Humpolec: Discover Culture and History

If you want to focus on culture and history during your stay, Humpolec offers a range of attractions: the ruins of Orlík Castle, exhibitions on regional history and historic sites around the town. Two educational trails also explore distinct themes. The information below will help you understand the sites and what makes them special.

Orlík Castle Ruins: Surviving Structures and Views

The ruins of Orlík Castle lie about 2 km from Humpolec and can be reached via a blue-marked hiking trail. Surviving structures include a prism-shaped tower, a second castle gate and a bastion. There are also remains of the fortifications, palaces with cellars, and a black castle kitchen with a working bread oven. The different parts offer a glimpse of various aspects of the castle complex, from its fortifications to everyday life in the kitchen.

From the observation tower, you can see Melechov, Lipnice Castle and Humpolec; to the east, the view extends as far as Havlíčkův Brod. Orlík thus combines architectural heritage with views of the places and landscapes mentioned. For planning purposes, you can treat the visit as a separate excursion: the ruins are not within the town, but about 2 km from Humpolec.

Dr. Aleš Hrdlička Museum

The Dr. Aleš Hrdlička Museum was founded in 1895 to collect material and intangible heritage from the Horácko region. The museum devotes a separate floor to its anthropological exhibition, as well as another to its ethnographic exhibition. These offer two distinct perspectives on the museum’s themes: anthropological and ethnographic.

A modern ethnographic exhibition opened to the public in October 2025. Interactive elements and a short animated film explore flax processing and cloth-making. The puppet exhibition uses texts and photographs to explore the origins and history of puppet theatre in Humpolec. Four of the oldest puppets date from 1920 to 1930 and were made by a local woodcarver. Ten fairy-tale scenes are created using 60 puppets on loan to the museum. Younger visitors can also play with several animal hand puppets.

Historic Sites in the Town

In the Zichpil district stands a Tolerance Church dating from 1785. It remains exceptionally well preserved and is designated as an immovable cultural monument. Its date and state of preservation give the site a different historical dimension from the museum exhibitions.

The Jewish cemetery was founded in 1719 and contains more than 760 gravestones, including valuable Baroque and Classical stelae. For an unaccompanied visit, you can borrow the keys from the Dr. Aleš Hrdlička Museum or the tourist information centre. Check that the keys are available before your visit. The tower of St. Nicholas Church also offers a tangible glimpse into the town’s history: the climb involves 115 steps to a height of about 30 metres and includes exhibitions on the history of the town and the church.

Two Educational Trails, Two Different Themes

The “Po stopách historie” educational trail is an approximately 2.5 km circular route through the historic parts of Humpolec. Each information board stands close to a historic building and provides information about its history and significance in Czech and English. The route combines a circular walk with brief information about individual buildings; visitors interested in the history of the town can find a specific point of reference at each stop.

At about 7 km, the Březina educational trail is considerably longer and follows a circular route past 16 information boards. Interactive boards introduce local flora and fauna through playful activities. One section is important to note when planning your walk: between boards 5 and 8, the trail is difficult to walk and partly poorly marked due to ongoing logging and the use of heavy forestry machinery. Check trail conditions before setting out.

More Unique Collections

The private museum of scales displays scales of many different kinds from almost all over the world. Visits can be arranged by prior telephone appointment with the owner. This arrangement is part of planning your visit; visitors are not expected to arrive without making arrangements in advance.

HLINÍKárium is a satirical museum in Humpolec. It refers to the well-known line “Hliník se odstěhoval do Humpolce!” from the Czech film “Marečku, podejte mi pero!”. It adds a reference to Czech film and everyday culture to the historical collections.

Discover more destinations: Horní Cerekev, Popelistna, Horní Rápotice, Starý Smrdov, Vojslavice, Cetoraz, Veselá, Žirovnice.

For the wider travel overview: Pelhřimov District.