Věžnička: Hiking Trails and Village History

You can get to know Věžnička through its marked trails and tangible evidence of its local history. This gives you two perspectives to consider when planning your trip: choosing a hiking or cycling route, and discovering the chapel, historic cellars and other features of the village. The different routes can be compared by length, the places they pass through or their course.

Hiking and Cycling

A blue-marked hiking trail runs through Věžnička, leading from Jihlava via Polná to Žďár nad Sázavou. Another marked hiking route, 10 kilometers long, crosses the meadows outside Věžnička and continues into the village to a trail signpost. It then leaves the village along a quiet road. The 10-kilometer distance gives you a specific point of reference for the hike; the sequence Jihlava–Polná–Žďár nad Sázavou identifies the blue-marked trail.

A cycling route also passes through Věžnička: KČT Route No. 16 runs from Ždírec to Věžnička and then through the forests of Březina to Polná. The forest section is part of the route onward to Polná. When comparing hiking and cycling, you can choose based on your preferred activity and the route described. Before setting out on a hike, check the trail markings and route; conditions on the trails can change.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

Věžnička can be reached via Class III Road No. 34820 from Polná and via a local road from Ždírec. These two roads provide reference points for your journey. Road conditions can change, so check the route before setting out. When planning, it is helpful to treat driving and hiking or cycling routes as separate parts of the trip.

Underground Cellars, Chapel and Village Pond

Among the village’s distinctive features are its old underground cellars, known as lochy. They are located mainly around the village square and along the main road. A route report from 2015 describes the lochy as carefully maintained and still in use.

The chapel stands in a small park beside the village pond. Its bell tower has a hand-operated bell. A framed statue of the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus stands in a niche on the rear wall; the interior can be seen through the door grille. The chapel therefore has both easily recognizable features on the tower and interior furnishings that can be viewed through the grille.

Several farmhouses also contribute to Věžnička’s architectural character. Their style is associated with the second half of the 19th century. This dating refers to the style of the houses and offers a perspective distinct from the chapel and the lochy.

Historical Landmarks

The Věžnička reconciliation stone stands in the municipal forest about 1 kilometer northwest of the village and approximately 500 meters from the Jamenský potok stream. Both approximate distances help locate it geographically: one refers to the village, the other to the stream. They describe different points of reference.

One specific date in the village’s history is 1778, when Věžnička was granted the privilege of an hereditary magistracy with all the rights of a magistrate. Together with the farmhouses, whose style is attributed to the second half of the 19th century, this historical reference offers another perspective on the passage of time. The village’s landmarks thus bring together a dated magistracy privilege, a stylistic classification and preserved architectural features.

Věžnička offers clear points of reference: a blue-marked hiking trail through the village, a 10-kilometer hiking route, KČT Route No. 16 for cyclists, and the chapel, lochy and reconciliation stone.

For an overview of the wider area: Jihlava District.