Sights
Castles and chateaux / Churches and chapels / Houses / Statues, crosses and wayside crosses / Technical heritage
Church of St. John of Nepomuk – a Baroque jewel built in the birthplace of the most famous Czech saint
Opening hours: Summer 8:00–18:00 / Winter 8:00–16:00.
- Němejc Square, 335 01 Nepomuk
Tel.: +420 773 122 633 (Mr. Jiří Špiřík) / farnost.nepomuk.cz/index.php?stranka=hl-kostely
Church of St. James the Greater
Fortified Gothic basilica with Roman relics and a Baroque belfry
Opening hours: during religious service and culture events, or by appointment in the Museum of St. John of Nepomuk
Přesanické Square / Tel.: +420 772 122 633 (the priest)
http://farnost.nepomuk.cz/index.php?stranka=hl-kostely
Originally a Romanesque church founded by the monks of the Cistercian Monastery in the 12th century, the building was modified in the Gothic style in the late 13th century and in the 1370s. A curiosity is the Baroque tower, erected unusually in the axis of the presbytery at the end of the 18th century. The church was closed due to the reforms of Emperor Joseph II; it was restored in 1859–75 and modified in the romantic Neo-Gothic style. The interior has preserved many valuable components, including the tombstone of Ladislav of Sternberg (1566). Adjacent to the church is the Archdeanery building with a French roof, rebuilt by K.I. Dienzenhofer after the fire of 1746.
Upon request, the church is available to visit during the opening hours of the Museum of St. John of Nepomuk. We ask that large groups planning to visit the church make an appointment in advance.
Zelená Hora Chateau
Opening hours: open on special occasions in the summer, or by appointment for groups of 10+ persons (Klášter municipality - www.obecklaster.cz)
Klášter u Nepomuka, č. p. 1 / Email: ou.klaster@seznam.cz / Tel.: +420 724 181 254 (Zdeněk Bartošek, mayor) / zelenahora.cz
In 2019, the chateau opens to the public 29. 6. – 7. 7. (except 1. 7.) - updated information at www.zelenahora.cz
The Zelená Hora chateau, a prominent feature of the Nepomuk Region, was erected on the site of a fortified hilltop from the Hussite Wars. After the wars ended, the hilltop stonghold was rebuilt as a castle by Hynek Krušina of Švamberk. The elevation of the chateau is 536 m above sea level. The chateau itself was erected by Václav Vojtěch of Sternberg in the 17th century while the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary dates from the 15th century. The chateau was the seat of the house of Sternberg, Lev of Rožmitál, and the houses of Martinic, Colloredo-Mansfeld, and Auersberg. The last legal owners of the chateau were Mr. and Mrs. Plavec, who bought the building from the house of Auersberg for CZK 8.5m on 1 October 1931. Before the outbreak of World War II, the Plavecs sold the building to Karel Blažek, an entrepreneur from Pilsen and MP for the Czechoslovak Traders’ Party. However, he failed to pay the transfer fees to the government, which is why the sale was not recorded in the land registry. A period of neglect of the chateau began. The chateau housed a German garrison, then the US Army for a while, followed by Technical Auxiliary Battalions, and later still Technical Battalions. The military remained in the building even after the dissolution of the Battalions until the early 1990s, when the chateau was transferred to the municipality of Klášter. The public became aware of the chateau especially as the original location of the Zelená Hora Manuscript. This document was found by Josef Kovář, the chateau accounts clerk. The manuscript, which contained the Libuša’s Verdict text, played a major, positive role in influencing the nation’s awareness during the period of National Revival. There is much discussion, to this day, about the origin and authenticity of the manuscript. The chateau is also known to the general public from the Black Barons novel by Miloslav Švandrlík and the eponymous film based on the book. However, the presence of the Technical Battalions in the early 1950s in the building was much less humorous than what the book portrays. The chateau was also used as a filming location for the French film Catherine Courage or the John Sinclair series.
Town house No. 30 – an authentic Baroque house
Opening hours: Only part of the Otvíráme Nepomuk (Nepomuk Open Days) event / Zelenodolská 30, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=203
This single-story Baroque town house is notable for its gate and semi-hipped roof. The arrangement of the house is based on the Gothic tradition. The interior has preserved a two-leaf, frame door with forged exterior hinges (18th century) and a box-style lock. There is a small yard behind the house, surrounded by authentic farming buildings from the second half of the 19th century (stables, barn). The façade facing Zelenodolská Street has been restored.
Alexandr Berndorf has identified the site as the location of the house of Tomáš Sládek (1589) and the hat maker Jiří Rabštejnský (1654). When the house belonged to the butcher Matěj Ripl, it burned down in 1714. The current building was probably erected after the fire. In 1868, under the owner Jan Bláha, a new barn was built by Vojtěch Boháč, a master builder, on the opposite side of the yard. In 1937, the then-owner Josef Maršík replaced the thatched roof with asbestos cement roofing.
Na Skalici hermitage
Opening hours: Freely accessible
To the south of the village of Prádlo is a hill called Na Skalici. On its north-east face is an area with several unusually shaped rocks and a small, round, romantic Poustevna (Hermitage). It was captured in photographs at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, looking practically the same as today. Due to the tall trees surrounding the site, the hermitage does not offer any views of the countryside. The only place with a view is at the edge of the rocks, but there is no path leading to it. That is why the small rocks, often isolated, in the area are known only to rock enthusiasts.
A red marked tourist trail leads to the Poustevna. Most tourist guidebooks state that Poustevna is located at the top of Na Skalici hill. The hilltop is at elevation 560.9m above sea level and offers nothing special. There is no view, nor a path leading to it. The rocks with near the Poustevna are in fact below the hilltop, on the north-east side of the hill.
Nebílovy Chateau – Vienna-style Baroque in the South Pilsen region
Nebílovy 1 Nezvěstice Nebílovy 1,332 04 Nebílovy 1, 332 04 Nezvěstice, Show on a map
Email: nebilovy@npu.cz / Phone: +420 377 917 090 / www.zamek-nebilovy.cz
Admission: CZK 90 / CZK 60
The Nebílovy state chateau is a specimen of high Baroque architecture built in the early 18th century as a Viennese palace. The architectural arrangement of the building is quite unusual for the Czech Republic. Two crescent-shaped buildings set opposite one another on the longitudinal axis of the courtyard used to be connected with low wings and flat terraces. The interior decorations are a sight as well, decorated with murals by Antonín Tuvora. The chateau was used as a farm for over 120 years. Having undergone costly reconstruction and renovation recently, the chateau has become a natural culture and social centre of the southern part of the Pilsen Region.
St. Adalbert Column – a plague column with a statue
Přesanické Square, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=83
This is an early-Baroque Corinthian column from sandstone, carrying a statue of the patron saint. The abacus is the foundation for the sandstone rendering of St. Adalbert in a bishop’s robe, with his right hand lifted for blessing. In his left hand, St. Adalbert is holding an open book, using it as support to the gilded staff (possibly added later). The column used to stand on Augustin Němejc Square.
Piarist College – a former school building – currently the town’s museum and repository of the Museum of West Bohemia
- Němejc Square 126, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=123
The massive, two-storey building with an eclectic façade is the dominant feature of the entire square. Joining from the east side is the former Chapel of St. Joseph Calasanctius, whose movable property is unaccounted for. The college was established upon the legacy of Václav Vojtěch of Sternberg in 1707. The order acquired House No. 127 in 1837 and the neighboring farmstead at No. 128 in 1856. The new college and school building was erected in 1862–1868 under the design of J. Straka. The construction was realized by Josef Bělský and František Václavík from Prague. Further architectural modifications were put in place in the 20th century. Today, the building serves as a repository of the Museum of West Bohemia in Pilsen and partly also for the needs of the municipal museum.
Fountain with a statue of the Virgin Mary
- Němejc Square, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=80
A symbolic centre of the Nepomuk square is the neo-Baroque stone fountain in the centre of which, on a cluster of Corinthian semi-columns, stands a statue of the Virgin Mary. The fountain was built in 1867, a gift from Petr Čapek, a local and a secretary to the emperor. The statue was created by the sculptor Jindřich Čapek from Prague. The statue underwent a careful restoration in 2017.
Former chapel of Corpus Christi – smithy
Accessible only during seasonal events.
Plzeňská 238, 335 01 Nepomuk, http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=74
The Baroque chapel, the Renaissance predecessor of which is mentioned as early as 1566, was closed in 1786 and rebuilt into a smithy in the 19th century. It has been preserved to this day in that condition; with a working forge furnace and other original technology. As such, it represents an illustrative example of the transformation of a sacred building with impressive interiors.
Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk - on the dam of Špitálský Lake
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=70
Around the older, high-Baroque statue of St. John of Nepomuk erected in 1723 under sponsorship of František Leopold, count of Sternberg, a neo-Renaissance niche chapel was built in 1878. The chapel was repaired in 1949 (as shown in the façade) and 2005. It is located on the dam in the north-east corner of Špitálský Lake, along Road I/20.
Statue of the Virgin Mary – niche chapel
Přesanické Square / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=95
A niche chapel with Gothic accents on the north side of the wall fence of the Church of St. James the Greater. The sculpture comes from 1688 when it was erected by Daniel František Táborský of Hirschenfeld, the governor of Zelená Hora, as the pedestal text says. The likely reason was appreciation for the aid of the House of Táborský knights in the large town fire of 20 August 1685. The sculpture was renovated by Jan Brada in 1985 and relocated to Přesanické Square.
Statue of Suffering Christ – statue at St. John’s church
Plzeňská Street, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=97
A small high-Baroque sculpture made from sandstone rests on a granite column approx. 2m high. The identity of the donator is not known. The pedestal only states the initials W.P., with the year 1767. Prior to its restoration in 2003, the statue was in the garden of the Sokol Community Center, near the crossroads, under an old linden tree. Presently, the historic monument is found at the NE side of the Church of St. John of Nepomuk.
Bread Loaves wayside cross – column with a cross
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=101
Located on the outskirts of the town, on the west side of the road to Mileč, approx. 100 m from the crossing with Road I/20, between two linden trees is this simple pillar wayside cross, ancient-looking stonework, carrying a smaller, forged Baroque Latin cross. No reliable information is available on the origin of this monument. The only mention is a tale of two sisters who would exchange a field for two loaves of bread. The loaves are represented by the bulging protrusions on the column body. Following the tale, the wayside cross is called “Chlebíčková” (bread loaves).
St. Procopius cemetery – the final resting place
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=103
The cemetery was established in 1855–57 on the hilltop where a Baroque chapel of St. Procopius used to be. Some bodies from the cemetery at St. James’s Church were moved here as that cemetery was closed at the time.
St. Adalbert’s ”Footprint” Chapel – small chapel at the road to Klášter
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=127
This small, austere, westward-oriented Baroque building with a square floor plan was built by Daniel František Táborský of Hirschenfeld, in the era of Count Václav Vojtěch of Sternberg. The manor saw development of the St. Adalbert cult in relation to intensive construction. A nearly life-size wooden statue of St. Adalbert used to stand in the chapel. It was stolen in 1990. Fortunately, it was found and identified after some time. After careful restoration, the statue was installed in St. James’s Church. In October 2007, its place was taken by a copy of the face of the original statue with the Saint’s insignia made of stainless steel and brass. It is a modern piece by Václav Česák. The interior was repaired on the occasion as well.
Chapel of the Virgin Mary – a chapel by the old land road to Písek
A small masonry chapel with a crescent headstone. The name of the investor and the year of construction remain unknown. As the Josephinian Land Survey of 1878 recorded the chapel, it may have been erected around 1850. The chapel used to hold a 70-cm sculpture of the Virgin Mary carved from wood. In 1990, the sculpture was moved to the municipal museum.
Turkey wayside cross – remembrance of the fallen
Nádražní 361, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=190
A simple pillar with a square cross-section, aprox. 2 m high. It is believed to have had a metal crescent on the top, with images of the land’s patron saints in the niches. This minor monument, located above the historic town centre on the old road to Písek, is said in regional literature to be connected to Ladislav of Sternberg, lord of Zelená Hora. Ladislav fought with the Turks in Hungary in 1593–1606. The “Turkey” wayside cross is said to be a memorial to Nepomuk recruits fallen in the campaign. A skeleton in a coffin was discovered at the site in the spring of 1937. A hypothesis about this is that Ladislav of Sternberg brought a prisoner of war back with him who, being a Muslim, could not be buried in a Christian cemetery and was buried here instead.
St. Anna Chapel – Zoubek’s chapel
Myslivecká Street, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=193
Near the intersection of Myslivecká Street and the country road to Borek. The small, north-facing building with a square floor plan is found on elevated ground above the hollow way. The chapel was erected by Karel Zoubek in 1867 to give thanks for his son’s safe return from the war. This is why its local name translates as “Zoubek’s chapel”.
Medieval tunnels – precious metals in the deep
Augustin Němejc Square, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=257
These are located underground below A. Němejc Square. The tunnels, dug in the Middle Ages, probably exist under other parts of the town’s historical centre. The first written mention of the mines dates back to 1338 when John of Bohemia loaned them to Prague’s burghers. However, the mining operations commenced probably as early as the second half of the 13th century. The mines were supposedly closed during the Hussite Wars, possibly earlier.
Daliborka Lustschloss – a gardenhouse in the former garden of Zelená Hora Post Office
U Daliborky 77, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=111
The history of the building is interwoven with the nearby Zelená Hora Post Office, as the gardenhouse used to occupy the NW corner of its former garden. The first written mention of the building dates back to 1771 when it received the registration number of 64; however, it is undoubtedly older, possibly founded in the first half of the 18th century. It appears to have been used as the gardenhouse and gardener’s home in the Zelená Hora Post Office. It is an independent Baroque house of a rectangular, nearly square floor plan, with a concave hip roof. The façade is unadorned. The ground floor features a cross and barrel vault with several sections; the first floor has a joist ceiling dated 1793. The floors are connected with a wooden spiral staircase.
U Lípy house – the oldest house in Nepomuk
Přesanické Square 185, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=120
A two-storey country building with an open passage to the yard, preserved in its 19th century state. Traces of Gothic and Renaissance structures are evident. There is a cellar below part of the building. The main door has been preserved from the 18th century. The doors, staircase and interior floors date from the mid-1850s. Alexandr Berndorf believes that this was the location of the original Nepomuk magistrate and later the town tavern. Sources from the early 17th century mention the tavern owner Josef Tůma, formerly the owner of House No. 149. Berndorf therefore suggests that the municipality and Tůma had exchanged the estates, possibly due to his debt. In 1620, the house was bought by the tanner Jeroným Lenner after the death of Josef Tůma. The Lenners, wealthy burghers, held the house in possession until 1788 when it came as dowry to Jan Hesse, a butcher and son of a tavern owner from Chocenice. His children would hold the building until the 1980s. The house was damaged by fire in 1746 and again in 1799. The façade is believed to have acquired its present arrangement at that time. The rear storage and stables suffered heavy damage from a fire in 1903. The new structures were built in the following year by Matěj Bořík, master bricklayer from Nepomuk. In 1941, the building was surveyed by Václav Wágner and Václav Mencl, dating its core to 1360–70. Unfortunately, the southern farming wing and pantry were demolished in the 1960s in the construction of the new road I/20.
The building has been protected as a historic heritage site since 1941.
Town hall – Janota house
- Němejc Square 63, 335 01 Nepomuk / Tel.: (+420) 371 580 711
The front wing of the town hall is a two-storey building with a gate and a nearly square floor plan, with a tented roof and a bell-shaped front. The earliest recorded owner of the house is Janota Rommer in the 1620s, the Governor at Zelená Hora under Jaroslav Bořita of Martinice. He probably rebuilt the house to a great extent (or rebuilt it altogether), as the town records call it “Janota” house. His heir was Jiří Fantydes, mentioned as the first person in the Tax Register of 1654. The building was later held by the managers of the Lažany and Lnáře manors. The house was destroyed by fire in 1746 and 1790. The municipality purchased the building in 1911 to adapt it to the needs of the town hall. The construction modifications, performed by Václav Kšír following the designs by the architect František Doubek from Pilsen, included a new Art Deco façade with a front top, balcony, stucco ornaments and a tower on the top of the roof. Further minor modifications were performed in the 20th century.
Blatná Chateau – water, fallow deer and water-lilies
Na Příkopech 320 388 01 Blatná
Email: info@zamek-blatna.cz / Tel.: +420 383 422 934 / www.zamek-blatna.cz
Admission: Admission: Basic tour Adults: CZK 120 Full-time students up to the age of 26, seniors, disabled persons: CZK 80 Children (6–15): CZK 60 Children (under 6): free admission
Together with the Švihov Castle, the water chateau of Blatná, situated mid-way from Nepomuk to Písek, is one of the best-preserved manor houses in Bohemia. The chateau with a water moat is very popular with tourists, as is the English park with its fallow deer population.
Blatná chateau is dominated by its white tower, reflecting in the water even from far away. Chateau tours include visits to the Oriental, Baroque, Empire rooms, the hunting room and a family gallery; the extended tour includes the “Green Room” with murals dating to late 15th century. The Chateau interior is furbished with the collections of the House of Hildtprand. Blatná chateau is one of the most popular filming locations; the building appeared in a number of films, e.g., Šíleně smutná princezna (The Incredibly Sad Princess) and Bílá paní (The White Lady).
The chateau is accessible to visitors from April to October. However, the English park around the chateau is open all year long. The park has an area of 42 hectares and it was a game preserve until the first half of the 19th century. The site continues in traditional breeding of the fallow deer and presents rare trees and bushes. On the left side of the central field, there is the formerly Baroque and now Empire garden house from 1767.
Town house No. 170 – Carpenter’s house
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=252
The house seems to have been seriously damaged by fire in 1746. It was sold by Ignác Nezbeda to Vavřinec Berkovec to be used as storage; the latter then transferred the building to his son Ondřej in 1787. Jan Hlaváč purchased it in 1807, so the present-day face may have been installed earlier. Certain modifications (apparently new windows and doors) were made by the bellfounder Josef Baroch in 1919. The house was inhabited by the carpenter Václav Picka, who remodeled the rear barn into his workshop.
Unfortunately, the valuable interior items have been destroyed during recent renovations. The truss uses horizontal connecting beams. The roofing is new and made from fired tiles. A preserved carpenter’s workshop from the 1920s is found in the rear building and features a glazed cassette door and French windows.
“U Petrů” House No. 156 – The Blue House
The first mentions of this house date back to the second half of the 16th century when it was owned by Pavel Svoboda, called Modráček (Blue). The house was the bearer of full brewing rights and of the right to distil liquor. There used to be a garden and a small hop field behind the house. The building was destroyed by fire in 1649 and once again in 1686, after the completion of a new house. The same disaster struck again at the end of the 18th century (1790) and in the 19th century (1835). The current form of the house is the result of the modification in 1836 when the present truss was erected. The house was also repaired in 1866 and 1899, yet these repairs seem to have had no major impact on its appearance. In the second half of the 19th century, the house was the property of one branch of the Němejc family, operating a general store and wine bar. The druggist Rudolf Petr bought the house in 1923 to open a famous drug store. The operation included the manufacturing of various chemicals and a petrol station. The house remains the property of the Petr family to this day.
Manor house No. 149 – the birthplace of Petr Čapek, secretary to the emperor
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=241
In 1399, a contract “under the law of royal Czech townships” for the sale of certain lands was signed in the house of Hanuš Ryňák, a Nepomuk burgher, in the presence of the respectable Arnold, mayor Kynclík and other sworn witnesses. Alexandr Berndorf believes that the subject matter was this very location where a tavern already existed at the time. The opinion is based on the fact that the house was called Hanuš or Tůma in the early 17th century. Josef Tůma exchanged it with the municipality for House No. 185 sometime between 1603 and 1615. It was then purchased from the municipality by Alena Sternberg, née Hozlau, in 1627. Later it became part of the Zelená Hora Manor and was rented out and run by tenants. There was a fire in 1746 and again in 1799. The present building was probably erected after one of these two fires. The farm buildings were destroyed by additional fires on 6 July 1835 and 24 September 1857. Modifications to the front side were probably realized in the second half of the 19th century. Further modifications were conducted at the beginning of the 20th century and in 1936 when the current façade was installed. The structures in the yard (inn rooms, background, barns, etc.) were demolished in the late 1990s. A general restoration was conducted in 2004–2006.
Petr Čapek, a secretary to the Emperor and a local benefactor, was born in this house. The hall would become Nepomuk’s most important cultural centre in the 19th and 20th centuries, holding concerts, theatre performances, etc. After 1948, the building became a Šumavan, a textile factory . In 2006, a restaurant was opened here with a hall to hold cultural events.
It is a two-storey town house on a wide property with a Modernist facade. The interior includes some well-preserved doors and floors, the granite staircase as well as an iron furnace from the 1930s. The rest was modernized in the latest reconstruction.
Town house No. 72 – Alexandr Berndorf's birthplace
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=216
Town house No. 35 – former house of prayer and Rabbi’s quarters
Zelenodolská 35, 335 01 Nepomuk
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=206
House No. 19 (Savings bank) – Pilsen style Late Art-Nouveau
Plzeňská 19, 335 01 Nepomuk / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=199
Town house No. 78 – Former house of the chateau doctor
Old town hall No. 126
Tourist information centre, part of the Municipal Museum / http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=231
A town hall in this location was recorded as early as the beginning of the 16th century. The building, as well as the town records, were destroyed in the fire of 1539. The new building featured a tower, as depicted in an engraving by Škréta. After another fire in 1685, the renovation added a “St. John’s baldachin” to which religious processions would be made.
A major modification of the building was realized in 1840, following a design by Martin Krt, a builder from Horažďovice. The building was the seat of the regional court from 1850 to 1950. Minor alterations were made in 1926, which included replacing the windows. A major reconstruction, planned for the 1930s, which was to primarily include the extension of the East wing was not realized. In the early 1950s, the town hall with the neighboring house of the former Piarist College received construction modifications and served as the First Elementary School until 1995. More recently it has been the seat of the Municipal Museum and Gallery. A tourist information desk was added in 2003.
Town house No. 148 – Severýn house
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=238
A two-storey building positioned with its side to the street and a gate on the left. The arrangement of the building follows the medieval tradition. Three tracts suggest that the house was initially built in the Renaissance style, with its front facing the street. The ground floor used to have a gate which was replaced with a door at some point.
A mention of Severýn house is found in the Book of Market Deeds (1603). The wheel maker Severýn sold the house to Adam Provazník in 1634; the house was destroyed by fire on 20 August 1686, while it was under the ownership of his son Jan. The major structure of the house was probably erected after the fire. Two other fires, on 8 June 1799 and 24 September 1857, probably did not cause any major damage to the walls. It is likely that the neo-Renaissance façade was installed after the last fire. At the time, the house was Josef Lerch’s pharmacy. In 1889, under Dominik Bruner, the house received a new staircase in the yard. A shop window was put in place in 1903, as seen from period photographs. A confectioner’s was operated in the house in 1920s and 1930s. The building was renovated in the 1950. The façade was simplified, and a three-leaf window replaced the large glazing. An overall reconstruction of the building was realized in 1991–1992 under designs by the architect Antošová in order to modify the structure for use as a restaurant. The procedure included restoration of the neo-Renaissance façade using historic iconography.
Town house No. 3 – Blovský house
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=107
The Josephinian Land Survey (1789) states the inhabitant was a widow by the name of Mrs Blovská. The present-day house probably came into existence by joining two neighboring buildings (No. 2 and 3) after the fire in 1800. It was owned by Matěj Blovský, the widow’s son. A census from the mid-19th century lists Karel Míček, a gingerbread maker, as the owner. After 1884, the building was the property of Ludvík Král, a shop owner. The last minor modifications (replacement of the windows) were likelyrealized in the 1950s.
A single-storey house with a trapezoidal floor plan, a brick gate, and a gabled roof. A fitted solid door with no glazing in lieu of the westernmost window is documented as late as 1952. A new façade has been built recently.
Town house No. 73 – Confectioner Vaněrka’s house
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=109
A two-storey, corner town house with a French roof. The interior on the first floor features a well-preserved late-Baroque door frame. The shop window was replaced in the 1920s.
The oldest-known owner of the house was the tailor Jiří Hruška in 1582. When the house belonged to the confectioner Václav Stöger, it burned down in 1713. It was bought and rebuilt by the butcher Jan Jarošík in March 1724. The building was damaged by fire in 1746 and 1798 as well. Josef Vaněrka’s confectionery was here in the middle of the 19th century. The owner erected the adjacent building, No. 153, on the land of the original house (in Zelenohorská Street). In 1922, Rudolf Vaněrka bought the house from Karel Šiška, performed minor modifications and restored the tradition of the family’s confectionery.
Town house No. 179 – The original school founded by Václav Vojtěch of Sternberg
http://starynepomuk.cz/?page_id=118
Upon instruction by Václav Vojtěch of Sternberg, a brick building was erected for use as a school in 1699–1701 on the land where a timber house owned by Matouš Kloboučník and later Jakub Krušin stood. The school was sold by the municipality in 1785 to be used as a residential building. In 1799, when owned by the shoemaker Vojtěch Pintofl, the building suffered fire damage, albeit not seriously as the Baroque main door with the year 1701 would be preserved until the 1960s. The building remained the property of the Pintofl family until the 1980s. In 1962, Martin Kodalík, a local bricklayer contracted by Anna and Barbora Pintofl, performed partial modifications, including replacement of the windows and main door and, possibly, the façade. The same year saw the demolishing of the old pigsty and construction of the new shed.
St. Peter and Paul’s Church – Mileč
Opening hours: Open on special occasions
Today’s St. Peter and Paul’s Church was erected in 1764. The tower placed outside the axis was preserved from the preceding building documented from the 14th century. The church was modified in 1909. The Baroque period interior is from the middle of the 18th century. Now it is designated as a church of ease for the Nepomuk parish and not used regularly.
St. Lawrence’s Church – Vrčeň
Opening hours: Open on special occasions / http://www.vrcen.cz/
The Gothic St. Lawrence’s Church in the corner of the Vrčeň square was probably founded in the first half of the 14th century. The presbytery was preserved from the original building; the nave was extended and received a vault in 1866–1869. Further modifications were made in the 20th century.
Žinkovy Chateau
Not accessible to public. / www.zinkovy.cz/turistika/zamek-zinkovy/
A large, pseudo-Romantic chateau, the present form of which is the result of the reconstruction of a water stronghold and an older Baroque chateau. The building was restyled by Karel Wesselý after 1897. Minor Romantic style modifications followed.
A stronghold used to occupy the location of today’s chateau; the stronghold was first mentioned in 1525 when inheritance was passed to the brothers from Klenová. Půta of the House of Drslavic, the founder of the neighbouring castle Potštejn/Potenštejn initially used the demonym of Žinkovy; once that branch of the House died out, the manor was inherited by Přibík of Klenová. The chateau, a simple Baroque building with two storyies and three wings, was built under William the Elder of Klenová between 1624 and 1642. In 1712, Žinkovy was sold by William’s grandchildren to Count Johannes Franz of Steinau, who gave it as dowry to his daughter Maria Theresia, married to Count Václav Josef of Vrtba. House Vrtba held Žinkovy until 1830; Franz Josef of Vrtba bequeathed his possessions to Jan Karel of Lobkowicz; his son-in-law, Count Filip Schenk of Staffenberg was the next holder. Count Jan of Harrach purchased Žinkovy in 1883 and had the chateau repaired and partially rebuilt. The principal modifications were carried out under the owner Ritter Karel Wesselý, an architect, who purchased the chateau in 1897 and rebuilt it in the pseudo-Romantic style. After his passing, Žinkovy briefly belonged to Jeroným Colloredo-Mansfeld. The chateau was purchased by Karel Škoda in 1916 and remained in the family until 1945. In the second half of the 20th century, the building served as a leisure centre for the trade unions. After 1989, it was bought by a private person. Reconstruction work is currently in progress. However, the chateau and its close vicinity are not open to the public.
Potenštejn Castle - Žinkovy
- free access / http://www.hrady.cz/?OID=250
Potštejn Castle once stood atop the hill above the Žinkovy chateau. The plain where the castle was built was a slope, yet it was fortified with high walls on its west and east sides. The castle had a rectangular floor plan and was divided from the settlement by a moat, which has now become almost invisible. All that is left from the castle now is the foundations of the walls and the rounded tower. A lake was built underneath which served as water storage for the inhabitants.
The castle was built by Půta of Žinkovy, from the House of Drslavic who had their seat in Žinkovy. Following the custom of the era had it, he named the castle Potštejn after himself. Puta was the burgrave in Domažlice in 1284–1285. His son, second of the name, revolted against John of Bohemia in 1317, but died in 1318. Potštejn and Žinkovy came as inheritance to Oldřich. The castle was then held by his sons Soběhrd, Ojíř and Oldřich. The year 1396 mentions Bavor of Potštejn, Ojíř’s son, a follower of John Hus. In 1415, Bavor joined his seal to the letter of complaint sent by Czech nobility to Constanz and participated, with the preacher Václav Koranda Senior from Pilsen, in various gatherings of the Hussites in West Bohemia. An armed group of Hussites met at Žinkovy in 1419 and, under the command of Václav Koranda Senior, marched to Prague. Bavor of Potštejn died shortly after 1437 and his property was inherited by Přibík of Klenová. The castle was no longer inhabited and slowly decayed. When legacy was divided in 1525 among the brothers Přibík, Bušek, Šebestián and Václav of Klenová, it had become a ruin. Přibík received Žinkovy; the list of his possessions also included a land with a clearing “on the side of which is the fortified settlement of Puotoštajn”. Thus Potštejn became incorporated in the Žinkovy manor and shared its later history.
To visit the castle, follow the yellow marked trail. Start in the town of Žinkovy, walk round the lake, and the destination is about 1.5 km away.
St. Wenceslaus’ Church – Žinkovy
Open occasionally for religious services.
At the time of the construction of the nearby Potenštejn castle, a small Gothic church occupied the elevated ground in the square in Žinkovy, where the current St. Wenceslaus Church stands today. It is likely that the Gothic building was erected over an even older structure. Evidence is found near the NW wall of the current church, where a pit was dug out for the slaking of quicklime in 1912. Its bottom showed walls approx. 75 cm wide entering and exiting the pit. The unique decoration with statues in the building and the church complex was created by Lazar Widmann, a renowned sculptor and carver from Pilsen (1697–1769). An organ from 1746 was installed, its action and pipes made by Ondřej Niederle. The east side features an altar of St. John of Nepomuk (1738) with lateral statues of St. Sebastian and St. Roch. There is a painting of St. John of Nepomuk above the altar; under the painting is a glass coffin with the remains of St. Theodorius, a gift to the Count of Vrtba from Pope Clement XII.
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – Prádlo
Open on special occasions
A prominent location above the square is held by the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, originally a Gothic building from the 13th century. The Cistercian mill in Nepomuk participated in the construction. The church was damaged in the Hussite unrest. The exterior was modified to the Baroque style and the tower was added later. The church received major modifications in 1882, including an extension of the tower and of the nave. The presbytery, with a field of cross vault and rich decorated fins, has preserved several tombstones from the 15th and 16th centuries. The adjacent cemetery was closed and only a few headstones have been preserved at the cemetery wall. The tall trees in the well-kept area around the building largely obstruct the view of the church. The village established a new cemetery on the other bank of the River Úslava.
Cistercian Monastery – Klášter
Accessible freely / obecklaster.cz
Vladislaus II established the Cistercian Abbey of the Virgin Mary on the site of today’s village of Klášter and it was inhabited by monks from Ebrach, Germany. Due to the gold and silver mining operations, the monastery became one of the richest in the lands in the 13th and 14th centuries. Through the colonization of the region, the abbey would hold over 100 villages and 3 towns. The monastery was burned down by the Hussites in 1420. Although it became property of the Zelená Hora nobility, monks inhabited the damaged monastery as late as the middle of the 16th century. A village would develop near the end of the site and remnants of the monastery have survived to this day. The most prominent is the Romanesque building No. 39 with adjoining parts of the former ambit with gates, dated to the 14th century, a wall of the current cemetery with an early Gothic portal from 1250–60, and a wall of the mill. In spite of several archaeological surveys, the exact arrangement of the former monastery remains unknown. Many fragments of stone and terracotta have been included in the walls of the village houses. The Classicist St. Margaret’s Church comes from 1861–62. It is open on
special occasions.
St. Adalbert's Chapel – Vrčeň
Open on special occasions
The region around Nepomuk and Zelená Hora is rich in St. Adalbert legends and has a number of locations connected with Prague’s second bishop from the Slavnik dynasty. One of those locations can be found in the forest near Vrčeň, commemorated by a pilgrimage chapel.
St. Adalbert’s chapel is approximately 1.5 km north-east of Vrčeň, on the sloped face of Chlumec Hill, north of Road II/191 leading to Rožmitál pod Třemšínem. A branch of the green tourist trail runs to the chapel from the road. Sometime near the end of the 16th century, Adam of Sternberg (d. 1623), the supreme burgrave of the Czech Lands ordered the construction of a small chapel to honour St. Adalbert. His wife Maxmiliana, Countess Hohenzollern from Germany, had it decorated with images of Czech patron saints. The construction of a new, early-Baroque chapel was ordered by Václav Vojtěch, Count of Sternberg, the owner of the Zelená Hora Chateau. The octagonal chapel was closed in 1787. It would not reopen until 1819, featuring a painting of the Saint by the painter František Horčička; the festive opening was held on 25 April 1819. It would be visited by many individual pilgrims as well as groups of pilgrims. The vicinity of the chapel was the site of a famous spring fair with many attractions until the second half of the 20th century. The legend has it that a hermit lived near the chapel as late as the 18th century. He lived only from donations and was in charge of the building. The last recorded hermit lived here in 1717–1746.
The chapel underwent major repairs in 1883. It is an early-Baroque octagonal structure with an octagonal dome and lantern. The walls are divided into niches and pilasters. A granite boulder lies next to the altar which tradition says is in memory of the rest St. Adalbert had there. Before the end of the 17th century, St. Adalbert Spa was established near the chapel; it was later destroyed by fire. Many works and papers deduce from this information that the chapel was built over a source of water. All visitors can easily observe the claim to be untrue. There is, and never has been, a water source near the chapel. In fact, the spa received water delivered through a pipeline from a spring known as Sweet Water, located on the slope of the opposing hill, approximately 1 km away.
The area in front of St. Adalbert’s Chapel features a simple, wooden pulpit used for open-air religious services. There is also a commemorative cross from the 19th century; its pedestal decorated with a cast-iron figurative sculpture from the second half of the 18th century. A rock vase, shaped as a baptismal font, is situated near the pedestal. A site of the former forester's house with Classicist buildings is located opposite the chapel.
Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary - Kotouň
Open on special occasions
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is located above the village of Kotouň. It was built in 1703–1705. It was erected by the builder Antonio Di Maggi in lieu of the old small church that had been destroyed by fire. The cellars have a well-preserved ossuary. The upper corner of the surrounding cemetery holds a Baroque belfry from 1696. A well-kept parish house adjoins the church, another notable sight. If you happen to be in the area, we recommend that you visit the site. Your visit will be well worth your time, if only for the beautiful view of the vicinity.
Oselce Chateau
Not open to the public – it serves as a primary and vocational school.
The Oselce Chateau is a former Gothic stronghold that has been transformed into a three-wing, Renaissance building. In the 17th century, as part of the Baroque modifications, the three-wing building was unified and the stronghold was transformed to its present-day form by the builder G. A. de Maggi. The chateau is currently the site of a vocational school. A general repair of the façades was performed in 1991–1992.
Today, the building has two stories, four wings and a narrow central yard. The current shape of the chateau also includes older Gothic and Renaissance structures. A stone portal in the West side features a balcony.
Strašná Skála Castle – Čížkov
Freely accessible
There is a small hill, covered with trees and bushes, in a field approximately 20 m to the right of the road from Přešín to Čížkov. It has the remnants of a medieval stronghold. The location is also known as Na hrádcích (Small Castles). The castle was most probably founded in the 13th century, possibly by a member of the House of Buzic, and built from wood. It was deserted some 100 years later. The castle stood on two small rocks, preserved to this day. A careful scrutiny reveals signs of stonework and remnants of foundations of buildings. The circumference of the castle is likely to have been made with a moat and a wooden palisade.
The rock is divided into two parts, with a deep moat and a wall running from the east to the west. Both sides of the site show remains of walls and the lower rock once had a rounded tower. Site excavations in the second half of the 19th century revealed various weapons, tiles, and other unidentified items.
St. Margaret’s Chapel – Oselce
Open on special occasions
A Baroque chapel from 1691. A large brick building with an octagonal floor plan and nearly no segmentation. The south side has an angular portal with ear-like ornaments on either side of a plaque saying: GEORGIUS MARGARETA ADELIANOVSKI IANOWSKIN DE IANOWITZ DE DOBRSS. IN WESELET Z KOTOVN ET GINDRZIHOWITZ ANNO M. DC. LXXXXI. Alliance symbols are located over the inscription; the east and west sides of the building have segmented, semi-circular frameless windows. The roof is pyramid-shaped, covered with plain tiles and featuring a lantern.
To reach the chapel, follow the green tourist trail from Oselce. The path is about 1km long.
Church of John the Baptist – Čížkov
Open on special occasions
Historic sources indicate the foundation of the church in 1384. However, no medieval features can be recognized in the contemporary building. Medieval brickwork cannot be ruled out in the lower section of the presbytery and in a segment of the nave. The pre-Baroque origins are indicated by the Renaissance bell and the door in the niche of the altar stone (which probably belonged to the sanctuary). Archive findings by Dr. Ryšavý identify that the drawings for the Baroque modification of the church were made in 1729, possibly by the builder Carlo Antonio Canavalle. He received payments in 1731 and 1732. The modifications probably included raising the height of the nave and presbytery; the nave may have been extended as well. The nave and presbytery received new arched ceilings and windows; a choir loft with staircase was inserted in the western section. The truss over the nave and presbytery were erected before the crown and sills were finished (see the pockets after the beams and prints in the mortar). At the same time, the tower may have been added with the sacristy and oratory. The arches, portals and tower windows are consistent with Baroque. The bell stand is from the 18th century. The Baroque truss of the tower left behind pockets from the beams. A ridge turret was added to the presbytery roof. Sometime around the middle of the 19th century, the truss was extended to cover all parts of the building. The age of the fence wall cannot be established. It may be Baroque or possibly younger.
St. Michael the Archangel Church – Dožice
Open on special occasions
Originally a sacred Renaissance structure from 1575, whose construction was funded by Mořic Chanovský from Dlouhá Ves. Unlike many period or later churches, this one follows the rules of Gothic shrine architecture more loosely. The structure underwent major reconstruction in the 19th century and is now prominent landmark of the area.
St. Giles Church – Budislavice
Open on special occasions
The church site is situated in the highest place of the southern part of the village. The church is an important religious structure of a more advanced medieval development, with an early-Gothic centre and Baroque modifications. It is still a major, dominant feature of the village and countryside. The church was originally early Gothic from the 13th century (the nave and portal), the presbytery was Gothic from the first half of the 14th century; late Gothic modifications in the first half of the 15th century (the portal to the sacristy); Baroque modifications 1723–26 (the tower, foyer, sacristy, nave arch, choir loft). The mortuary and fence with the gates are of the Baroque style.
Jewish cemetery in Blovice
Free access
The cemetery is located less than a kilometre northwest of the square, on the flood plain of Cecima Creek. The first Jews came to Blovice at the beginning of the 16th century, perhaps as the consequence of the expulsion of Jews from Pilsen in 1504. The local Jewish religious community existed there from the 17th century until the Second World War. The deportation of Jews took place on January 15th and 22nd, 1942; none of the 25 Jewish citizens returned.
This rather large cemetery (with an area of over 1,400 square metres) was founded in 1683.
Lnáře Chateau – a Baroque chateau with unique fresco decorations
Email: zameklnare@seznam.cz / Tel.: +420 603 396 457, +420 604 401 432
Lnáře Chateau offers accommodation in both historical and standard rooms with a total capacity of 53 beds. The services offered include free parking and Wi-Fi, a lift, and the option of using the chateau park, swimming pool, barbecue, fireplace, etc.
The chateau hosts a seasonal restaurant; some 200 metres away, there is the Na Panské restaurant, which is open daily.
We offer chateau tours and the organization of wedding celebrations.
The chateau consists of Stará Tvrz (the Old Stronghold) and the Baroque Nový zámek (the New Chateau). The largest interior space is the 240m² large two-storey Velký sál (the Great Hall). Its ceiling is covered in a gigantic fresco depicting the marriage of Zeus and Hera in the presence of other Greek gods. The chateau is surrounded by 4 hectares (10 acres) of a romantic English landscape garden, decorated with 11 precious sculptures (originally, there were 12) of zodiac signs created by the famous sculptor Ignaz Michael Platzer.
The chateau is open to the public, and both inside and in the chateau garden wedding ceremonies take place from spring to autumn. The ground floor hosts a museum dedicated to the famous local fish-farming industry and a museum of cats.
