Discover Domažlice: City History, Museums and Routes

In Domažlice, architectural history, collections on Chod culture and recurring festival traditions come together. When planning your stay, you can choose from different focal points: architecture in the cityscape, museum collections, the festival in August or routes in the surrounding area.

Cityscape and Historic Layers

Domažlické náměstí is lined with Gothic and Renaissance houses with arcades. Architectural details include vaulted passageways, known as Mázhaus, as well as later Baroque and Rococo gables. Several architectural styles meet in the square, while the history of individual buildings also reveals earlier periods.

The Gothic structure of Klášterní kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie dates back to the 14th century. The church was partially destroyed during the Hussite Wars; between 1746 and 1752, it was rebuilt in its present Baroque form. Domažlická věž tells a different kind of story: its three bells once marked the time of day, church services, deaths, fires and other events. The bells are still used today.

Museums and Chod Culture

The Muzeum Chodska is located in Chodský hrad. Its exhibitions cover the history of Domažlice, the Chod region and the wider surrounding area. Those interested in regional everyday culture will find numerous folk artefacts collected in the Chod region at the Muzeum J. Jindřicha. There is also an extensive collection of paintings on glass.

The exhibition “Pozor hranice! Historie hrou” offers another perspective. It focuses on the coexistence of Czechs and Germans in the border region of Český les. Together with the museum collections, it provides a focus on regional history and culture, spanning a range of subjects and artefacts.

Festival, Cultural Centre and Brewing Tradition

Chodské slavnosti is one of the oldest and largest ethnographic festivals in the Czech Republic. It takes place every year in August in Domažlice and is associated with a traditional pilgrimage to nearby Vavřinec. If you are planning your trip around the festival, it is best to check the specific event dates.

Kulturní centrum – Pivovar Domažlice is housed in a reconstructed historic malt house dating from the late 19th century. Visitors can taste beer at Městský pivovar Domažlice. The brewing tradition in Domažlice resumed after almost 25 years.

Routes and Destinations in the Surrounding Area

Tourist route M 2 (1411) starts at Domažlice’s main square, passes through Nevolice and Mrákov, continues to Všeruby and connects there to the German hiking trail markers. As route descriptions may change, check current trail conditions before setting off.

The Sochařská stezka starts at Chodský hrad and leads to the Baldov ridge. There, it forms an open-air gallery of sculptures; individual works may change. This makes its destination different from that of route M 2, which connects several named places.

Nearby, the seven-kilometre wheelchair-accessible route in Přírodní park Zelenov starts at a car park, loops around the medieval pond system of zelenovské rybníky to the shelter at Strakovský rybník, and returns to the car park. As of May 2025, the route was considered fully accessible. Check current surface conditions before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mířkov, Hlohovčice, Mezholezy, Újezd U Domažlic, Štichov, Blížejov, Horní Kamenice, Újezd Svatého Kríze.

Go to the broader travel overview: Okres Domažlice.