Bohdalín: Pilgrimage History, Border Traces and Wild Swimming

If you are considering Bohdalín as a travel destination, you can explore the area through several themes: remembrance of the First World War, pilgrimage history, memories of the Iron Curtain and wild swimming at Fýfar Pond. The sights offer different points of interest rather than a single focus for a visit. This makes it possible to weigh up whether historic sites, religious history or swimming in the water will be the deciding factor for your trip.

Memorials and Religious History

A monument in Bohdalín commemorates the victims of the First World War. Váňova studánka, a pilgrimage site in Bohdalín, has a religious connection. The chapel there contains an image of the Virgin Mary. Another local chapel, dedicated to St John of Nepomuk, has an interesting history. These places offer different points of focus: the monument commemorates those who died in the war, while Váňova studánka and the chapel of St John of Nepomuk highlight religious connections. If you are interested in local history, you can include a specific memorial and two religious points of interest in your selection.

Border History at the Open-Air Museum

The open-air museum dedicated to the Iron Curtain adds a distinct focus to this history of remembrance and religion. A small lookout tower with a view was created from a former border observation post. The museum also includes an underground bunker and a machine-gun nest. There are also traces of a signal wall and a trench, as well as original border stones. The different features present the subject in different ways: the tower points to the post’s former observation function, while the bunker and machine-gun nest stand alongside traces of border installations and the original stones. The open-air museum thus includes both specific structures and traces and markers of the border. The memorials mentioned also differ in the periods they commemorate: the monument remembers the victims of the First World War, while the open-air museum is dedicated to the Iron Curtain. A report from June 2025 described the open-air museum as freely accessible to the public and said visits were at visitors’ own risk. Check the conditions on site before you go.

The Town’s Name and Mill History

The town’s name is also part of its historical context. Bohdalín is first mentioned in 1379, when the settlement was called Bohdalovo pole. A separate, dated story concerns the former Bohdalínský Mill, Fejfarův mlýn, also known as Feifar Mill. It burned down in 1921 after being struck by lightning and was never rebuilt. The two accounts offer different historical perspectives: 1379 refers to the first mention and the name used at the time, while 1921 concerns the fire and the fate of a single mill. In Bohdalín, you will encounter both a historic name and a specific story about a building.

Wild Swimming at Fýfar Pond

Fýfar Pond offers opportunities for wild swimming, adding an activity by the water to the historical points of interest. Unlike the open-air museum, whose features highlight border history, the focus here is on wild swimming. If you are weighing up history and swimming in Bohdalín, these are two clearly distinct themes.

Discover more destinations: Žirov, Rovná U Hořepníku, Mezná U Pelhřimova, Jiřice U Humpolce, Popelistna, Těmice, Mysletín, Trsov

For the broader travel overview: Okres Pelhřimov.