Three different ways to explore local history make Gutwasser worth a visit: the Baroque Church of Panny Marie Bolestné, the Stations of the Cross around it, and the chapel above the spring. Together, they lead from architecture and religious imagery to the history of water and mineral resources. The dates help distinguish these themes chronologically; they describe not a single building phase, but several developments spanning centuries.

Church and Stations of the Cross

The Church of Panny Marie Bolestné was built between 1733 and 1735 to a design by the architect Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. Its paintings and stucco decoration are among the outstanding examples of Baroque art in South Bohemia. The construction date and the decoration offer two points of reference for a visit: the design places the building in a specific period, while its paintings and stucco define its significance in art history. The church can be visited year-round. Before travelling, check the local access arrangements if you are planning your visit in advance.

The Stations of the Cross, which include a Holy Sepulchre, run around the church. Their chapels were built between 1837 and 1839; the original images were replaced in 1996 with new works by academic painter Renata Štolbová. This brings the construction of the chapels and a later change in their imagery into view side by side. During a pilgrimage documented in 2026, pilgrims paused at the individual Stations of the Cross. A walking pilgrimage went via Hosín, Rudolfov, Gutwasser, Nová Ves and Doudleby to Římov on 11 July 2026.

The spring, water and mining

The chapel above the spring dates back to 1830 in its present form. The water of Gutwasser was attributed with healing properties from an early date. Geology offers another perspective: ore deposits influenced the composition of the water emerging from the rocks in the area. In this way, historical accounts of the water and the geological explanation of its composition stand side by side.

The history of mining also reaches far back. Since the mid-16th century, the historic Dobrá Voda mining area included the extraction of quartz containing predominantly pyrite and arsenopyrite, as well as native gold. Mining therefore dates back to a time before the village existed. The history of mineral resources began considerably earlier than the construction phases of the church and the Stations of the Cross.

The dates can be read in comparison: the church of the 1730s was followed by the Stations of the Cross chapels in the late 1830s; the chapel above the spring had already taken on its present form in 1830, and the images were replaced in 1996. Mining reaches further back still, to the mid-16th century. Depending on your interests, you can focus on Baroque architecture and imagery, or on the older history of water and mineral resources.

Discover more destinations: Vlhlavy, Žimutice, Jílovice, Sitzkreis, Vidov, Neplachov, Teindles, Planá U Českých Budějovic

Go to the main travel overview: Okres České Budějovice.