Discover Kunžak: Local History and Landscape

Kunžak combines architectural and local history with ponds, protected natural areas, and hiking trails. If you are looking for a hotel in Kunžak, these themes can help you decide whether to visit: they range from historic architectural styles to summer swimming spots and marked routes.

Church of St. Bartholomew and Architectural History

The Church of St. Bartholomew was first mentioned in 1370. After being rebuilt following fires in 1742 and 1808, it took on its present form. The tower, added in 1556, is 24.8 meters high, has five stories, and is prism-shaped; it is topped with a Renaissance cupola. The rectory behind the church was built in the Neoclassical style in 1796. The Renaissance cupola on the tower and the Neoclassical rectory offer a tangible comparison of different architectural styles.

Monuments and Local History

A monument to the victims of the First World War was erected in front of the church tower in 1933. It features a statue of a legionnaire by Karla Vobišová-Žáková (1887–1961), a sculptor born in Kunžak. The monument thus connects remembrance of the war with the work of an artist born here.

There are five protected wayside shrines in Kunžak. Two stand in the park near the church, and three remain at their original locations. Log house No. 63 is a rare surviving example of an older type of regional folk dwelling. Below the school stands the stone fountain dating from 1815; it was originally Kunžak’s largest stone fountain.

Local history also has its own points of reference: Kunžak grew up at a crossroads of trade routes. Velké Podolí is the oldest part of Kunžak.

Landscape, Waters, and Nature

The Javorka spring is on Bystřická Street in Kunžak, at an elevation of 634 meters. At 738 meters, Vysoký kámen is the highest point in the area around Kunžak. Komorník Pond covers 56 hectares and is three kilometers long. Zachariáš of Hradec created it in 1575.

In Česká Kanada, Komorník Pond is one of the bodies of water popular for swimming in summer. Swimming conditions and facilities may vary. About one kilometer west of Kunžak is a 0.11-hectare protected natural monument area with a notable occurrence of common juniper; its gene pool is also protected. The Česká Kanada area is bounded by Kunžak, Nová Bystřice, and Slavonice and was declared a nature reserve in 1994.

Hiking Trails and Navigation

The Czech Canada Trail reaches Kunžak via a quiet road; the distance to Krvavý Pond is about three kilometers. In the Kunžak section, the route follows red-marked hiking trails through a gorge and the Kunžacký Forest toward Vysoký kámen. The landscape is considered attractive despite the effects of bark beetle infestation. Check trail conditions and signage before setting out.

Another hiking destination is the former rocking stone Bývalý viklan Trkal. It lies about one kilometer from the village of Suchdol u Kunžaku and is easily reached via a marked blue hiking trail.

Discover more destinations: Hříšice, Cep, Blato, Ceské Velenice, Vícemil, Pístina, Ponědrážka, Nová Ves Nad Lužnicí

For the broader travel overview: Jindřichův Hradec District.