Chotovice U Nového Boru: Nature, Chapel and Local History

Chotovice U Nového Boru brings together nature, trails and traces of local history. The educational trail in the Franze Hantschela Forest Park focuses on storks and the surrounding environment; other highlights include a listed chapel, the former spa and the history of glassmaking. Hiking and cycling routes pass through Chotovice. You can tailor your stay to a walk in nature, a route or an interest in architecture and local history.

Walks, Hikes and a Cycling Route

The Čapí naučná stezka educational trail is located in the Franze Hantschela Forest Park and offers a walk through nature. Its focus is on storks and the surrounding environment. If you are looking for a walk with a clear theme, this provides a specific starting point. The competition card for the Čapí naučná stezka is available at Chotovická hospůdka u Lázní from Wednesday to Sunday, from 2 p.m. Check these opening hours before you arrive.

The “Z Nového Boru do Sloupu” hiking route passes through Chotovice and offers a glimpse of the preserved traditional folk architecture of the Lusatian region. It therefore offers a different focus from the educational trail: here, it is about regional architecture, while the trail focuses on storks and nature. The route description was updated in 2012; check the current route before setting out, as conditions may change. The Skalická cycling route also passes through Chotovice. The routes differ both in the subject matter of the walking trails and in the mode of transport used on the cycling route.

The Chapel and Local History

The Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is a listed monument in Chotovice. Its history can be traced through two distinct dates: it was built in 1776 and added to the heritage list in 1965. The first date refers to its construction, the second to its later listing. This distinction helps separate the construction date from its protected status and place the chapel more precisely in time.

The spa in Chotovice operated until 1945 and is no longer in operation. Its historical spa activities included an iron-rich water spring and peat, which was extracted near Červený rybník (Rotteich) by Pihel. These details link the use of an iron-rich spring with a peat extraction site near Pihel, giving the former spa a specific historical context.

Glassmaking is another part of the area’s history. At the end of the 19th century, two glass-grinding mills were operating on the Chotovický potok in the cadastral area of Chotovice. While the spa operated until 1945, the mills point to commercial activity along the stream in the late 19th century. Dr. Franz Hantschel was a doctor and local historian, and is described as Chotovice’s most famous son to date.

The routes differ mainly in their subject matter and type of excursion: the educational trail is a walk focused on storks and nature, the hiking route highlights traditional folk architecture, and the Skalická cycling route passes through Chotovice by bike. The chapel, spa and glass-grinding mills add architectural and local history from different periods to this selection.

Discover more destinations: Prachen, Krompach V Čechách, Kravaře V Čechách, Holany, Hamr Na Jezeře, Doksy, Pertoltice Pod Ralskem, Žandov.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Česká Lípa.