Nové Hrady and the surroundings

Novohradsko and its surroundings

The region is distinguished by its main dominant – Novohradské Mountains. The peaks of Novohradské Mountains, which are topping 1000 meters above the sea level, are rising above us from the far lying Třeboňská basin. The nature is filled with thick frontier deep forests and a web of small streams belongs to one of the most preserved natural areas in the Czech Republic. Thanks to the fresh wind that is coming to our land directly from the Alps the climate of the area is very beneficial to the people that are suffering from pulmonary problems.

Thanks to this fact the area of Novohradsko is considered to be a therapeutic land. That is also confirmed by the existence of many former spas such as Hojná, Dobrá Voda, Tereziiny lázničky in today’s still preserved and refined park Tereziino údolí. For the value of the pristine nature the Tereziino valley has been granted the status of National Natural Reserve. In the Tereziino valley we can find several characteristic building – former climatic spas, today Tereziiny lázničky, which are today reviving their therapeutic tradition. Then there is another pension Hamr, Švícarský house and a fragment of Modrý house which are for centuries creating the peaceful nature of the park.  

Not only a Tereziino valley, but also Žofínský and Hojnovodský primeval forests, one of the oldes primeval forests, but also a Červené blato are forming an important natural phenomenon in the south bohemian borderland. Austrian borderland which is connected to the area of the Novohradské Mountains can take pride in several rock formations Blockhaide or pristine nature in the floodplain of the river Lužnice. The Austrian borderland is also ising its climate for the therapeutic purposes. Conversely as in the Novohradské Mountains on the Czech side, the spa areas exist also on the Austrian side – Moor Harbach.

Novohradské Mountains are ideal place for active spending of your free time. The land here is mildly downy and that is what makes the area of Novohradské Mountains perfect for hiking and bicycling. In winter it is possible to make use of the perfect cross country paths (at the moment they are not regularly mentained). For skiing it better to use the Austrian ski slopes in Karlstift and Harmannschlagu.

The pristine land in Novohradské Mountains preserved mainly thanks to the absence of a heavy industry. Most of the job opportunities in the area are situated into the forestry and agriculture. Another very important sector in the area is the production of water, which is used as a natural resource of the area.     

In the recent time high education, science and research was developed in the Novohradsko and that is mainly thanks to the activities that take place in the Academical and university center in Nové Hrady. On the spa tradition then builds the wellness activities in the Buquoy residency and in Lázníčky and newly also in the salt center in Austrian Gmund.

But Novohradské Mountains are not only forests, meadows, mushrooms and blueberries. Novohradské Mountains are also the people that are living here and who are taking care of the nature. It is those people which are sustaining their cultural and sociological traditions. And that is why you can discover in almost every small village grown up maypoles, they are celebrating carnival, but we can also find a more recently developed traditions, concerts and also popular celebrations and fairs.