Kožlany: Nature Trail, Crafts and History

Kožlany offers several points of interest for a stay: a marked nature trail, a continuing pottery tradition, architectural history and the Jewish cemetery nearby. When looking for a hotel, you can consider which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.

Nature Trail and Hliny

The Naučná stezka Kožlany is six kilometres long and marked in both directions with the standard nature-trail symbol: a white square with a green diagonal stripe. Its length makes it easy to factor the route into your day’s plans. Hliny is part of the nature trail. It is a flooded former site where ceramic clay was extracted. Plant and animal communities adapted to wet habitats thrive at Hliny. Two themes come together here: the former extraction of ceramic clay and a habitat whose plants and animals need moisture. If, on a walk, you would like to take in not only the route but also changes in the landscape and habitats, Hliny offers a concrete point of reference.

Church, Crafts and History

Kostel sv. Vavřince is considered the oldest building in Kožlany. The church has three naves, a western tower and a polygonal presbytery, or many-sided chancel. The three-nave layout divides the interior into three aisles. The protected ensemble includes, in addition to the church, a mortuary, the surrounding wall with two gates and a wicket gate, an iron cross, and the grounds of the site.

Kožlany’s pottery tradition continues to this day as a local craft tradition. It is a cultural highlight in its own right for travellers interested in regional crafts. Eduard Beneš’s biography is another point of historical interest: Beneš, the second president of Czechoslovakia, was born in Kožlany in 1884.

Jewish Cemetery Nearby

The Jewish cemetery near Kožlany was established no later than the end of the 17th century; the oldest documented burial dates to 1698. The cemetery has 175 gravestones. From the early 18th century until the 1930s, it served as a burial ground for Jews from surrounding villages. During restoration, the surrounding wall, entrance gate and Beit Tahara mortuary with its tahara table were repaired. The cemetery is freely accessible; as access conditions can change, check them before your visit.

The dates describe different milestones: the cemetery was established no later than the end of the 17th century, the oldest documented burial took place in 1698, and its use continued from the early 18th century until the 1930s. This distinguishes the cemetery’s establishment, its earliest documented burial and its later use. Beneš’s birth year, 1884, is a single biographical reference point, while the pottery tradition continues to this day. Thus, a cemetery history spanning centuries, a biographical date and a continuing craft tradition sit alongside one another.

Discover more destinations: Úterý, Lipno, Kbelany, Nadryby, Hvozd, Nekmíř, Hracholusky, Úherce.

For the regional travel overview: Plzeň-Sever District.