Kašperské Hory brings together several themes that give a stay a clear focus: Late Gothic art, evidence of historic gold mining, churches from different periods, and exhibitions about the nature of Šumava. When planning your trip, you can weigh whether you would prefer to focus on cultural history or on the landscape and its natural environment.
Art, Natural History, and Gold at the Šumava Museum
The Šumava Museum displays Late Gothic sculptures dating from around the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. Its permanent natural history exhibition also covers zoology, botany, geology, and nature conservation. This breadth of topics offers a different perspective on the region from the art and cultural history collections: here, natural connections are presented alongside art history. The historical exhibition also includes the history of gold mining and gold processing in the Šumava region. Those interested in the town's development will find several different perspectives under one roof.
Gold History and Historic Routes
Gold mining is not covered only in the exhibition. Kašperské Hory is also home to a historic facility for processing gold ore. According to the finds, it was established around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. Gold ore was roasted there; it could then be transported to crushing facilities and gold mills. This describes one stage between ore extraction and further processing, complementing the information about gold mining and processing at the museum.
The Kašperskohorská branch of the Golden Trail is another part of the area's historical context. This most recent branch of the historic route was laid out in the mid-14th century at the direction of Emperor Charles IV. It ran from Kašperské Hory via Kvilda and Freyung to Passau. This also places the town's history in a broader historical context. The documented route describes the course of this historic trail; it is presented here as history, not as a statement about present-day hiking conditions.
Two Churches, Different Building Periods
The Church of St. Margaret combines Gothic architecture with a later interior design. The three-aisled basilica was built in the mid-14th century and has a Baroque interior dating from the 18th century. This sequence of periods makes the difference between the medieval structure and its later furnishings especially clear.
Another historic church is the Church of St. Nicholas. It is located 1.5 km from the town center and contains Early Gothic frescoes as well as a painted beam ceiling dating from 1700. When planning your visit, the distance helps you place it in relation to the center; on its own, it does not indicate how long it takes to walk there. Together, the two churches illustrate different aspects of sacred architecture and interior design history, while keeping their construction periods distinct.
Šumava Nature and Seasonal Excursions
The Kašperské Hory Information Center introduces visitors to nature in Šumava National Park and the Šumava Protected Landscape Area. Its permanent exhibition focuses especially on water in the Šumava landscape. It covers peat bogs, wetlands, glacial lakes, and waterways, and explains their importance for water retention in the landscape. It therefore looks not only at individual landscape features, but also at how different water environments are connected.
During the summer season, the information center mainly organizes excursions focused on botany and birdwatching; specific offerings may vary. The seasonal program complements the exhibition with guided nature topics. If you want to include a particular excursion in your plans, check the current offerings. When choosing a stay in Kašperské Hory, this presents a clear contrast: cultural and historical sites and churches on the one hand, and natural history and seasonal nature observation on the other.
Discover more destinations: Podlesi, Pačejov, Zavlekov, Soběšice, Nemilkov, Klenová, Komušín, Čímice.
View the broader travel guide: Okres Klatovy.
