At Pouste, the history of the Plechhamer hammer mill and the Plechhamer Mill meets the reconstructed Chapel of St John the Baptist and paths along the Kocába. Those interested in local history and riverside landscapes can get a sense of the place through these specific themes. The dates tell of different chapters and functions—from copper sheet production to a vanished pond.

Hammer Mill and Mill on the Kocába

In 1698, a hammer mill for producing copper sheet was established at Plechhamer on the Kocába. It was one of the first facilities of its kind in Central Bohemia. This early significance and the hammer mill’s specific purpose give local history an industrial dimension: this is about metalworking, not merely a name on the landscape.

The Plechhamer Mill was built in 1707 in the Kocába valley near Pustiny; Pustiny was later renamed Pouště. The mill burned down in 1931 and is now preserved only as a ruin. The dates mark different stages: 1698 refers to the hammer mill for copper sheet production, 1707 to the construction of the mill, and 1931 to its fire. This makes it possible to distinguish the two structures and their histories chronologically.

Chapel and Remembrance

The Chapel of St John the Baptist in Pouště has been reconstructed. Ceramic photographs of men who fell in the First and Second World Wars are affixed to it. This memorial connection adds a specific remembrance of those killed in both wars to the building’s history. A route description published in January 2025 passes by the chapel, making it a named point along the route described.

The Former Waterscape

The Plechamerský double pond once stood at the site of the Plechhamer Mill; it disappeared in 1941. There, the Kocába formed a U-shaped bend in a deep, rocky valley. A large embankment created the double pond. The mill, embankment and pond thus represent different aspects of local history: one trace remains as a ruin, while the former body of water has disappeared. This change over time is especially important for understanding the landscape.

Routes and Waypoints

The Lurdy cycle route reaches the settlement of Pouště via a concrete bridge over the Kocába. As surface conditions and crossing conditions can change, check the latest route conditions before setting off. A route description published in January 2025 also describes paths along the right bank of the Kocába, a river crossing via a bridge and an ascent through fields to Pouště. For this route, too, it is advisable to check the current path conditions before setting out.

A route description from January 2025 names the chapel and a small pond on pastureland as waypoints; the described route then reaches Mokrovraty railway station. These features provide different reference points for planning: a bridge and river crossing, paths along the bank, fields and a railway station as the destination. Check the path conditions before using this information to plan your visit.

A Time-Specific Note

On 17 August 2025, the automatically controlled bell rang in Pouště for the first time. At the time, it was planned that from then on it would ring every Sunday at noon. If you want to time your visit specifically for this, check the current ringing time in advance.

Discover more destinations: Těchařovice, Sedlec, Příčovy, Lhota U Příbramě, Drahenice, Brekova Lhota, Rosovice, Nečín.

For the overview of the wider area: Příbram District.