Ledeč nad Sázavou: What to See in the Town Below the Castle

Sometimes an ordinary shopping errand is all it takes to turn into a lovely trip. That is exactly how our visit to Ledeč nad Sázavou came about. 🙂

My husband and I set off to buy shelled walnuts from a lady who lived not far from Ledeč nad Sázavou. We had never been to the town before, so it occurred to us that we could simply pop in. And so, after picking up the walnuts, we drove on.

Already as we arrived, we were taken with the sight of the mighty castle towering high on a rock above the Sázava River. I must say it was a really lovely invitation to visit the town.

Parking on the Square and Surprisingly Busy Traffic

We headed straight to the centre, to Hus Square. We were lucky, because the very last free parking space was waiting for us, right opposite the beautiful historic building of the local grammar school.

The price of parking pleasantly surprised us. At the time of our visit the first hour cost a mere 5 CZK and every additional hour 10 CZK. You don’t often see prices like that these days. What surprised me much more, though, was the heavy car traffic. There were really a lot of cars on the rather small square. At times small queues formed, some drivers even honked at one another, and overall it was much busier than I would have expected. We really had to be careful when crossing the road. It was actually the only thing I didn’t like much about Ledeč. On a historic square like this, you would love to look at the surrounding houses in peace, but the traffic disturbed us a little.

A historic building on Hus Square and the town map

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A Market on the Square and Our First Souvenirs

There happened to be a market on the square, so we decided to stroll through it. A fruit and vegetable stall caught our eye right away. And what pleasantly surprised me? Most of the goods on offer came from the Czech Republic. I really liked that. We bought some fruit and vegetables, for example big Czech plums, pears for my mother-in-law and also horseradish. At another stall we picked up socks made of sheep’s wool. So we hadn’t even properly started sightseeing and had already done our shopping. 🙂

On the square also stands the striking Baroque Marian column from 1770, created by the Pardubice sculptor Jakub Teplý. It is decorated with statues of saints and little angels, and the Virgin Mary stands at the top.

The market and the Marian column on the square

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A Stop at the Information Centre

Not far from the square we discovered the tourist information centre. When I visit a new town, I like to stop by. Not only for the information, but also because I bring fridge magnets home from some places. Of course I picked one here too. The lady at the information centre and I also chatted for a while, and not only about where we should go in Ledeč.

Ledeč nad Sázavou and a Bit of Its History

Ledeč nad Sázavou lies in the Vysočina Region, in the Havlíčkův Brod District. The town spreads across the valley of the Sázava River and its most striking landmark is undoubtedly the castle on a rocky spur. The history of Ledeč reaches back to the Middle Ages. The first written records of settlement here date from as early as the end of the 12th century.

The town gradually developed around the river, the trade routes and the castle, which served an important defensive purpose. Over the centuries several noble families succeeded one another here, and their influence shaped the look of both the town and the castle itself. Since 2003 the historic centre of Ledeč has been an urban heritage zone. Besides the castle and the Church of St Peter and St Paul, the historic houses in the centre, the Marian column and the local Jewish monuments are also worth your attention.

Historic houses in the centre of Ledeč

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Lunch at Pod Hradem

After the information centre we set off towards the castle. It was already lunchtime and we started thinking about where to eat. In the end we chose a restaurant right below the castle called Restaurace, penzion a vinárna Pod Hradem (restaurant, guesthouse and wine bar). And we chose well. We really enjoyed the food and the portions were truly huge. The kind where you definitely don’t leave hungry. 🙂

So if you are looking for a place for a good lunch in Ledeč nad Sázavou, I can recommend this restaurant.

Restaurace, penzion a vinárna Pod Hradem

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Ledeč nad Sázavou Castle

After lunch we continued to the castle that had caught our attention as soon as we arrived in town. Ledeč nad Sázavou Castle is one of the oldest noble castles in Bohemia. Its origins reach back to the middle of the 13th century. Originally a Gothic castle, it was rebuilt several times over the centuries, so today Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements blend on it. Its position is interesting too. It stands on a high rocky spur above the river, so seen from the water it looks truly mighty. The castle also includes a 32-metre-high tower, which you reach by 111 steps. From its top, visitors get a view of the town and the surrounding countryside.

We were out of luck, though. It was a Friday and the castle was already closed to visitors that day. In October it is usually open mainly at weekends. So we at least walked around the castle, looked at its mighty walls and took a few photos. Even from the outside there is plenty to see. Especially looking up from the road below the castle, that is when you really see how high above it the castle stands.

Ledeč castle and the view of the town from the castle

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The Jaroslav Foglar Museum: A Place I Want to Return To

Ledeč castle is also home to the Jaroslav Foglar Museum. And this is exactly the museum I would love to see. I read Jaroslav Foglar’s books as a child and I still remember them to this day. His stories full of adventure, friendship and mysterious places really entertained me back then. The museum is dedicated to the life and work of this well-known Czech writer.

Visitors can see, for example, surroundings reminiscent of the mysterious Stínadla, life-size Rychlé šípy (Swift Arrows), the clubhouse of the Boys from Beaver River or the puzzle collection Ježek v kleci (Hedgehog in a Cage). Foglar’s connection with this region is interesting too. Near Ledeč lies Sluneční zátoka (Sunny Bay), where Foglar organised camps for his boys. This time the museum was closed to us, but at least we have another reason to visit Ledeč again. And I think a visit to this museum could be interesting not only for children, but also for adults who grew up on Foglar’s books.

A Walk Along the Sázava and to the Church of St Peter and St Paul

From the castle we continued towards the river. The walk along the Sázava was one of the loveliest parts of our visit. The river was fairly calm and the surrounding houses, the church and the castle were beautifully reflected on its surface. We kept stopping, taking photos and enjoying the sunny autumn weather. We also walked past the weir. As the lady at the information centre had told us earlier, there was little water in the river. Yet this very stretch of the Posázaví region is usually busy with paddlers when the water level is right.

This time, though, the river offered us something different: lovely views of the town and its historic monuments. During the walk by the river, one more thing caught our eye. By the road stood a traffic sign warning of the danger of a car falling into the water. My husband and I had probably never seen a sign like that before. 🙂

An autumn walk along the Sázava River

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Gradually we also reached the Church of St Peter and St Paul, which you recognise by its tall slender tower. Only later did I find out that the tower, including the cross, is 64 metres high and that its construction was completed as early as 1535. The first written mention of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, however, dates from as far back as 1350. A curiosity is its late Gothic vault, whose ribs were made of fired potter’s clay. This unusual design is considered a European unique.

From the other side of the river there is a really beautiful view of the church. Its tower is mirrored in the water and together with the surrounding houses creates one of the loveliest scenes in the town.

The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Ledeč nad Sázavou

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How Did We Like Ledeč nad Sázavou?

I have to say that Ledeč nad Sázavou pleasantly surprised me. We hadn’t planned to come here at all. We only wanted to buy some walnuts, and in the end we discovered a town with a beautiful castle, a historic centre and a lovely walk along the river.

And I would definitely love to come back. This time ideally when both the castle and the Jaroslav Foglar Museum are open.

So if you ever find yourself driving past Ledeč nad Sázavou, try stopping here. Perhaps the town will pleasantly surprise you just as it did us. 🙂