Two nature trails offer different thematic perspectives on Chlumčany U Přeštic: one runs around Hujáb Hill and covers the history of the town, while the other leads from the market square through the industrial district to a forest pond. Other attractions include a modern stone circle, a Baroque chapel and the MotoMuzeum, with its specialist motorcycle collections. When planning your trip, you can first decide what interests you most: a shorter or longer route, local history or the history of technology.
Nature trails: local history or industry and nature
The “Lidé a kultura Chlumčan” nature trail runs around Hujáb. Six information panels guide visitors through the history of Chlumčany over a distance of 2.8 kilometres. The route is suitable for walkers, cyclists and families with children; it can also be travelled with a pushchair. It therefore offers a shorter route than the second nature trail and combines outdoor activity with a clear focus on cultural history.
The six-kilometre “Průmysl a příroda Chlumčan” nature trail starts at the market square, passes through the industrial district and ends at a forest pond. Its panels add further themes to the route: one is titled “Keramička Chlumčany – kaolin – bílé zlato” and links ceramics with kaolin, the “white gold”. Another is headed “Šavlice Chlumčany – rybníky, lesy, přírodní oázy”—in English: ponds, forests and natural oases. The route therefore differs from the one around Hujáb not only in length but also in its subject matter.
Access conditions for both routes may change; check them before setting out. When choosing, it is especially helpful to compare the route lengths and thematic focus: one route is devoted to local history, while the other brings together topics related to industry and nature.
Hujáb, the stone circle and the chapel
A modern megalithic stone circle stands on Hujáb Hill. The site comprises 16 large perimeter stones, a central menhir and four additional menhirs. Its layout can thus be understood as a combination of an outer circle, a central point and other stones. The term “modern” is an explicit part of its description and distinguishes it from a site that might be assumed to be prehistoric simply because of its large stones.
The “Lidé a kultura Chlumčan” nature trail also leads to the Chapel of the Virgin Mary. It was formerly known as “Matky Boží Pomocné”. The Chapel of Our Lady of Help is Baroque in style; construction took place between 1749 and 1751. The route therefore brings together local history and a specific 18th-century building. Its former name and present-day designation make it easier to recognise the chapel in the different cultural contexts of the town.
Motorcycle history at the MotoMuzeum
The MotoMuzeum Chlumčany opened in 2011. Its collection includes complete pre-war series of motorcycles by JAWA, ČZ and Praga. Another focus is a complete collection of specialist ČZ and ESO motocross machines. The two parts of the collection have different emphases: one features complete pre-war series, while the other showcases specialist motocross machines. The collection may change over time.
The MotoMuzeum currently has 160 motorcycles on display; this number may change as the collection develops. Together with the opening year, this figure places the exhibition in time without implying that its size will remain constant. For those interested in motorcycle technology, the contrast between the manufacturers mentioned, the pre-war series and the specialist motocross machines makes the structure of the collection particularly tangible.
Chlumčany therefore offers several clearly distinct points of interest to consider when planning a trip: nature trails of different lengths and themes, the modern stone circle on Hujáb, a Baroque chapel and the MotoMuzeum. Which of these aspects is most appealing depends on whether you would rather spend your time exploring local and architectural history, industry and nature, or motorcycle technology.
Discover more destinations: Spalene Porici, Netunice, Dnešice, Horšice, Nebílovy, Lisov, Líšina, Honezovice
View the wider travel guide: Plzeň-Jih.
