Hvožďany: Culture and Nature at the Foot of the Southwestern Brdy

Hvožďany lies at the foot of the southwestern Brdy; the entire cadastral area is part of the Třemšín Nature Park. The village combines this landscape setting with traces of architectural, technical and regional history. A nature trail explores gold and habitats, while the church, fortress, mill and Špejchar each offer a different cultural focus.

Landscape and Nature Trail

The Petráčkova Hora nature trail starts and ends in Vacíkov. It is 6 km long and follows surfaced and unsurfaced forest paths. Seven information boards cover gold, its properties and the history of gold mining. At the same time, the trail can be enjoyed as a walk through interesting habitats on the edge of the Brdy Protected Landscape Area (CHKO Brdy). This brings together themes of nature and history along a single route.

The path surface adds another practical consideration to the stated distance: the route includes both surfaced and unsurfaced forest paths. When planning your day around the nature trail, you can take this change in surface into account as well as the six kilometres. The topics on the boards give the walk a historical dimension, while the habitats draw attention to the landscape on the edge of CHKO Brdy.

Buildings and Technical History

Hvožďany Fortress stands on a low rise in the southwest of the village. At its western foot is a small pond fed by the Hvožďanský stream. The massive building has an upper storey and three wings arranged around a central courtyard. Its location and design offer two specific ways to appreciate the fortress: its position in the landscape and its layout around the courtyard.

Another protected building is the Church of Saint Procopius and the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Hvožďany. It is an immovable cultural monument. Together with the fortress, it shows that the village’s cultural heritage is not limited to a single type of building: alongside the fortress’s described layout is the church’s protected status.

The Zíbův Mill in Hvožďany adds a dimension of technical history to this architectural focus. It retains the complete technical equipment of a roller mill, including several archaic elements. The building itself is also of considerable heritage value. The building and its preserved equipment therefore go hand in hand in understanding the mill: interest lies both in the structure and in the technology it preserves.

Hunting Lodge and Park in Vacíkov

The hunting lodge in Vacíkov was built in 1874–1875 as an elaborately carved timber structure on a stone base. Its wooden floors, panelling, ceilings and staircases have been preserved in their original form. These details describe both the construction and the many surviving interior features. Around the lodge, the park contains pyramidal oaks, Douglas firs and Chinese arborvitae. The craftsmanship of the timber building and the named park trees thus offer different aspects of the site.

Exhibitions and Events at the Špejchar

The reconstructed Hvožďany Špejchar hosts exhibitions, concerts, talks, craft markets and other cultural and community events. One exhibition explores the history of the municipality of Hvožďany and its surroundings. It recalls the region’s agricultural tradition as well as important local figures and events. If you are interested in a particular concert, market or talk, check the date in advance.

A description from March 2025 also lists permanent exhibitions of the Hvožďansko Museum, a collection of axes and an extensive collection of firefighting artefacts from František Polák at the Špejchar. These collections add further insights into the region’s heritage to the exhibition about the municipality. The Špejchar thus combines exhibitions with an events programme ranging from talks to craft markets.

Discover more destinations: Hrimezdice, Rybníky, Těchařovice, Svaté Pole, Bratrikovice, Druhlice, Hreben, Drhovy

See the broader travel guide: Příbram District.