From the Rozhledna Radětice observation tower, the view extends beyond the edge of the forest; chapels, a small church and a war memorial provide tangible points of reference for the town’s history. Radětice can therefore be understood through both its landscape and its buildings, which date from different periods.

Views and Landscape

The Rozhledna Radětice observation tower stands west of Radětice, at the edge of the forest. From there, the view spans about 150 degrees, from northeast to southeast, focusing mainly on Bechyně and the surrounding municipalities and settlements. The view described is therefore directional, not panoramic. The approximate angle and the places mentioned together give a concrete sense of what makes this viewpoint distinctive.

The Plziny Nature Park extends partly across the cadastral area of Radětice u Bechyně. Its purpose is to preserve the landscape character of an extensive forest complex with bodies of water, along with significant natural and aesthetic values. The observation tower and the nature park thus represent two different perspectives: a specific view across the landscape and the protection of a larger landscape area.

Buildings and Local History

In the Poušť forest, the devout Count Jan Norbert ze Štenberka had the small Church of St John the Baptist and a hermitage built on a rocky rise in 1676. Since 1980, the Evangelical Methodist Church has held Christian educational courses on the church grounds; the grounds are also used by the church for recreational purposes. The founding and present-day church use belong to different periods in the history of this place.

The bell-tower chapel in Radětice was built in 1921 and is 11.80 metres high. In 2002, its original interior paintings, pictorial decoration with four images of saints and altar were restored. The construction date, height and restored furnishings describe different aspects of the building: when it was built, its size and the elements preserved inside.

Another chapel is the semicircular Chapel of St Mary. The farmer Jan Kožíšek had it built in 1857. Today it stands in Radětice on the main road towards Bechyně, is privately owned and was renovated in 1997 at the municipality’s expense. Its ownership is just as relevant to understanding the chapel as its shape, construction date and later renovation.

The Radětice war memorial bears the names of 30 local residents who fell in the First World War. Unlike the chapels and the small church, it is a memorial whose inscription connects it to local history through the names of the fallen.

The dates can be distinguished by what they refer to: 1676 marks the construction of the small church and hermitage, 1857 the building of the Chapel of St Mary, and 1921 the bell-tower chapel. 1997 refers to the renovation of the Chapel of St Mary, while 2002 marks the restoration of the bell-tower chapel’s interior furnishings. This keeps the building history distinct from later conservation work.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can choose Radětice based on which aspect best suits your trip: the view from the edge of the forest or the town’s architectural and commemorative history.

Discover more destinations: Rataje, Mladá Vožice, Borkovice, Nová Ves U Mladé Vožice, Vodice U Tábora, Vlčeves, Hodětín, Mesice.

See the overview of the wider area: Okres Tábor.