Strážek combines cultural history with walks and hikes: Beaver City recreates life in American frontier towns, while the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude and sacred art shape the local cultural heritage. A blue-marked hiking trail leads from Strážek to the Mitrov castle ruins. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, it is best to decide first whether your stay will focus mainly on the Western town, architecture, or the surrounding trails.

Beaver City: a Western town with a historical setting

Beaver City was founded in Strážek in 1995 as a Western town open-air museum, with a thematic connection to the US state of Wyoming. The term open-air museum refers to an outdoor museum; at Beaver City, this takes the form of a Western town. The site recreates life in American frontier towns from 1800 to 1890. Fort Beaver is the trapper trading-post area of Beaver City. The dates refer to different things: 1995 marks its founding, while 1800 to 1890 is the period of the life being recreated. This distinguishes Beaver City from the architectural and sculptural works in the town: here, the focus is on a staged American frontier-town theme, while there it is on sacred architecture and sculpture. A dress code generally applies at events: with few exceptions, period clothing is required. If you plan to attend a specific event, check the rules in effect beforehand, as requirements may change.

Church and sacred art in Strážek

The Church of St. Simon and St. Jude is a Renaissance building dating from 1616, with late Gothic elements. Since 1958, it and the Baroque statue of St. John of Nepomuk have been protected as cultural monuments of the Czech Republic. The statue is a high-quality example of Baroque sculpture from the 18th century. The devotional site of St. Florian can also be seen in Strážek; it is a late Baroque sculptural work from the 18th century. Renaissance architecture, late Gothic features, and Baroque and late Baroque sculpture can thus be distinguished as different aspects of the local cultural heritage. The church is also a parish church, with regular services. If you plan to attend a service, check the current times in advance.

Walks and hiking destinations

The two hiking options differ in format: the 550 m-high Strážnice Mountain is a destination for recreational walks near Strážek; the trip “Through the Bobrůvka Valley and the Mitrov Estate” starts in Strážek, follows a blue-marked hiking trail to the Mitrov castle ruins, and is described as a half-day tour. The duration may vary depending on your hiking pace. The castle ruins lie in the immediate vicinity of Strážek, on a wooded hill surrounded on three sides by the Bobrůvka; they are freely accessible. Check current access arrangements before visiting. Another historical route, “In the Footsteps of Criminal Justice in Strážek,” passes the remains of a former execution site. This adds a different historical aspect from the castle ruins: the focus here is on the site of a former execution.

Discover more destinations: Horní Rožínka, Rudolec, Otín, Radostín Nad Oslavou, Velká Losenice, Moravecké Pavlovice, Borovnice, Netín.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Žďár Nad Sázavou.