Borotice: History, nature trail and landscape

Three themes stand out when planning a trip to Borotice: local history, the “Zlaté psí hory” nature trail and the landscape of the municipality. In Čelina, the Castle Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk and the Jewish cemetery offer further historical points of interest. This allows you to distinguish when planning your trip whether you are mainly interested in historical milestones, gold mining or the landscape.

History in Borotice

The first mention of Borotice dates from 1207. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is mentioned in 1253; it was given a Baroque makeover in the 17th century. Thus, the early mention of the village and the mention of the church were followed by a later alteration to the church building. “Given a Baroque makeover” refers to a redesign in the Baroque style. The three time references can be arranged in sequence: first the mention of Borotice, then the mention of the church, and finally its later Baroque makeover. For travelers interested in history, this makes clear that local history, the mention of the church and its architectural history have different points of reference in time.

The “Zlaté psí hory” nature trail

The “Zlaté psí hory” nature trail is 5 km long and has 12 stops. It covers local history and gold mining and starts in Čelina at Josef Stolle. The distance describes the trail’s total length, while the number of stops further describes how the route is laid out. The trail thus combines a historical theme with a specified distance. If you are particularly interested in mining history, you can take this into account when choosing your destination. Unlike historic buildings, which are described in terms of their historical dates, the focus here is on a route with a specific theme and clearly stated length.

The landscape of the municipality

The municipality of Borotice features a deeply incised valley of the Vltava; 51 percent of its area is forested. It also includes extensive forest tracts, small watercourses and reservoirs. The forest percentage describes the proportion of the area, while the valley’s shape and the bodies of water provide further details about the landscape. The landscape can therefore be viewed as a spatial context distinct from the datable history of the village and its buildings. When considering destinations by their surroundings, you can distinguish between forest cover, terrain and bodies of water. While the nature trail has a specified length and number of stops, the landscape offers a view of the municipality as a whole.

Historical points of interest in Čelina

The Castle Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk in Čelina was built in 1727. The Jewish cemetery lies southwest of Čelina; it was established in the 18th century and commemorates the former Jewish community. The two points of interest offer different historical perspectives: the chapel relates to architectural history, while the cemetery commemorates a former community. Both date references fall within the 18th century, but differ in precision: 1727 is a specific year, while the cemetery’s establishment is assigned to a century. This allows you to distinguish between a building with an exact date and a cemetery with its own commemorative significance.

Discover more destinations: Březnice Castle, Věšín, Lazsko, Kamýk Nad Vltavou, Drsník, Týnčany, Drevníky, Obořiště.

For the broader travel overview: Příbram District.