Březina nature trail
Březina nature trail (named after Otokar Březina, a director of the Agriculture School in Humpolec) was founded at the insistance of the Czech Assoiation of Nature Savers in the 1980s. Following this trail, you will see the most interesting nature places around the Orlík Castle. In 2000 the trail was renovated and extended thanks to Castrum o.p.s., the Association of Owl Protection and Humpolec Municipality.
Orlík Castle
The castle is situated approximately 2km from Humpolec. It was founded at the end of 14th century and one of the original owners was Lord Jindřich from Dubá. In the castle yard we can see a well-preserved entrance gateway, a prism-shaped tower, building and wall ruins and even a renovated baking oven. During the medieval festival, which is traditionally held in July, visitors can try to bake a loaf of bread themselves. Since 1992, the castle has been repaired and nowdays it is getting its original features back.
Mahler’s native house in Kaliště
Gustav Mahler’s native house used to be a pub, but these days it is being changed into a music and culture centre. Musicians from all over the world have come to know Vysočina as a source of Mahler´s fantastic music. A memorial plaque designed by Milan Knobloch was dedicated to Mahler on the 100th anniversary of his birth. The entire house has been rebuilt as the original pub and a former ballroom is now used as a concert hall with a permanent exposition of paintings. Together with Mahler’s exposition in the Humpolec museum, visitors can learn everything about the master’s life and work.
Lime tree in Jiřice
The Lime tree in Jiřice, one of the most valuable local showplaces, is about 800 years old. The tree trunk is hollow. In fact, there are only some remains of bark and wood fibre sufficient to nourish the tree top. The trunk perimetre is more than 5,5m and up to ten people can be hidden in the tree hollow. This legendary and storied lime tree was also often pictured and mentioned in poems. According to a tradition, Jan Želivský used to give his sermons under this tree.
Stonetown in Kamenice
One of the nice side trips could be a visit to a little wild-west town in Kamenice (cca 10km from Humpolec, direction to Havlíčkův Brod). You will enjoy country music and meet many cowboys, trappers, gangsters, and beautiful women. The little town is really attractive especially in summer.
Sundial Museum weights
A noteworthy collection of more than 800 pc of scales, of which 400 pc are kitchen scales and 400 pc are scales of all types. Industrial, post, equal angle, lever, declinable, and also medical scales, scales for gunpowder, coins and other kinds and types, even a collection of weights,all from around the world.
A dam on the Želivka River
The oldest water constructions in the Czech Republic. The Great Dam close to the village Sedlice retains water from two headsprings of the Želivka River. The water continues through a rock in a 800m long tunnel to a hydraulic power plant. The Small Dam near the village of Želiv retains water of the irregularly working power plant. There are many tourist signs in the Želivka valley to follow. You can set out in Želiv; continue upstream through the woods towards the Small Dam and the hydraulic power plant and up the hill to the village Sedlice and the huge barrage of the Great Dam. The Hejlovka and The Hejnický streams meet here and give birth to the Želivka River. The Great Dam was built in 1927; it is 24m high and 123m long and includes ten archs.
Želiv Monastery
Želiv Monastery is one of the most valuable art complexes in the Czech Republic. The Monastery was founded in 1139 by Soběslav I, a prince from the Přemyslid family, for St. Benedict´s monestary. Ten years later the Benedictines were replaced by Premonstrates who are still active today. The Virgin Mary’s temple, which was originally built in the Roman style, and the two towers are situated on the upper courtyard and date back to the 12th century. Whatever road you take to come to Želiv, the first thing you see is two 44-m-high temple towers. The temple has some typical and favourite features of Santini, a famous architect. The interior facilities of the monastary date back to the beginning of the 18th century.
State castle Lipnice
The castle of Lipnice was established around 1310 by an important Czech aristocratic family – the Lords of Lichtenburg. After them Lipnice often changed hands between various owners – always influential Czech noblemen or Czech kings (King John of Luxembourg, Jindrich of Lipa, Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg, Lords of Landstein, family of Vartenberg, family of the Trckas of Lipa and many other).