Havlíčkova Borová: Cultural History and Nature

Cultural and historical points of interest in Havlíčkova Borová include the Karel Havlíček Borovský Memorial, the Karel Havlíček Borovský Educational Trail, and the grounds of St. Vitus Church. There is also a wayside shrine and local stories. Streams, mining history, and designated natural areas also shape the themes described here. When choosing where to stay, you can therefore focus on different aspects of local history and the landscape.

History and Architectural Heritage

The Karel Havlíček Borovský Memorial is a national cultural monument. The memorial houses a permanent exhibition about the life and work of Karel Havlíček Borovský. Another point of connection to him is the Karel Havlíček Borovský Educational Trail: established in October 2022, it begins close to his birthplace. The exhibition and educational trail thus have different thematic emphases—the former focuses on his life and work, while the latter starts near his birthplace.

The grounds of St. Vitus Church include a cemetery surrounded by a stone perimeter wall. A rectangular mortuary is built into the wall. Below the church stands a Baroque rectory dating from 1726. There is also a wayside shrine, known as a Boží muka, in front of a house; it dates from 1765. The dates give two of the architectural features a point of reference in time: the rectory and the wayside shrine are 39 years apart.

The relationships between the buildings vary: the cemetery, wall, and mortuary are part of the church grounds; the rectory stands below them. The wayside shrine, by contrast, is described by its location in front of a house. Together, these details offer more than a simple list of architectural forms: they distinguish the church ensemble from individual features in the local landscape.

Landscape and Nature Conservation

A local legend dating from the early 17th century is associated with Poustevníkova studánka. Passers-by can use the spring’s cold water; water conditions may vary seasonally. Near the local mill and brewery, the Borovský potok forms graceful meanders, or winding bends in the stream. The spring and the stream thus represent different connections with nature: one is a local story with a practical consideration about water, while the other is a described feature of the watercourse.

The Borovská jezírka are a protected natural monument. They formed from flooded shafts of the iron ore mine that operated there in the 19th century. Their formation links today’s waterscape to the region’s former resource extraction. The extensive forests of the Ransko Massif are also nearby. They are part of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area and are currently heavily affected by a bark beetle infestation. Nearby Ransko is designated a national nature reserve.

For your travel plans, this means there is a clear distinction between the themes: the memorial, exhibition, educational trail, and church grounds point to history and architectural heritage; the stream, flooded mining shafts, and protected natural areas bring the landscape and nature conservation into focus. You can weigh up which of these aspects matters more for your stay based on these local points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Stříbrné Hory, Jedlá, Kraborovice, Bačkov, Veselý Žďár, Dolní Krupá U Havlíckova Brodu, Habry, Jeřišno

Go to the main travel overview: Okres Havlíčkův Brod.