Doudleby had been established, as a princely residence in the 9th.century.It has become not only a domicile of the prince and his entourage, but also a military, administrative, economic and religious centre during one century. There has been artfully built up an own fort in the l0th century on the place of contemporary church, vicarage, part of churchyard and the vicarage land. The admittance to the fort has been obviated by two smaller foreforts.
Lords of Doudleby was a family Slavníkovci in the 10th century. The annalist Kosmas presents also a municipality or regional castle Doudleby towards 981, which relates to the definition of borderline castles of ruling family.
The family Slavnikovci has been slaughtered in the end of the 10th century and Doudleby passed over to the ruling family Přemyslovci. The privileged status of the region Doudleby has declined owing to the foundation of Budějovice, because all administrative authorities have been deputed into the newly founded royal town after 1265. Doudleby become a private possession of the yeoman family Cipín widespread in the southern Bohemia, whose member, Cenek used until 1291 “from Doudleby”. The Doudlebian family had been reigning here until 1522, when Peter, hetman on the Krumlov domination had sold his part to the aristocrat Metelský, who sold it in 1543 to the town Budejovice. Second part has been bought in 1575 by dominion Trebon. Thus Doudleby as well as Stranany , the village of people living in the settlement on the hillside until 1849, passed over to the possession of České Budějovice and Treboň. We can judge that the temple has been already built up in the region settlement Doudleby in the time of Prince Wenceslas. On the other hand it is sure, that there have already been vicarage in Doudleby in 1143 and vicar was at he same time the vicar for the southern Bohemia. There have been 49 beneficial (vicarages) under its administration in the 14th century The reformation affected deanery Doudleby probably the least, there have stayed the greatest number of priests in the vicarages. St. Vincent´s church is at the same time dedicated to the veneration of Virgin Mary’s Nativity. The oldest part of contemporary church is sacristy and presbytery. They are Gothic, come from the 14th century, the nave and the southern portal are late Gothic from 1494. The nave has been reconstructed in Baroque style in 1707 and at the same time Peter de Maggi has built the tower.
The statues of St. John the Baptist, St. Joachym, St. Anna and St. Zechariahs have decorated the main altar of St.Vincent and hallowed Virgin Mary. There was a board painting of Madonna with the Child above the tabernacle, so called Doudlebian Madonna made by the unknown master from the period about 1420. The painting had been painted from both sides of the board and the picture from the other side have been professionally separated during the restoration in Wienna in 1907 and thus arose the second separated painting Obeisance to the Bambino in Creches. The original painting of Madonna have been bestowed to the National Gallery in Prague for the academic and exposition purpose and it is also in deposit in there. There is an accurate and very successful copy on the altar from 1978, made in the workshop of the National Gallery. There is the painting of St. Vincent above the Madonna. It is an oil painting on the cloth in the glass in frame. The side altar of St. Barbara has an altar painting of St. Barbara performed by means of oil on the cloth. There is a painting of St. Anna above it. There is a statue of St. Leonard on taberkauli.
The second side alter has a painting of St. Vincent. There is a painting of Holy Family above it; both the paintings are oil-paintings. The pulpit has been cut from wood; there is a statue of an angel holding the desk with 10 Divine Regulations. There have been discovered ancient gothic frescoes from the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century in 1904. They represent the Lord’s Nativity, shepherd with herds, Three Kings carrying presents. The frescoes in the presbytery are newer and they haven’t been uncovered yet. There is the late Gothic statue of Piety in the left nave coming from the period after 1500. The rocky statue of Pieta in front of the church comes from the 1st half of the 18th century. The gate in front of the church has been built in the style of Lodovico the XVI and it was reconstructed in 1981. The sepulchral stones in the church are late Gothic and Renascence from the period between 1521 and 1541. The organ is doublemanual, built up in 1944. The builder of the organ is František Šurát from České Budějovice. The baroque casing remained from the old organ.
The roof of the church has been reconstructed in 1974 and 1996, when there was manufactured the new gutters and entire plumbing works form the cuprous metal sheet.
Gothic frescoes in the sacristy wait to be reconstructed.
MYSTERIOUS PAINTING
Although the doudlebian deanery has already been referred since 1143, we know the names of vicars only from the beginning of the 14th century. The St.Vincent´s church is as ancient as the fort; contemporary building is in the foundation early gothic from the 14th century, as proves us uncovered frescoes from the period after 1350.
The greatest attention deserves the gothic board painting of Madonna on the main altar, into which belong many legends. Along the legend has the painting been painted during the reign of family Slavníkovci and St. Vojtěch was his admirer. In reality there is a painting on the linden board from about the half of the 14th century and it has been manufactured as a copy of an unknown older painting. In spite of this it influenced the ill worshipers with the miraculous power and numerous procession let to it during pilgrimages even from Austria.
Too much water has run through the riverbed of Malše since the doudlebian vicar severely sickened. He lay up, but any medicine couldn’t give him the health, the most precious gift, back. His last hope was for him the portrait of Madonna in local church. Lifeless vicar asked for the transport of the saint painting into his room to be able to cure by means of the fervid supplications in front of the face of Virgin Mary.
While he having been full of hope and reliance apparently recuperated, the crowd of worshippers tried vainly find the picture of their benefactor on the place, where was the empty frame on the altar. Divine Mother missed the cord of needy and therefore she displayed her wish. One bright day the vicar got up from his bed to realise why the face of Madonna glistens. There wasn’t any dew, there were tears coursing down her cheeks. He wip the drops by his vestment, but the crying didn’t stop. He comprehended her nostalgia and let the painting give back on the altar, where it ever belonged.
The vicar soon recovered and was able to look after the people who were coming to the church with the supplication to help. As a testimony of gratitude has the painting been festooned by many presents made from the gold, silver and by the pearl necklaces? There were so many gems during a short time that they were put into the coffer.
Increasing fortune has tempted many thieves and therefore there was a series of burglaries in. 1698, 1704, 1723 a 1784, whose the painting has weathered without any harm. The only mystery is the burglary from the 22nd January 1704, when the burglar broke the painting glass, took the golden and silver money and other charities without leaving any traces neither inside the church nor in the snow in front of the churchyard. The calm arose only in 1811, when the Austrian government confiscated the church possession made of the precious metals.
Even though the whole region had been attached to the central part of Bohemia in the 10th century, the nation preserved subconscious about the language and cultural peculiarity. So that’s why they were going northward from the Doudleby “into Bohemia”, the girl from the nearby Blata was “Tschechanda” and the man coming from the more distant village has already been “zahor = from behind the hill”.
The significance of Doudleby region has already been appreciated in the time of national regeneration. The stone from Doudleby left from České Budějovice by means of the ship towards Prague on the 12th of the May 1868. It has been under the number 16 inserted into the basement of the National Theatre and thus mentions the famous history of our country up to this date. Therefore the small hamlet transcends by its age and history many towns.