A pond, a peat bog and wet meadows define Zhejral, one kilometre east of Klatovec. At No. 26 in Klatovec, the former studio of Míla Doleželová and Jiří Mareš tells a very different story.

Natural area and nature trail

Zhejral Pond, together with the peat bog and wet meadows along its northern and western shores, lies one kilometre east of Klatovec. Together, they form a complex with rare fauna and flora. Around 500 butterfly species have been recorded in the area. This approximate figure refers to the Zhejral area, not to any single landscape feature; it adds a specific species count to the description of the rare wildlife and plant life. It is an estimate of scale, not an exact total. To appreciate the natural area, the pond, peat bog and wet meadows should be considered alongside its biodiversity. The water surface is only one part of the landscape complex described.

The “Poznej kraj pod Javořicí” nature trail passes through the Zhejral National Natural Monument and a Natura 2000 site. It opened on 7 November 2007 and consists of two overlapping circular routes: a shorter one with the first five stops, and a longer one with all nine. The shorter loop therefore includes the first five stops of the longer route, which adds four more. The difference between the two loops can thus be seen in the number of stops on each.

Artists’ history and remembrance

At No. 26 in Klatovec, the former rural studio with an outdoor gallery of Míla Doleželová and Jiří Mareš is a cultural monument. The couple lived and worked in the house during the 1960s. The “Po stopách malířky Míly Doleželové” route leads to the house, which was declared a cultural monument in 2023. The two dates refer to different things: the 1960s were when the couple lived and worked there, while 2023 was when the house was declared a cultural monument. The route’s title foregrounds the painter Míla Doleželová; the history of the house also encompasses the artist couple. The route’s perspective and the site’s biographical connection are therefore distinct.

A stone table still stands at Studánka Páně, commemorating the secret services held by the Bohemian Brethren during the Counter-Reformation. This adds another subject to the artists’ history: religious gatherings and their remembrance. The memorial embodied by the stone table and the story of the artists’ lives and work in the house thus offer two different approaches to cultural history.

For your trip planning, the nature trail offers a clear comparison: five stops on the shorter loop and all nine on the longer, overlapping route. The cultural themes lead to different historical stories. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Klatovec, you can choose your focus based on whether you want your stay to be shaped by a nature route or cultural history.

Discover more destinations: Strachoňovice, Černíč, Cejle, Boršov, Žatec Na Moravě, Řídelov, Krahulčí, Sedlejov.

For the wider travel overview: Jihlava District.