Discover Prostiboř

Prostiboř can be understood through its various historical traces. The first mention of the village appears in the foundation charter of Kladruby Monastery. Other points of interest include the village conservation area, the architectural history of the Church of St. Nicholas, and the history of Kopec. The northern route of the Way of St. James also passes through Prostiboř, offering another perspective on the village.

Village Conservation Area and Architectural Forms

The Prostiboř village conservation area includes masonry architecture from the late 19th century. Characteristic features include façades with rustication, half-storey attics, and numerous openings in the gables. These features draw attention to different aspects of the design: the articulated façades, the roof areas, and the gable surfaces. Together, they give the protected architecture a distinctive profile, which can be distinguished from the history of individual buildings.

For travelers who take historic architectural forms into account when choosing a destination, the area offers a focus of its own. It is not just about one building, but about masonry architecture with recurring features. The first mention of Prostiboř in the foundation charter of Kladruby Monastery adds a written reference to the village’s history to this architectural perspective.

Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk

The Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk was built in 1867 by residents of the village on the site of an earlier small chapel. The date therefore does not mark the beginning of the chapel’s history at this location: a smaller predecessor building already stood there. The present chapel is a masonry building in the Neo-Romanesque style, with a rectangular floor plan and a three-sided termination.

Style, material, and floor plan each describe a different aspect of the building. The term “Neo-Romanesque” classifies its architectural style, while the rectangular floor plan and three-sided termination further define the structure’s form. This chapel offers a chance to consider both local architectural history and specific architectural features.

Church of St. Nicholas

The Church of St. Nicholas in Prostiboř has its own layers of history. The Gothic building was remodeled in the Baroque style in the nave; the tower was added between 1753 and 1756. The church also has a bell dating from 1551 with a Czech inscription. These dates place different parts of the building’s history in relation to one another: the bell is older than the tower, while the Baroque remodeling specifically affected the nave.

The church’s history therefore cannot be reduced to a single construction phase. The Gothic foundation, the remodeling of the nave, and the later construction of the tower should be distinguished from one another. The bell adds a dated item of church furnishings with a Czech inscription to this architectural history.

Kopec: Castle, Chateau, and Current Status

Kopec Castle, above Prostiboř, has existed since the 14th century. In the 18th century, it was converted into a multi-storey chateau. The medieval castle and the later chateau therefore belong to different periods in the history of the building. Kopec Chateau is currently closed for renovation; this status is important when planning a visit.

Lime Trees and the Way of St. James

Two protected small-leaved lime trees stand above the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk. They are about 22 meters tall. The approximate figure gives an idea of the trees’ size, while their location above the chapel describes the relationship between a natural feature and a building.

The northern route of the Way of St. James runs from Kladruby through Prostiboř and Hostouň to Bělá nad Radbuzou. Prostiboř is thus one of the places along this route. This offers a different way to plan a visit than focusing on architectural history: you can follow the village’s history or place Prostiboř along the northern route of the Way of St. James.

Discover more destinations: Halže, Svojšín, Rozvadov, Kostelec U Stříbra, Bezdružice, Písařova Vesce, Cernosin, Kladruby U Stříbra

For the main travel overview: Okres Tachov.