A stay in Cervena offers three distinct focal points: the history of the Church of St. Bartholomew, the construction of a railway bridge over the Vltava, and hiking routes with specific starting and ending points. Local history, engineering and route descriptions can be planned separately.

Church and Settlement History

The Church of St. Bartholomew near Červená nad Vltavou is the last reminder of the original settlement, which was flooded by the waters of the Orlík Reservoir. In 1960, it was relocated outside the flood zone because of its historical and artistic value. Its history thus links the building with the fate of the original settlement.

The ribbed vault of the presbytery is considered possibly the oldest of its kind in Bohemia. This cautious qualification refers to the vault, not to a ranking of the church as a whole. Two distinct cultural and historical perspectives therefore stand side by side: the memory of the flooded settlement and a specific feature of sacred architecture. If you are particularly interested in architecture, you can consider this aspect alongside the local history.

Railway Bridge: Construction and Access

The railway bridge near Červená is a 253-metre-long steel structure over the Vltava between Červená nad Vltavou and Vlastec. It was built using the cantilever method, without scaffolding. Its length describes the structure in a different way from the construction method: together, the two details give a specific impression of its design without reducing the bridge to its dimensions alone.

From Červená nad Vltavou railway station, the bridge can be reached via a 2.5-kilometre red-marked hiking trail. Check trail conditions before setting out. The bridge itself is not suitable for crossing and is reserved exclusively for railway traffic. You can therefore plan it as a hiking destination, but not as a pedestrian route across the Vltava.

Hiking Routes and Different Reference Points

Route descriptions from 2014 mention two hikes with different starting and ending points. The route “Hrejkovickým potokem k vodní nádrži Orlík” ends at Červená nad Vltavou railway station. The route “Podél vodní nádrže Orlík na horu Tábor” starts in Červená nad Vltavou. On the second route, the red-marked hiking trail follows the Jetětický potok to the Podolský Bridge.

Near Strouhy, the description of the second route also mentions an opportunity to swim. The details provide different reference points for choosing a hike: for the first, the railway station is the destination; for the second, Červená nad Vltavou is the starting point. The stream, Podolský Bridge and possible swimming spot are part of the second route description. As the route listings date from 2014, check current trail conditions before setting out. If you plan to swim, also check access to the water and conditions on site.

Discover more destinations: Radvánov, Lety, Kovářov, Orlik Nad Vltavou, Okrouhlá, Božetice, Jickovice, Kestřany.

Go to the regional travel overview: Písek District.