Benesov – Basic Information
The official name of the city is just Benesov. Benesov u Prahy means “Benesov near Prague” and it is used to distinguish the city from several other towns and villages in the Czech Republic with the same name. As the name suggests, the city is not far (only some 40 km to the south-east) from Prague. It belongs to the Central Bohemian Region and it is the capital of Benesov District. The population of Benesov is almost 17,000.
Benesov Attractions and Surroundings
About 2 km from the centre of Benesov there is the hunting castle Konopiste, whose characteristic tower rising above the woods is visible from many places in and around the city. There are several ponds on Konopistsky Creek, which flows nearby and enters the Sazava River several kilometers to the north. The Sazava is one of the biggest rivers in the Czech Republic and its valleys are popular weekend destinations for the people from Prague.
Getting to Benesov
Benesov has an excellent road and rail transport connections. The main road from Prague to Ceske Budejovice (I/3 or E55) passes between the city centre and Konopiste. Its Benesov section is often congested, especially on Fridays and Sundays in summer, as people escape Prague for the weekend. Czech Republic’s most important highway D1 passes Benesov about 10 km in the north-east. From Prague, take D1 to exit 21 (Mirosovice, Ceske Budejovice, Linz) and then road number 3. From Brno, exit the D1 at exit 41 (Sternov) or 34 (Ostredek).
The main railway corridor from Prague to Ceske Budejovice also goes through Benesov, which is usually the first stop after Prague in express trains (travel time from Prague to Benesov is 40-45 minutes). Benesov is also the terminus of Prague suburban trains (line S9).
The postal code of Benesov is 256 01.