A national cultural monument with a permanent exhibition, the grounds of St. Vitus Church with their stone enclosure wall and mortuary, and a spring with an old legend give Havlíčkova Borová a distinct cultural and historical focus. The surrounding area also offers water and forest scenery. If you are looking for an apartment, you can tailor your stay to your interests: Karel Havlíček Borovský, church architecture or protected nature.
Karel Havlíček Borovský in the Spotlight
The Karel Havlíček Borovský Memorial is a national cultural monument and houses a permanent exhibition about the life and work of Karel Havlíček Borovský. It combines cultural monument status with a clearly defined exhibition theme. The Karel Havlíček Borovský Educational Trail complements this focus on the writer in a different way: it was established in October 2022 and begins close to Karel Havlíček Borovský’s birthplace. The exhibition and trail can thus be considered according to their respective focuses—the former explores his life and work, while the latter has a precisely described starting point near his birthplace.
St. Vitus Church and Architectural History
The relationships between the structures on the grounds of St. Vitus Church are noteworthy. A stone enclosure wall surrounds the cemetery, and a rectangular mortuary is built into the same wall. Below the church stands a Baroque rectory dating from 1726. The wall, cemetery and mortuary are therefore part of a single described setting, while the rectory’s location and construction date mark it as a separate point of interest.
There is also a graceful wayside shrine (Boží muka) dating from 1765 in front of a house. This adds another dated architectural detail. Taken together, the information about the church, cemetery, rectory and shrine offers several points of entry for exploring the area’s cultural history, rather than focusing on a single building.
Spring, Stream and Mining History
Poustevníkova studánka is associated with a local legend dating from the early 17th century, as well as a practical benefit: visitors can drink its cold water. Water conditions may vary depending on the season. If you plan to visit the spring, take this seasonal aspect into account.
Borovský potok offers a different way to experience the landscape. Near the local mill and brewery, it forms graceful meanders. Meanders are bends in a watercourse; here, the focus is on the shape of the stream in its described setting alongside the mill and brewery.
Borovská jezírka add a mining history to the water theme. They are a protected natural monument formed from flooded shafts left by the iron ore mining carried out in the 19th century. Unlike the spring, with its legend, or the stream, with its meanders, the lakes’ origins in mining are the focus here.
Forests and Protected Areas
The natural attractions also have distinct characteristics. Nearby Ransko is designated a national nature reserve. The extensive forests of the Ransko Massif lie in the vicinity of Havlíčkova Borová. They are part of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area and are currently heavily affected by a bark beetle infestation. If you choose the forests as your focus, their current condition is as relevant to understanding them as their inclusion in the protected landscape area.
The trip can therefore bring together a range of themes: the life and work of Karel Havlíček Borovský, architectural details around St. Vitus Church, a local legend and landscapes with their own distinct histories. You can decide how to prioritize these themes based on what interests you most about Havlíčkova Borová.
Discover more destinations: Kynice, Klokocov, Prosíčka, Víska, Služátky, Hostačov, Pohled, Trpišovice
For the broader travel overview: Havlíčkův Brod District.
