, small winding rivers and large old ponds built by masters of the Renaissance period (Rozmberk, the biggest world's fishing pond, is here).
It's a land of magical castles and historic cities (4 UNESCO World Heritage sites and over 130 castles). If there is one country in our planet which would best host elves and hobbits, it would be South Bohemia!
Today’s story is about Theresia’s Valley, a romantic-style park, located south of South Bohemia. This lively valley is a must-visit if you’re travelling to South Bohemia or Northern Austria!
Theresia’s Valley was built in 1756 by Count Jan Nepomuk Buquoy for his wife Theresia. It's a river valley with beautiful sights, old shady trees and a plenty of water wonders.
The centerpoint of the valley is a spectacular waterfall about 10 meters high. Legend has it that the waterfall was Buqouy’s gift to his wife. An impressive and highly symbolic gesture, this year the waterfall has turned 200 years old, and its songs of romance still vibrate in our hearts.
Exploring further into the south, we come across the Blue House (which is brick red now), a ruin of a summer house near the waterfall. Sadly, this landmark was destroyed by a flood in 1936 and was never restored.
The communist government, which came into power in Czech Republic after WWI, took over the Buquoy lands. They didn't care about the heritage of German-speaking areas, so they just left the park as it was (which turned out to be rather a good thing). In addition, this land was too close to the Iron Curtain. which saved it from the industrialisation.
The trees you see in front of the Blue House are Sequoias (California Redwoods) brought from North America and planted here by the Buquoys in 1803. As you probably know, redwood trees can live more than 1800 years and are the tallest living things on Earth.
Exploring further to the left of the Blue House, we’ll soon arrive at the Wedding Oak, a big old tree with a reputation as a sentimental location for newlyweds to sit under. I guess it could be as old as Zuckenstein, a late Gothic castle located a few hundred meters away.
If you are planning a trip to Central Europe, then Southern Bohemia should be on the top of your bucket-list!
The photos were taken by me with a Canon EOS 400D camera.
Thank you 
.