Bednárec: Village History and Pond Landscape

Bednárec offers points of interest for travelers interested in village history, sacred art and a landscape shaped by water. The Chapel of the Virgin Mary stands in the village square. In Černý les, east of the village, there is a cascade of four ponds; in Lipina, the protected area and the meanders of the Žirovnička stream shape the landscape. Other features include the Kopec viewpoint and a reconciliation stone outside Bednárec, on the road from Jarošov nad Nežárkou. The attractions thus range from the village’s built environment to its waterways, woodland and far-reaching views.

Village Square and Sacred Art

The Chapel of the Virgin Mary stands in Bednárec’s village square and was built in 1795. Its polygonal bell tower with an onion dome gives the building a distinctive architectural profile. The village square also has a distinctive layout: a railway line runs directly above it on an embankment several metres high. This brings a late-18th-century building and an elevated transport route together in the same square. These are two distinct features that shape the character of the village: sacred architecture and technical infrastructure each leave their mark on the square in their own way.

Another art-historical feature is the Pietà of Bednárec, a late Gothic wooden sculpture from the beginning of the 16th century. It remains the property of the municipality of Bednárec and is part of the permanent exhibition in Hluboká. As the exhibition may change, check the current display arrangements before your visit. The sculpture was created significantly earlier than the chapel.

Lipina and the Pond Landscape

The Lipina protected area is located in Bednárec along the meanders of the Žirovnička stream. It was established to protect an original lime and oak forest, typical of the warmer areas of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Lipina’s winding stream and the forest that prompted the area’s protection are therefore its defining features. These aspects distinguish Lipina from the pond cascade in Černý les: here, the focus is on the stream and forest, while there it is on a sequence of named bodies of water.

East of Bednárec, in Černý les, there is a cascade of four ponds: Jílků malý, Šedivů, Obecní velký and Obecní malý. Two water pools with adjoining wetlands have also been created at the edge of Obecní velký. Measures at this pond increased its water retention capacity and biodiversity in the immediate surroundings. The four names refer to the cascade as a whole; the created wetlands, as well as the increased water retention capacity and biodiversity, relate to Obecní velký and its immediate surroundings.

Views and Historical Interpretation

From the upper part of the village, Kopec, the view stretches across Jindřichohradecko and Kamenicko, as well as the Novohradské Mountains and the Šumava. The extent of the view depends on the weather and vegetation. In exceptionally clear conditions, the Alps may also be visible. A view of the Alps is therefore conditional on particularly favorable conditions, while views of the named regions also depend on visibility.

A reconciliation stone stands outside the village, on the road from Jarošov nad Nežárkou to Bednárec. According to local historical interpretation, it is believed to mark the possible grave of a man and a woman from the Swedish Wars. This cautious interpretation sets the historical reference apart from the precisely dated chapel: the stone points to a possible interpretation, not a confirmed burial.

Discover more destinations: Lužnice, Bednáreček, Dívčí Kopy, Jindrichuv Hradec, Ceské Velenice, Kostelní Radouň, Ceska Olesna, Rosec.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Jindřichův Hradec.