Zábrdí: Nature, Nativity Scenes and History

Zábrdí is a destination for travelers who consider landscape, local culture and a specific local history when choosing where to go. The village lies above the Blanice River in varied terrain at an average elevation of 642 meters above sea level. The river, protected natural areas, a nativity scene museum and historical connections each offer a different focus. When planning your stay, you can consider which of these aspects of the village interests you most.

Landscape and protected nature

The Blanice River and its surroundings are protected because of the river’s natural course and its sandy to gravelly riverbed substrate. This protection therefore concerns both the course of the river and the material at the bottom of its bed. The V polích protected area also includes a site protected for its rich population of lesser butterfly orchids. These two descriptions of nature emphasize different features: the river and its bed substrate in one case, and a protected plant population in the other.

Another specific landscape feature is a black locust tree on the western edge of the village. It stands at a crossroads and is protected as a natural monument. A cross bearing the year 1871 stands right next to the tree. The tree, cross and crossroads form a clearly identified local landmark where natural and landscape features come together.

Zábrdská Cave is also described in terms of its location: it lies below the road to the mill. This information describes where it is, not the conditions for visiting it. Together with the Blanice River and the protected plant site, it shows that Zábrdí’s natural features take different forms—from the river landscape to individual named places.

Local history and connections

The name Zábrdí refers to a village beyond a hill, or beyond the Brd. An early specific reference in the written history of the village dates to 1359: a document issued that year, granting Petr of Janovice and his heirs rights to estates, lists Zábrdí among the villages mentioned. The date places the village in a historical context but should not be taken to indicate its founding year.

Josef Hasil is also associated with Zábrdí; he was born in Zábrdí u Prachatic on February 8, 1924. He was formerly a people smuggler in the Bohemian Forest and later an agent for the American intelligence service CIC. He was known as the “King of the Bohemian Forest.” Alongside the 14th-century document, this biographical connection adds another, considerably later perspective to the village’s history.

Nativity scene museum and your stay

The Museum of Paper Nativity Scenes in Zábrdí is dedicated to nativity scenes from around the world. Its collection includes almost 900 nativity scenes, 99 percent of which are made of paper. As additional exhibits may be added, the size of the collection may change. The museum is open all seven days of the week; check the opening information before your visit.

Zábrdí therefore brings together a range of interests: the museum showcases an extensive collection made mostly of paper, while the natural features focus on the river, its bed substrate and plant life. The 1359 document and Josef Hasil’s biography add two different historical connections to these topics. If you are planning a stay, you can first decide whether nature, local history or the nativity scene museum will be your main focus.

The village’s features help you understand the character of the destination; choose a hotel based on the information provided for each property.

Discover more destinations: Strunkovice Nad Blanicí, Vacov, Stachy, Lužice U Netolic, Kratušín, Kristanovice, Husinec U Netolic, Malenice.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Prachatice.