Royal Forest Dam in the Czech Republic - a marvellous structure

The Royal Forest Dam (Přehrada Les Královstvi) in the Czech Republic is not only a dam, but also a fabulously beautiful structure. We passed here with the motorhome in 2023, but that time there was never a reportage ... Now it's time!

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Royal Forest Dam in the Czech Republic

The Royal Forest Dam (Přehrada Les Království) was built in the early 20th century, in a romantic style, to prevent flooding.

The dam is located on the Labe (Elbe) River near the town of Dvůr Králové nad Labem, in the northern part of the Czech Republic.

A pond from the early 20th century

The Royal Forest Dam (Přehrada Les Království) was built primarily to limit the risk of flooding. The background was the severe floods that occurred in the area in 1888, 1890 and 1897. Another purpose of the dam was to generate hydroelectric power.

The dam was built between 1910 and 1919, in a style of architecture described on the information sign as 'pseudo-Gothic' and 'romanticised'. At the time of its construction, this was a dam that boasted the largest water reservoir in all of Czechoslovakia.

Since 1964, the dam has been protected as a national technical monument, and since 2010, both the dam and the hydropower plant are a national heritage site.

Royal Forest Dam - Přehrada Les Královstvi

The information signs next to the dam explain that flood water passes through three uncontrolled spillways. The water continues through various outlets and flows into a regulated riverbed below the dam.

Our visit to the Royal Forest Dam in the Czech Republic

So, why did we end up here? We were travelling in the Czech Republic in the summer of 2023, and we visited several nice places in this part of the country. Peter usually does a lot of research for our trips, and he had found pictures of this beautiful dam. When we saw that we were going to pass, we naturally wanted to make a stop.

We spent maybe half an hour here, walking around, admiring the building and reading the information signs.

We took a lot of photos, and the idea was of course to show them and write about the place. But at the time, we had a lot to write about, and the pond fell into oblivion... until now. Because isn't this beautiful pond worth showing off?

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

There's plenty to see and do in this part of the Czech Republic, with the town of Dvůr Králové nad Labem home to a large zoo specialising in African animals. Nearby you can also visit the unusual attraction Hospital Kuks - a baroque hospital from the 18th century.

From the dam it is also relatively close to the city Hradec Králové, which may be a little unknown but is surprisingly nice and pleasant! You can also visit the cool mountains Adrspach Rocks or Czech Republic's highest mountain Sněžka in the Sudetenland. The Czech Republic is an exciting destination!

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

Travelling with a motorhome and wondering where to stay overnight? One tip is to visit the campsite Stříbrný rybník in Hradec Králové. This is a scenic and well-maintained campsite, and there are also chalets.

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