Žirovnice offers several different ways to shape your stay: art and historic rooms in the castle, the Neo-Gothic Church of St Philip and St James, a 27-kilometre nature trail and the Budín natural swimming pool. When planning your trip, you can choose a focus to suit you—perhaps cultural history, a longer walk or mountain-bike ride, or a visit to the swimming pool. These themes represent different ways to discover Žirovnice; they do not prescribe a set itinerary for the day.
Žirovnice Castle: Art, Interiors and Rural Life
The gallery of academic painter Jan Havlík in Žirovnice Castle displays his oil paintings. Another exhibition, titled “Flowers in an Aristocratic Residence,” features 19th-century furniture and interiors. Agricultural machinery, along with various tools and implements from rural life, takes centre stage in the granary. The themes differ clearly: the paintings are followed by historic interiors, then by objects from everyday rural life. This makes it possible to tailor your castle visit to your interests in art, domestic culture or agricultural history.
The castle’s observation tower offers views of the surrounding countryside. It adds another perspective on Žirovnice and its surroundings to the exhibitions. Art, historic interiors, rural implements and views across the landscape thus offer different ways to experience the castle, rather than focusing on just one type of exhibition.
The Church and Historical Themes
The present-day Church of St Philip and St James in Žirovnice was completed in 1871 and built in the Neo-Gothic style. Its main altar was adorned with a painting of the holy apostles Philip and James by Czech painter Karel Škréta. The date of construction, architectural style and altarpiece each provide a distinct point of reference for the church’s art and architectural history.
The Žirovnice brewery is another historical point of interest: its history dates back to 1544. The castle brewery also houses an exhibition on button-making and mother-of-pearl processing. It shows where and how mother-of-pearl is obtained and displays mother-of-pearl processing machines from the second half of the 19th century. Anyone interested in historic manufacturing will find specific topics here, from obtaining the material to the machinery. The brewery’s history and the exhibition on mother-of-pearl processing are separate ways to explore the history of the town.
Circular Trail, Stations of the Cross and Natural Swimming Pool
The “Po pamětihodnostech Žirovnice” nature trail is a circular route from Žirovnice through Metánov, Stranná, Štítné, Vlčetín and Popelín, returning to Žirovnice. At 27 kilometres, it is a substantial outing in its own right and is suitable for walkers and mountain bikers. Its length and circular route can help you decide whether to make a longer active outing the focus of your stay. The places named also show that the route extends beyond Žirovnice and returns, rather than simply looping around the town itself.
Another destination is the Stations of the Cross in the “Ve Struhách” forest near Žirovnice. They follow the red-marked hiking trail between Žirovnice and Počátky. This makes them distinct in both location and character from the nature trail: one is a 27-kilometre circular route passing through several named places, while the other is in a forest beside a hiking trail between two towns.
The Budín natural swimming pool has a large waterslide, a concrete table-tennis area, a nohejbal court and a streetball court. These offer different options for exercise and recreation at the pool. As facilities may change, it is advisable to check which amenities are currently available before visiting.
Plan Your Stay and Journey
The Žirovnice Tourist Information Centre offers a search for transport connections. Use it to plan your journey and check the specific connection that suits your plans.
Discover more destinations: Ústrašín, Mezná U Pelhřimova, Vitice, Božejov, Obrataň, Cervená Recice, Kejzlice, Horní Cerekev.
Go to the main travel overview: Pelhřimov District.
