Kamýk nad Vltavou is a municipality and village in Příbram District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Vltava River.

Administrative parts

The village of Velká is an administrative part of Kamýk nad Vltavou.

Etymology

The word kamýk is and old Czech diminutive form of the Slavic word kamy, meaning 'little stone', 'little rock'.

Geography

Kamýk nad Vltavou is located about 18 km east of Příbram and 43 km south of Prague. It lies in the Benešov Uplands. The highest point is the hill Bába at 442 m above sea level. The Vltava River flows through the municipality. A part of the Kamýk Reservoir, built on the Vltava, is located in the southern part of the municipality.

History

The first written mention of the Vrškamýk Castle is from 1236. The settlements above the castle called Starý Kamýk and Nový Kamýk were first mentioned in 1285. Kamýk was the property of the royal chamber, which lent it to various noble families, including the important families of Rosenberg, Lobkowicz and Pernštejn. In 1561, the royal chamber definitely sold Kamýk to nobles. Before the Battle of White Mountain, Kamýk was owned by the Myška of Žlunice family, but their properties were consficated, and Kamýk was sold to Polyxena of Lobkowicz in 1623. She merged it with the Vysoký Chlumec estate. The Lobkowicz family owned Kamýk until 1922.

Demographics

Transport

There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality.

Sights

The main landmarks of Kamýk nad Vltavou are the castle and the church. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary dates from the third quarter of the 13th century. In 1775–1787, the early Gothic church was rebuilt in the Baroque style, but some Gothic elements have been preserved to this day. The medieval castle called Vrškamýk or just Kamýk is now a ruin. It was abandoned in the second half of the 14th century and first described as a ruin in 1569. Only a part of the inner walls has been preserved. Near the church is a lookout tower, also called Vrškamýk.