Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Czechia České Budějovice Stray Boulder (Bludný Kámen)

Stray Boulder (Bludný Kámen)

Locals say the stone that marks the spot where the gallows once stood can lead you astray.

České Budějovice, Czechia

Added By
Sebastián Wortys
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Stray Boulder.  
Stray Boulder.  
Stray Boulder.   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Stray Boulder.   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Stray Boulder.   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Stray Boulder.   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Stray Boulder.  
  vaclavsulista / Atlas Obscura User
  vaclavsulista / Atlas Obscura User
  vaclavsulista / Atlas Obscura User
  vaclavsulista / Atlas Obscura User
Stray Boulder.  
  vaclavsulista / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Samson's fountain sits in the middle of the Přemysl Otakar II Square in the center of Budweis (České Budějovice). The area around the fountain, surrounded by historic buildings from as early as the 1500s, is the largest town square in Czechia. The figures of Justice, Wisdom, Courage and Prudence and a quartet of bronze gargoyles guard the square.

There’s so much to see it would be easy to walk right over the small spot that strays from the square’s otherwise neatly arranged bricks and concrete slabs. Just a few yards from the fountain, there’s a small, rounded rock with a cross carved into it.

The Bludný Kámen (Stray Boulder) marks the place where the gallows once stood. Some locals call it the “vicious stone” because it’s said to memorialize the executions of 10 men who conspired against King George of Poděbrady in the 1470s.

While it is literally astray in the otherwise paved square, the title also references a local legend that says anyone who walks over it after nine in the evening will wander the streets lost until the sun rises.

In 2010, when some teenagers dug the stone out and moved it to another spot for a prank, the police thought it had gone missing and led a search for the iconic rock. The city was a little embarrassed to admit they’d overlooked its new location, which was close to where it belongs.

Related Tags

History Legends Rocks Geology

Community Contributors

Added By

Sebastian Wortys

Edited By

vaclavsulista

  • vaclavsulista

Published

November 3, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktivity-a-akce/aktivity/bludny-kamen-v-ceskych-budejovicich.aspx
Stray Boulder (Bludný Kámen)
36 Náměstí Přemysla Otakara II
České Budějovice, 370 01
Czechia
48.974462, 14.474405
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The State Chateau of Hluboká

Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czechia

miles away

Třeboň

Třeboň, Czechia

miles away

The Bear Moat at Český Krumlov Castle

Český Krumlov, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Czechia

Czechia

Europe

Places 182
Stories 9

Nearby Places

The State Chateau of Hluboká

Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czechia

miles away

Třeboň

Třeboň, Czechia

miles away

The Bear Moat at Český Krumlov Castle

Český Krumlov, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Czechia

Czechia

Europe

Places 182
Stories 9

Related Places

  • Beheading Stone.

    Stirling, Scotland

    Beheading Stone

    Legend says this rock was once a chopping block for public executions.

  • The Merry Maidens stone circle in Cornwall

    Cornwall, England

    The Merry Maidens

    Perhaps the only prehistoric monument with its very own public bus stop.

  • Felsenkirche, the “crag church.”

    Idar-Oberstein, Germany

    Felsenkirche (Crag Church)

    A tiny chapel clings to a precipice above Germany’s gemstone capital.

  • The Dragon Mark

    Hanö, Sweden

    Drakmärket (Dragon Mark)

    According to local lore, a flying dragon was blinded by a lighthouse and crashed, leaving a permanent mark on this island rock.

  • The Pierre Percée in all of its glory

    Pierre-Châtel, France

    La Pierre Percée

    According to a local legend, this peculiar mountaintop rock formation is actually a demon that was turned into stone.

  • Ruggles Mine

    Grafton, New Hampshire

    Ruggles Mine

    Generations of rockhounds got their start at this beloved, historic mine.

  • “La griffe du Diable” (the claw of the devil)

    Uchon, France

    Les Rochers du Carnaval

    Erosion left these fascinating granite formations strewn across fields and mountains in Burgundy.

  • Narragansett Rune Stone

    North Kingstown, Rhode Island

    Narragansett Rune Stone

    It's said that this stone with its mysterious runic inscription is evidence of the Norse visiting Narragansett.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.