Zběšičky: Local History and Nature

Zběšičky combines cultural and historical interest with opportunities for outdoor activities. The town has a Jewish cemetery and a timber-framed rural house in the centre; the Hanov–Čábelky burial mound cemetery is also located in the cadastral area of Hanov, within the municipality of Zběšičky. The forests around Zběšičky are suitable for hiking, cycling, and relaxation. A regional cycling circuit also passes through Zběšičky. The town can therefore be explored both through specific historic sites and through its landscape and recreational opportunities.

The Jewish Cemetery and Local History

Permission to establish the Jewish cemetery in Zběšičky was granted by the estate in September 1793. The last documented burial took place in 1932. The gravestones were restored in four phases: 2010, 2021, 2023, and 2025; the restoration was completed in 2025. This timeline distinguishes the approval to establish the cemetery, the last documented burial, and the later care of the gravestones as separate phases. It therefore makes it possible to distinguish the history of the cemetery from the restoration work chronologically.

A Rural House in the Townscape

A timber-framed rural house stands in the centre of Zběšičky and has a section used for agricultural purposes. It is a significant urban-design feature within the built-up area. The information describes both the building and its use, as well as the house’s role in the townscape. When looking at Zběšičky, therefore, the type of house is not the only consideration: its position within the built-up area is also part of the architectural story. The building form and its urban context represent two distinct scales.

Burial Mounds at Hanov–Čábelky

Hanov–Čábelky is a burial mound cemetery classified as UAN I in the cadastral area of Hanov, within the municipality of Zběšičky. The eastern group at Čábelky comprises about 20 burial mounds, where burials took place during the Middle Bronze Age and the Hallstatt period. A solitary burial mound stood just over two metres high; its burial chamber was made of large stone blocks and contained three burials. The approximate number provides a sense of the eastern group, while the details of the height and burial chamber make the scale of an individual mound more concrete.

The historical periods also differ: the Jewish cemetery is associated with specific dates, from the approval to establish it through to the completion of restoration; Hanov–Čábelky points to prehistoric periods, the Middle Bronze Age and the Hallstatt period. This makes it possible to consider the history of the cemetery and the archaeological periods as distinct topics.

Forests and Cycling

The forests around Zběšičky are suitable for hiking, cycling, and relaxation. The regional cycling circuit through the Milevsko region passes through Hánov and Zběšičky and follows paved roads as well as surfaced forest tracks. The information thus answers different questions: the forests offer three recreational activities, while the route description specifies its course through two places and the types of surfaces. This makes it possible to distinguish between the broader landscape and a particular cycling route when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Kovářov, Sepekov, Křižanov, Kostelec Nad Vltavou, Kluky, Mirotice, Boudy, Bernartice U Milevska

For the overview of the wider area: Písek District.