The spa town Třeboň is an important tourist, recreational, cultural and administrative centre in South Bohemia. The centre of the town is protected for its historical value.
Třeboň lies on the Zlatá Stoka (Golden Canal) in the Třeboňská Pánev (Třeboň Basin) in the Protected Landscape Area Třeboňsko about 20 km east of the town České Budějovice, 434 m a.s.l.
The history of the town dates back to the middle of the 12th century, when the settlement or the courtyard was founded on a trade route in this marshy country. Its Czech name is first mentioned in 1262. At that time the village was under the ownership of the Vítkovec family. Since the 13th century Třeboň has been known as a town. It was fortified in the 14th century and it became property of the Rožmberks. They owned the town from 1366 till 1611, the period of its biggest growth. The development of pond culture in the 15th and 16th centuries was a very important part of this boom. The large system of ponds and canals was founded around Třeboň (e.g. Svět pond ("World") lying on the outskirts of the town and Rožmberk pond, which is the largest pond in Bohemia). The famous builders of ponds Štěpánek Netolický and Jakub Krčín worked as regents here at that time.
Třeboň burnt down several times and it was hard damaged during the Thirty Years' War. Around 1640 the plague epidemic killed nearly all the population. In 1660 Třeboň became property of the Schwarzenbergs, who started the renewal of the town. The town got a Baroque face. At the end of the 19th century the spa was founded in Třeboň and peat was used for healing there. After the Second World War the development of the town started again and the spa was enlarged (after 1950) and rebuilt into the sanatorium for healing of muscles and joints.
A unique fortification system is preserved in Třeboň. Štěpánek Netolický added the second belt of defensive walls with bastions, moat and rampart to the simple town walls. Three huge town gates protected the town: Hradecká Brána (Hradec Gate), Novohradská Brána (Nové Hrady Gate) are on the eastern side of walls; the Budějovická Brána (Budějovice Gate) is on the western side. The chateau, which stands on the south-western outskirts of the town near the square, became a part of the fortification too.
The square in the historical centre is enclosed with citizen houses with the Renaissance and Baroque gables. The most important building is the town hall. The Marian column, which stands in the middle of the square, originates from 1781.
A former monastery of the order of Austin Friars from the 14th century and the St. Gilles' Church are situated in the north-western part of the town not far from the centre.
The southern border of the town is formed by Svět pond with several leisure centres on its bank. The circular instructional trail Cesta kolem Světa ("The Journey Around the World") leads around the pond. It is 12 km long and has 16 stops.
The family tomb of the Schwarzenbergs stands in the nature park on the bank of Svět pond about 1.5 km far from the centre.
Many instructional and nature trails lead around the town. The circular trail Cesta kolem Světa (Trip Around Svět) runs around the Svět pond. On the dam of the Svět pond there begin the cyclotrails Okolo Třeboně (Around Třeboň) and Rožmberk.
reserve Slepičí Vršek
reserve Stará Řeka
reserve Velký a Malý Tisý
reserve Meandry Lužnice
game preserve Jemčinská Obora
Zlatá Stoka canal
Nová Řeka canal
Rožmberk pond