Vimperk

Vimperk (Czech pronunciation: [ˈvɪmpɛrk]; German: Winterberg) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. In 2000 the town had 8,090 inhabitants. Vimperk is situated in the Šumava region in the Volyňka River valley among the foothills of the Boubín Mountains. The town elevation is 700 metres above sea level.

Vimperk is surrounded by the Šumava National Park, and the park headquarters are located in the Vimperk Castle. The Šumava National Park covers 690.3 km² and is the largest national park in the Czech Republic as well as in Central Europe. The protected lands of Šumava and the Bavarian Forest National Park form what is called the "Green Roof of Europe", which was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1990.

Historically Vimperk has been known as an important regional center of trade, being located on the Golden Trail (also called the Salt Path) from Passau. Vimperk is also renowned for its glass-making and printing traditions.

The Vimperk Castle was once an important fortress in southern Bohemia. The oldest part of the castle dates back to about 1195. The Schwarzenbergs were the last private proprietors of the castle.