Včelnička: Glassmaking History and a Cycling Trip

In Včelnička, a glassmaking history rooted in the local area meets a detailed description of a cycling route. There is also the Chapel of St. Anne, an archaeological classification of the built-up area, and glass details you may encounter in the surrounding area.

Glassmaking History and Glass Details

Antonín Rückl established the glassworks in Včelnička in 1875. It was expanded in 1893, when a water-powered grinding workshop was also built. The glassworks specialized in “zlacený granát,” a red glass with gold relief decoration. Its products were exported. The term refers here to a glass product: water power was a detail of the production process at the time, while “zlacený granát” describes the finished glass. The village’s history thus encompasses both an aspect of production and a distinctive product.

The glassworks building is now closed and recalls the former glory of Antonín Rückl’s glassworks. Do not plan on visiting it as an open attraction. When walking in the area around Včelnička or Kamenice nad Lipou, you may also come across decorative glass spheres and finials adorning the fences of houses and holiday homes. The particular decorations you encounter may vary.

The Chapel and Further Local History

The Chapel of St. Anne was built in 2021. Inside are a cross and an image of St. Anne; the furnishings may change in the future. Its construction date makes it a more recent landmark alongside the historic glassworks.

Jan Jiří Rückl was born in Včelnička on May 12, 1900, into a traditional Czech glassmaking family. This biographical thread adds a personal connection to the glassmaking tradition to the village’s history. The built-up area of Včelnička is also classified as a Category I archaeological area (ÚAN I). This adds biographical and archaeological perspectives to the history of glassmaking.

Včelnička–Bohdalín Cycling Trip

The “Včelnička–Bohdalín” cycling trip follows a blue-marked hiking trail for most of its route. It also uses the paved road from Včelnička to Vodná. For planning purposes, trail markings and road surface are two different points of reference: the description mentions both the route’s predominantly marked hiking trail and the road section. Check current route conditions before setting out.

Further afield in the region, the trip reaches the unwooded, 642-meter-high hill of Ve Vrších. Včelnička can be seen from there. This adds a view of the village from the wider area to the information about the route.

If you are considering Včelnička as a travel destination, you can weigh two interests separately: the glassmaking history, chapel, and archaeological classification form the cultural and historical focus, while the cycling trip adds another option for a cycling holiday. Choose the place based on the themes that matter for your trip, then look for hotels in Včelnička.

Discover more destinations: Zajíčkov, Starý Smrdov, Hodejovice, Rovná U Hořepníku, Lhota-Vlasenice, Vlásenice-Drbohlavy, Samšín, Pošná.

For the broader travel overview: Pelhřimov District.