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Located on the Otava River, population: 25,000 inhabitants. It is a former royal town which was first mentioned in 1254 and acquired its name from its gold-bearing sand / P�sek in Czech /. The citizens of P�sek were loyal supporters of Jan �i�ka during the Hussite wars. P�sek has many historical architectural monuments. Of particular interest are the remains of the old Gothic castle in the courtyard of the town hall. The castle was gutted by the fire in the 16th century and all that was left of it was a Gothic hall, decorated with 15th century paintings, which has been adapted to house the municipal museum. The 13th century stone bridge above the Otava River that is the oldest in Bohemia and even older than Charles Bridge in Prague was built. Several churches in P�sek are also worth to be mentioned, the chief one being the Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary.