Velhartice
Velhartice is located in the Šumava foothills above the river Ostružna at an average altitude of 622 m above sea level. Most visitors will be captivated by the picturesque view of the scenery of the former town with a castle on a hill in the middle of wooded hills. The dominant feature of the village is the castle of the same name, built between 1290 and 1310. Among the lords of Velhartice, father and son Bušková went down in history, both chamberlains of the king and emperor Charles IV. An interesting feature of the castle is the original connecting link between the palace and the advanced donjon - a large stone bridge - a structure that has no analogues in the castle grounds of Central Europe. In the basement there is an open-air museum of folk architecture.
The first written mention of Velhartice dates back to 1318. Velhartice can boast a heritage zone, which contains interesting examples of town and village houses. On the square with the fountain stands the Gothic Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and behind the village is the cemetery church of St. Mary Magdalene. It is one of the places that Karel Jaromír Erben is believed to have had in mind when he wrote his ballad Wedding Shirt for the Kytice collection.
The local landscape also charmed the prominent Czech actor and comedian Jan Werich, who had a cottage built in 1938 near Velhartice near Ostružná. He was an avid fisherman, so being close to the river was important to him.
Carver Karel Tittl works in the village. The Velhartick nativity scene can also be seen in his shop. An educational trail leads past the shop to Jan Werich's cottage. The trail starts at the parking lot below the castle and continues along the edge of the Borek nature reserve with the river Ostružná and an old mine - a remnant of medieval silver mining. It is 4.5 km long. In Velhartice you can also visit the Šumava Mineral Museum.
Source: flyer of the Voluntary Association of Ostružná - Velhartice municipalities,
The first written mention of Velhartice dates back to 1318. Velhartice can boast a heritage zone, which contains interesting examples of town and village houses. On the square with the fountain stands the Gothic Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and behind the village is the cemetery church of St. Mary Magdalene. It is one of the places that Karel Jaromír Erben is believed to have had in mind when he wrote his ballad Wedding Shirt for the Kytice collection.
The local landscape also charmed the prominent Czech actor and comedian Jan Werich, who had a cottage built in 1938 near Velhartice near Ostružná. He was an avid fisherman, so being close to the river was important to him.
Carver Karel Tittl works in the village. The Velhartick nativity scene can also be seen in his shop. An educational trail leads past the shop to Jan Werich's cottage. The trail starts at the parking lot below the castle and continues along the edge of the Borek nature reserve with the river Ostružná and an old mine - a remnant of medieval silver mining. It is 4.5 km long. In Velhartice you can also visit the Šumava Mineral Museum.
Source: flyer of the Voluntary Association of Ostružná - Velhartice municipalities,
