A historic town on the Elbe River, known for its 12th-century castle and wine production. The Gothic bridge and Renaissance church mark its cultural significance.
Roudnice nad Labem sits along the Elbe River, 45 minutes north of Prague. Cross the steel bridge that replaced a medieval stone crossing from the 12th century, or explore the Baroque palace rebuilt from an ancient castle by the Lobkowicz family. The Gothic watchtower lets you see Říp Mountain, a key site in Czech origin stories. Walk past the Augustinian monastery’s iron spring, where reddish water gives the town its name, and see vineyards lining the riverbanks. Stone streets, a 19th-century town hall, and remnants of Jewish settlements add depth to this compact, walkable area.
Roudnice Castle: From Fortress to Baroque Residence
Built in the 1100s as a Romanesque stronghold for Prague bishops, Roudnice Castle guarded trade routes on the Elbe. The Lobkowicz family redesigned it into a Baroque palace between 1652 and 1684, adding arched courtyards and formal gardens. Guides explain how bishops used it for summer retreats and how soldiers occupied it during World War II. The castle’s original library held rare manuscripts and maps until it moved to Prague in the 20th century. A vineyard next to the property opens for tastings of local white wines in autumn.
Charles Square and Key Buildings
At the center of town, Charles Square holds the 1869 town hall with its clock tower and red-and-cream facade. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, part of a monastery founded in 1333, has pointed arches and stained glass typical of Gothic design. An iron spring in the monastery courtyard still releases water tinted reddish-brown by mineral deposits. The stone watchtower, one of the last pieces of the town’s medieval walls, has 72 steps leading to a platform overlooking the Elbe.
Hláska Watchtower and Kratochvíl Lookout
The Hláska tower stored water for the town square in the 1300s, using a cistern that held 70 cubic meters. Its staircase takes you to a viewing spot level with the castle’s rooftop. For a different perspective, visit the Kratochvíl Lookout, a concrete tower built in 1934 on the town’s eastern edge. Though only 12 meters tall, its hilltop position provides sightlines to Říp Mountain and the flatlands stretching toward Mělník.
Říp Mountain: Hiking to a National Symbol
The 456-meter-high Říp Mountain rises 5 kilometers south of Roudnice. A stone path leads to the 12th-century rotunda at the top, where frescoes depict St. George slaying a dragon. Local legends say the Slavic leader Čech stood here to claim the land for his people. Cyclists follow the green-marked trail from Roudnice’s train station, passing orchards and small farms. On the first Sunday in May, hundreds hike to the summit for speeches and folk music celebrating Czech history.
Jewish History in Roudnice
Jews settled near the castle’s Horse Market in the 1500s, building homes and a synagogue demolished in the 1800s. The newer Jewish cemetery on Hřbitovní Street contains over 200 tombstones from the 1700s to early 1900s, many engraved with Hebrew script. A small plaque marks where a ceremonial hall stood before it burned down in 1984. Researchers from Prague’s Jewish Museum have cataloged names from the cemetery for online archives.
Festivals and Local Activities
Roudnice Airport holds a biennial airshow in June, with Czech pilots performing loops and dives in vintage L-29 jets. Paved paths along the Elbe let cyclists ride to Litoměřice in 90 minutes or to Prague in two days. The town’s public pool opens from May to September, and the ice rink operates weekends in winter. During European Heritage Days in September, guided tours explain the Lobkowicz Palace’s art collection and the Podřipské Museum’s archaeological finds.
Nearby Towns and Transportation
Trains from Roudnice reach Prague’s Masaryk Station in 50 minutes or Litoměřice in 20 minutes. Litoměřice’s main square has Renaissance-era houses with painted ceilings and a wine cellar dug into the city walls. Libochovice Castle, 14 kilometers west, displays Baroque furniture and a greenhouse with tropical plants. Boats dock at Roudnice’s river port seasonally, usually as part of weeklong Elbe cruises between Germany and the Czech Republic.
