The Podkostelák pond reflects Velký Bor’s distinctive ensemble: the hill where the former castle stood, the church and houses along the shore. This gives the village a characteristic appearance, with a history that can be traced through individual buildings and details. For trip planning, there are two distinct focuses: the village’s cultural and historical traces, and several cycling routes through Velký Bor and its immediate surroundings. When planning your day, you can choose between exploring local history and spending time on your bike.

A church with distinctive architectural details

The Church of Saint John the Baptist was built in the 13th century and retains fragments of its original wall paintings. Its architectural features include three bricked-up windows with remnants of trefoil tracery and an Early Gothic portal leading to the antechamber of the sacristy. Trefoil tracery is a three-lobed decorative motif that helps identify the form of the surviving window details. The bricked-up openings and the portal tell different aspects of the building’s story: preserved window ornamentation on the one hand, and an entrance to the sacristy antechamber on the other. Five bells hang in the tower, including Jan, a bell more than 500 years old. The wall paintings, tracery, portal and bells make the church a point of interest with several specific architectural and historical details.

From the castle site to the hospital

Another point of interest is the former castle site and the hospital. In 1765, Princess Marie of Löwenstein had a hospital built on the foundations of the demolished castle, with a chapel for retired estate officials. The Romanesque castle chapel is attached to the Baroque hospital. The chapel and hospital are thus connected structurally, even though they belong to different historical periods. The hospital was intended for retired estate officials. In 1869, the municipality bought the former hospital building and established a school there; it continued to serve as a school until 2001. The change from hospital to school adds another chapter of local history to the older story of the castle and chapel.

The village landscape and individual memorials

The ensemble of the elevated site of the former castle, the church and the houses along the shore is reflected in the Podkostelák pond. The historic hill and the buildings by the water are thus part of the same village scene. A smaller detail is the stone wayside cross Kříž u Benatky. Made of granite, it bears the barely legible date 1843. At the cross, the material and inscription draw attention to an individual object; at the hospital, by contrast, the history can be traced through its former use and the subsequent change in use. Both perspectives add to the picture of Velký Bor’s architectural history.

Cycling routes and getting here

Several cycling routes pass through Velký Bor and the immediate surroundings. This offers a separate focus for trip planning alongside the local buildings. Before setting out, check the route and signage so you can choose your route based on the current course. The railway station is also easy to locate: it lies south of the village, less than two kilometres away on the road to Horažďovice. If you plan to arrive by train, check the latest connections and timetables in advance.

Discover more destinations: Zelezná Ruda, Dešenice, Domoraz, Hrádek, Dolany, Zborovy, Nalžovské Hory, Strašín.

For the regional travel overview: Okres Klatovy.