Hořice na Šumavě showcases its cultural heritage on several scales: through the history of the Passion Plays, its protected market square and local traditions. The Pohádková rezervace adds a fairytale approach to Czech cultural heritage. When planning your visit, you can therefore first decide whether you are more interested in theatre history, the townscape, the history of local customs or an unusual fairytale concept.
Passion Plays: theatre history and revival
The Hořické Pašijové hry were revived in 1992. On February 18, 2025, they were added to the national list of the intangible cultural heritage of traditional folk culture in Czechia. Another date takes us back to the Passion Play theatre: it was built in 1893 for 1,500 spectators. The Municipal Museum and Hořické Pašijové hry presents both the history of the Passion Plays and the history and present-day life of Hořice na Šumavě. Its exhibits include a model of the theatre. These dates mark distinct chapters: the theatre’s construction, the revival of the plays and their subsequent recognition as intangible cultural heritage. This makes it possible to place the local history of the Passion Plays in context without treating the theatre’s construction, the revival and the recognition as one and the same event.
Market square and church in the townscape
The market square in Hořice na Šumavě is a conservation area and is home to the oldest surviving medieval pillory in Bohemia, dating from 1549. Thus, a designation protecting an area and an individually dated monument stand side by side in the square. St. Catherine’s Church adds a different feature: it dates from the 13th century and has stained-glass windows. It shapes the distinctive panorama of Hořice na Šumavě and can be seen from the town and from the surrounding hills in the distance. The church is a few minutes’ walk from the centre and is accessible year-round. Its date of construction, windows and role in the panorama offer different points of connection for appreciating this part of the townscape.
Museums, local customs and the cultural calendar
The Museum of Historical Radios is located in the cultural centre in the heart of Hořice na Šumavě. Its focus differs from that of the municipal museum: here, the subject is historical radios, while the other museum covers the Passion Plays as well as the history and present-day life of the town. The Hořický Masopust shifts the focus from exhibits to a local custom. It was first held in 1993 and is based on the meeting of a Růžičková procession and a straw procession. They negotiate over which one has the right to roam and sing in the area concerned. What makes it distinctive is therefore not just the procession, but also the negotiation between the two processions. In 2026, all events in the Hořické cultural year will take place in the covered amphitheatre at Hořice na Šumavě 202. If you would like to attend an event, check the dates for your travel period.
A fairytale approach to cultural heritage
The Pohádková rezervace is situated on a picturesque wooded hill above Hořice na Šumavě. Its concept puts endangered Czech fairytale creatures at the centre: the caretaker looks after all endangered species of these creatures and thereby protects Czech cultural heritage. This fairytale conservation idea differs from the local and architectural history that takes centre stage at the market square, the church and the museums. If you are weighing up different cultural themes, the Pohádková rezervace offers a distinct focus alongside the historic sites.
Discover more destinations: Sebanov, Unterbreitenstein, Oberplan, Malsching, Krumau, Priethal, Velešín, Podesdorf.
Back to the main travel overview: Okres Český Krumlov.
