Les Království Reservoir
The red roof of the stone turrets, located on the crown of the dam, looks from a distance like a castle with a fairytale atmosphere. However, it is a building that was declared a technical monument in 1964, and which today is one of the most visited dams in the Czech Republic. We can find it on the river Elbe near Dvůr Králové nad Labem.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Les Království Reservoir
The Les Království Dam is also sometimes called Bílá Třemešná. It is set in the middle of forests under the hill Zvičina and we get to it along a narrow road leading from Bílá Třemešná to Nemojov, towards Hostinné. After crossing the dam crown, we come across a parking lot, from where we can go for a walk along the left bank of the dam along a green marked hiking trail.
Purpose of the construction
The Les Království Dam began to be built mainly due to the floods that accompanied every spring snowmelt in the Giant Mountains, which raised the water level in the middle reaches of the Elbe and then flooded the areas of Jaroměř and Dvůr Králové. Probably the worst flood here was in 1897, when its destructive force was felt only in Pardubice. Subsequently, it was decided to build two reservoirs, whose task will be to retain spring water. The first of them was built near Špindlerův Mlýn and the second here near Bílá Třemešná.
Dam construction
The dam project was developed sometime around 1903, but construction did not begin until seven years later. After the construction of the foundations and other work, however, everything was interrupted in 1914 and the First World War. Work could then continue again only from 1920. As early as 1917, however, the dam was able to catch a torrential wave from the Giant Mountains and prevent the flooding of Dvůr Králové.
The technical solution of the dam is very successful. It was built of blocks of Králodvorské sandstone from local quarries, it has an elegant arch and the water is drained through two side tunnels, the right one of which is connected by pipeline to a hydroelectric power plant, which was launched in 1923.
At the maximum state, the water outflow provides five overflows under the crown, each with a width of almost 11 m.
Thanks to its technical design and aesthetics, the Les Království on the Elbe dam was declared a national technical monument in 1964. It is built in the spirit of pseudo-Gothic, resembles a noble castle, and also thanks to that many tourists are looking for it.