Písek (Czech pronunciation: [ˈpiːsɛk] ; German: Pisek) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 31,000 inhabitants. The town is located on the Otava River. It is a centre of education with a number of important schools. Písek was a village of gold panners, until the royal town was founded in 1254. Up to the last decades of 19th century, Písek was the centre of the large autonomous Prácheňsko region. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. The town is known for Písek Stone Bridge, the oldest bridge in the Czech Republic that is a national cultural monument.