Jankov near Pelhřimov: Moorlands and Granite History

Jankov near Pelhřimov combines protected wetland landscapes with its own history of granite extraction. This offers two different perspectives when choosing a destination: its natural environment and its local history. There is also a religious tradition, with an annual date tied to the feast day of Saint Anne. If you are looking for a hotel, these themes can help you decide which aspect of Jankov interests you most.

Protected Areas and Wetlands

The Prameniště Jankovského potoka Nature Reserve extends across the cadastral areas of Jankov, Vyskytná, and Opatov. It protects a headwater area, a floodplain, and a natural stream channel with wet and peaty meadows as well as fragments of bogland. Its description therefore covers different elements of a wetland: the source of the water, the water-shaped terrain, and the stream itself. The reserve is also home to a population of otters.

The U Miličovska Nature Reserve lies within the municipality of Jankov, in the cadastral area of Jankov u Pelhřimova. It protects a well-preserved complex of species-rich bog and meadow communities. In contrast to the combination of a source, floodplain, and stream channel, the focus here is on this complex of bog and meadow. These different protected features offer nature enthusiasts two specific perspectives on the municipality’s wetlands.

Another protected area is the Jankovský potok National Natural Monument, which also includes Jankov u Pelhřimova. It covers more than 70 hectares. Its reasons for protection include the regionally unique presence of the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussel. The freshwater pearl mussel is thus named as a reason for protecting this natural monument; the otter population belongs to the Prameniště Jankovského potoka Nature Reserve. This distinction assigns the two species to their respective protected areas.

Granite and Local Craft History

The quarry in Jankov represents another aspect of the town’s history. Stonemason Jaroslav Křížek opened it around the turn of 1941/1942. The small pit quarry was dug by a single person. Hard, high-quality granite was used there to make paving stones, curbstones, and building stone; no explosives were used.

The products mentioned illustrate how the granite was used: paving stones served as surfacing, curbstones as edging, and building stone as construction material. Together with the fact that it was extracted by a single person, this gives a concrete picture of the craft work of the time. Alongside the protected habitats, the material, the method of production, and the historical use of granite are all themes to explore on a trip to Jankov.

Saint Anne’s Pilgrimages and Travel Interests

Annual pilgrimages in honor of Saint Anne were held in Jankov on the Sunday closest to July 26, the feast day of Saint Anne. The pilgrimage date was therefore not fixed to July 26, but fell on the nearest Sunday. As the days of the week shift in the calendar, the date of the celebration also changed from year to year. The religious connection remained the feast day of Saint Anne.

The nature areas, the history of granite extraction, and the pilgrimage in honor of Saint Anne offer different ways to explore Jankov: when choosing a destination, you can focus on protected habitats and species, the town’s former stoneworking, or its religious tradition. You can already take into account which of these themes matters most to you when searching for a hotel.

Discover more destinations: Vystrkov, Krasonov, Sudkuv Dul, Nova Cerekev, Salačova Lhota, Eš, Včelnička, Kaliště U Humpolce

For the broader travel overview: Pelhřimov District.