Švihov Castle – late-Gothic water castle
Address: Státní hrad Švihov Žižkova 1, 340 12 Švihov
Email: svihov@npu.cz / Tel.: +420 376 393 378 / www.hradsvihov.cz
Admission fees: the “Castle (Hrad)” tour: CZK 100, the “Kitchen (Kuchyně)” tour: CZK 80
Švihov Castle is one of the newest Czech castles. It was built between 1480 and 1489. The castle consists of two residential palaces, a five-storey entrance tower and a castle chapel built on the bastion. There are two tours of the castle. The first one, called the “Castle (Hrad)”, will show you the history of the castle and the representative areas of the castle. The tour starts in the Red Bastion (Červená bašta), goes on through the entrance hall to the bedroom, visits the castle chapel, the dance hall, the banquet hall, and ends in the armoury. The other tour, called the “Kitchen (Kuchyně)”, will present you the service rooms of the castle, such as the governor’s office, the guard-room, the women’s quarters, and the kitchen. In the Gothic Hall, you will see the archaeological discoveries made in the castle, as well as paintings transferred there from a former church in Doupov. In 1973, it was one of the filming locations of the fairy-tale Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three Wishes for Cinderella).
Kozel Chateau – a Classicist hunting lodge
Address: Šťáhlavy 67, 322 03 / Email: info@zamek-kozel.cz / Tel.: +420 602 267 011 / www.zamek-kozel.eu / Admission fees: CZK 140 / CZK 100
Václav Haberditz, the master builder of this Classicist hunting lodge, was influenced by the ideas of the French Renaissance philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau, who promoted the idea of a return to nature and of building residences in the country.
The chateau is a single-storey building with four wings surrounding a rectangular central yard.
The interiors let you admire the period furnishings used by the landed gentry of the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Apart from the Classicist tile stoves with floral decorations, you will definitely be charmed by the preserved fortepiano from Conrad Graf’s workshop and many other musical instruments.
The chateau is surrounded by a large park, in some parts resembling the Viennese Schönbrunn.
Březnice Chateau – in its Renaissance appearance
Address: 262 72 Březnice 24 / Email: bartak.robert@npu.cz / Tel.: +420 318 682 179; +420 602 478 498
breznice@npu.cz / Admission fees: CZK 110 / CZK 80
Sometime after 1531, imperial counsellor Jiří Lokšanský z Lokšan had the original Gothic castle rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. Later, it was remodelled in the Baroque style; however, it kept its original appearance. The largest interior adaptations were made for the members of the Hungarian House of Pálffy of Erdöd during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Captivating at first sight are the Renaissance sgraffiti and the arcade corridor in the courtyard. During the tour, you can admire the large Renaissance dining room, the chateau chapel, and the Knight Hall with its coffered ceiling.
A historically unique specimen of its kind is the great Renaissance interior of the oldest chateau library in the country, the so-called Lokšanská knihovna library, created in 1557. It survived almost untouched, including the original beamed ceiling, floated and painted plasters and the original bookcases.
Apart from the classical English landscape garden, the chateau also features a Renaissance herbal garden.
Chanovice Chateau, an outdoor museum of folk architecture, a look-out tower, and nature trail
Premises of Chanovice Chateau
The tour offers a visit to the Gallery of the Bearers of Folk Craft Tradition, a former horse stable, a historical chateau chamber, the Exposition of Folk Crafts of the Pošumaví Region, and, indeed, the chateau itself.
The guide in the information centre on the premises will gladly show you round.
- May: Sat., Sun., and holidays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- June to August: daily 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- September: Sat., Sun., and holidays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The lookout tower on Chlum Hill – “Prácheňsko region spread out before you (Prácheňsko jako na dlani)”
The height of the hill is 608 m. a.s.l. The lookout tower is a part of a nature trail called “The Nature and the Forests of Pošumaví (Příroda a lesy Pošumaví)”. The 2.5-kilometre trail offers views of the Šumava range. The height of the tower is 31 metres; to reach the viewing point, you have to climb 136 stairs.
Tours of the chateau premises or visits to the lookout tower in Chanovice may be ordered throughout the year for groups of at least five; however, it is necessary to agree the time at least one day in advance.
The outdoor museum of folk architecture in Chanovice – An exhibition of folk architecture of Southeast Bohemia.
This is a conservation project for endangered folk architecture items in Pošumaví and Southeast Bohemia. It presents the period forms of housing, agricultural activities, cottage industry, and crafts in villages between the 1750s and the first half of the 20th century.
- June and September: Sat., Sun. 10 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- July and August: daily 10 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. (except Mondays)
Museum tours may be ordered throughout the year for groups of at least ten, call +420 376 323 525 or +420 721 721 908. E-mail: Info@muzeumklatovy.cz; URL: www.muzeum.klatovynet.cz
Spálené Poříčí Chateau
Tours may be ordered at the information centre.
Email: infocentrum@spaleneporici.c z / Tel.: +420 605 368 410 (IC Spálené Poříčí)
The first mentions of Spálené Poříčí (Burnt Riverfront), then just Poříčí (Riverfront) date back to 1239 when Budislav, the son of Jaroslav z Rožmitálu sold it to the monastery in Kladruby. Thanks to the rich House of Švamberk, who had the Poříčí village promoted to a town at the time of Charles IV, a late Gothic stronghold was founded there. At that time, the dominion flourished, and in 1379 the neighbouring villages of Hořehledy, Nová Ves, and other farmsteads belonged to it. The first record of the stronghold, however, dates to 1413, when it was mentioned in a purchase agreement due to a change in ownership. Almost all of its subsequent owners further developed the dominion of Poříčí, which is why 14 other villages belonged to it by around 1587. At the end of the 16th century, Jan Hořčic z Prostého built a brewery and a sheep shed at the Gothic stronghold and gave it all to his daughter, Saloména Kocová z Dobrše and her husband, Adam Vratislav z Mitrovic. He was the one to make a major change in the appearance of the stronghold by rebuilding it into a three-wing Renaissance chateau. Evidence of his building activity surviving to this day is the stone plate with the coats of arms of both families, placed above the gate of the chateau.
In 1620, at the time of the Thirty Years’ War, the town of Poříčí (Riverfront) was burnt down. Thus, the attribute “Spálené (Burnt)” became associated with it and later, the town added it into its name. During the war, it was burnt down repeatedly; however, the chateau miraculously survived the fires. During the 19th century, the tower above the main entrance lending the chateau its typical romantic character was remodelled in the Neo-Gothic style. The chateau was owned by the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus from 1749 to 1948 when it was nationalized due to the local political situation.
In 1958, the chateau was added to the list of protected heritage sites. Soon after, it became the seat of the directorate of Státní l
