Velhartice: Castle, History and Nature

Velhartice offers visitors several distinct themes: the castle with its extraordinary stone bridge, architectural and religious history, a mineral museum, and a nature trail that runs through the town and surrounding countryside. When planning your stay, you can decide whether to focus on medieval architecture, Jewish heritage, minerals, or the relict pine forest in the Borek Nature Reserve. The following sections introduce these different sides of the town.

Velhartice Castle and Its History

Velhartice Castle was founded at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries and was probably built as the ancestral seat of the Lords of Velhartice. Its most distinctive feature is a stone bridge unique in the world. It connects the structural remains of the so-called Rajský Palace with the front tower. The link between these two structures makes the castle’s architecture a focus in its own right, alongside its history.

The castle is also associated with a historic power struggle: the Bohemian Crown Jewels were once hidden here to prevent the coronation of Jiří of Poděbrady as king. The “Gothic Castle” tour covers the castle’s history and architectural development from the 13th to the 16th century. Visitors especially interested in how the complex developed will find a perspective spanning several centuries of its architecture.

The open-air museum of folk architecture is located in the outer bailey. Its valuable buildings come from the foothills of the Šumava region and were relocated to Velhartice. The open-air museum is freely accessible, independently of the castle’s opening hours. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit so you can plan this part of the outer bailey accordingly.

Religious Buildings, Cemetery, and Minerals

The cemetery Church of St Mary Magdalene near Velhartice was founded in 1373. Velhartice is also home to the Jewish cemetery, which is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. Fewer than 60 gravestones remain there; the most recent dates from 1934. The site is locked, and the key can be borrowed from Velhartice Castle. As access arrangements may change, check that the key is available before your visit.

The small private Muzeum minerálů Velhartice offers a different perspective. Its collection includes stones from the Šumava and Pošumaví regions, as well as minerals from the Czech Republic and other parts of the world. Exhibits include stories about where the minerals were found and information for children and adults. The museum focuses on localities and geological specimens, while the castle and churches mainly convey architectural and cultural history.

Borek Nature Reserve and Nature Trail

The Borek u Velhartic Nature Reserve protects a relict pine forest in the Pošumaví region as a remnant of the pine’s natural range. The protected woodland lies south of Velhartice on the right bank of the Ostružná, on the northern and partly the eastern slope of Bork. The protected area lies at an elevation of 587 to 800 metres; Borek itself reaches 859.1 metres. These elevations distinguish the location of the protected woodland from the height of the mountain.

The Velhartice Nature Trail starts at the car park below the castle. It runs through the town and then through the local forests and the Borek Nature Reserve. The same trail thus connects sections in the town with the forest area and protected pine woodland. If you would like to focus your stay on the landscape, you can plan the nature trail as a separate activity.

Getting There and Practical Planning

Buses from Klatovy and Sušice run directly to Velhartice. The bus stop is about one kilometre from the castle gate. Check the timetable before travelling so you can plan your journey accordingly. If you are arriving by car, you can use the free car park about 300 metres from the castle; the route to the castle is accessible.

For a stay focused on the castle, you can make the “Gothic Castle” tour and the stone bridge the centrepiece of your visit. Visitors who want to include other interests will also find the open-air museum of folk architecture, the cemetery and mineral museum, as well as the nature trail through the town and forests. Check the visiting arrangements for the open-air museum and the key to the locked Jewish cemetery in advance so you can take these places into account when planning.

Discover more destinations: Malý Bor, Dlouhá Ves U Susice, Hrádek, Chlistov, Lukoviste, Mlýnské Struhadlo, Plánice, Zelená Lhota.

For the wider travel overview: Okres Klatovy.