Bělá: Glass History and Craftsmanship

The glassmaking tradition shapes the mix of themes on a trip to Bělá. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the different kinds of glass-related experiences: they range from observing traditional glassmaking to exhibition sales and tours and routes featuring specific furnace stops. Nearby Ledeč Castle offers another cultural theme.

Glass Craftsmanship and History

At Huť Anna, you can observe traditional glassmaking; glass products are available to buy in the exhibition shop. Exclusive glass pieces are also made there in small batches. Observing and shopping are therefore two different reasons to visit; small-batch production adds a manufacturing aspect.

Tours at Huť Jakub Tasice introduce the history of the site and the techniques of glassmaking and glass grinding. They focus on something different from the visitor experiences at Huť Anna: here, the focus is on a guided introduction to the place and its processes.

The memorial to the fallen soldiers of Bělá was solemnly unveiled on June 5, 1921. It adds a precisely dated place of remembrance to the glass-focused range of themes. This brings two distinct historical connections together: remembrance of the fallen soldiers and the history of glassmaking.

Routes with Different Focuses

The 9.2 km “Historie českého sklářství” route is a circular trail for children. Near Tasice, it leads to a historic glass-melting furnace; in Bělá, it also includes a small furnace where glass products are occasionally made. The Czech title can be translated approximately as “History of Czech Glassmaking.” The two furnace stops also differ: Tasice has a historic glass-melting furnace, while glass products are occasionally made in the small furnace in Bělá.

The “Putování po vodních plochách” route is intended for adults and is 19.2 km long. It leads to Tasický rybník, Nový rybník, and Katlov. Compared with the 9.2 km glass-themed circular trail, it is exactly ten kilometers longer and more than twice as long. The target groups and themes also differ: the shorter route is intended for children and explores glass history, while the longer route is for adults and takes in the three ponds. This lets you compare the two routes by length, stated target group, and subject matter.

Castle and Getting Your Bearings

Nearby Ledeč Castle offers tours of the castle rooms and museum, as well as access to the top of the castle tower. The tour and the climb to the tower offer different ways to explore: you can visit the rooms and museum as part of a guided tour or climb the tower.

The Tasice bus stop is located in front of the entrance to the glassworks parking lot. This gives you a specific landmark to help you find your way in Tasice.

Discover more destinations: Kunemil, Nová Ves U Leštiny, Dolní Sokolovec, Prosíčka, Šlapanov, Maleč, Libice Nad Doubravou, Přibyslav

For the broader travel overview: Okres Havlíčkův Brod.