Pisek

Písek is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 29 909 (est. January 1, 2007). Písek is usually called "The Athens of the South", although Athens is much more southerly, because it has many high schools and schools of higher education, e.g. the Film School in Písek.

Up to the last decades of 19th century Písek was a centre of large autonomous Prácheň Region (also Prácheňský kraj) (today's Prachatice, Písek, Strakonice and part of Příbram, Klatovy, České Budějovice and Jižní Plzeňsko Counties).

Písek is easily accessible by road I/4 and I/20 from Prague (I/4 toward Prague is mostly highway R4), road I/20 from České Budějovice, road I/29 from Tábor and road I/20 from Plzeň. Road I/20 forms west-southern road bypass and road I/29 forms eastern road bypass, while joining I/20 at the south. Also, Písek lies on Zdice–Protivín and Tábor–Ražice rail lines. It is superbly connected to central and western Bohemia or the same way as to the southward situated Šumava (historically called Böhmerwald or Gabreta in Germanic and Celtic languages)