Stříbrné Hory – Mining History and Hiking Trails

You can plan a stay in Stříbrné Hory around three specific themes: the town’s early history, silver mining, and hiking trails. The Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria and the Kamenný most (Stone Bridge) connect historical details with specific places; the Štola Peklo and Štola Rosa add to the mining history. Two named routes with different distance details are described for hiking. For planning your visit, it is important to note that neither of the two mines mentioned is open to the public.

Church and Stone Bridge

The Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria is first mentioned in writing in 1265. However, the document indicates that it had already been built many years earlier. It was probably founded by German miners who mined silver ore in the surrounding area. The year 1265 should therefore be understood as the date of the first written mention, not as the year the church was built.

The Kamenný most (Stone Bridge) stands near the confluence of the Borovský potok and the Sázava. Its construction is dated to the 14th or 15th century; the structure is currently protected as a monument. Its historical context also includes the road to Polná: the bridge stood on this road, an important branch of the historic Haberská stezka. The Kamenný most thus brings together its riverside location, dating, and transport history.

Traces of Silver Mining

The Dolní Dvůr silver-mining area includes the Pekelská štola and the Růženina štola, as well as the remains of mining pits and spoil heaps. The Štola Peklo is a 527-meter-long mine tunnel; its lower level is flooded. In 1990, it was declared a state-protected monument. It is not open to the public.

The Štola Rosa (Růženina) is also state-protected and not open to the public. Work in the mine is documented as early as 1503. There are two dated records of its historical length: the 1688 mining register gives a length of 104 meters; according to a second mining register, the tunnel had been extended to 214 meters by 1691. These dates place the mining history in context but do not change the current access restriction.

Hiking Routes with Different Details

Two named hiking trails pass through Stříbrné Hory. The red-marked Cesta Karla Havlíčka Borovského runs from Havlíčkův Brod via Stříbrné Hory, Žižkovo Pole, Havlíčkova Borová, and Krucemburk to Kameničky, and continues from there to Kutná Hora. In 1935, it was the first hiking route marked by the Klub českých turistů. Its red markings and stated route make it recognizable as a trail with a history of its own.

The 13-kilometer Krajem husitů route runs from Pohled via Stříbrné Hory, Pod Kateřinou, and Žižkovo Pole with the Žižkova mohyla (Žižka Mound) to Přibyslav. It offers a specific distance for planning; the Cesta Karla Havlíčka Borovského is distinguished by its red-marked route and historical marking. This lets you choose between the two trails based on different details without treating their distances as equivalent.

Traveling by Train

Stříbrné Hory railway station is on line 250 between Havlíčkův Brod and Tišnov or Brno. If you plan to travel by train, check the timetable for your travel date before setting out. When planning your stay, you can also decide whether the church and mining history or one of the hiking routes mentioned is your main interest.

Discover more destinations: Bezděkov, Golčův Jeníkov, Služátky, Lípa, Vepříkov, Kynice, Havlickuv Brod, Sedletín.

For the regional travel overview: Okres Havlíčkův Brod.