Jezerní slať

Jezerní slať (Lake moor) is a 103,5-hectare peat bog located in the Kvilda village, as a part of the Šumava National Park, at an altitude of 1057-1075 meters. It reaches a depth of 7,6 meters. A part of the moor was dewatered and mined in the 19th and 20th century. The mining was finished in 1933 and a reserve has been declared. This moor is one of the coldest places in the Czech Republic. You can find a lot of rare plants and animals there, such as stunted birch (only 50 cm high), mountain pine, adder, black grouse, viviparous lizard.

Filipova Huť

Filipova huť (Filip’s glasswork) is the highest located settlement of the Šumava Mountains, at an altitude of 1093 meters. Filipova huť originated as a settlement around a glasswork producing a hollow glass, which was founded by Franz Denk and Franz Weber in 1785. The glasswork ceased to exist in 1820. Seventeen houses for lumberjacks were built in the settlement in 1800. The prosperity of the village was connected with a lumbering. The census was taken in the village in 1930 and it was determined that twelve Czech- and 488 German people lived there. The Germans were displaced after the World War II. The glasswork was declared as a cultural sight in 1958. An increased entering to the local barn has been preserved up to now. Filipova huť is a part of the cycleway Horská Kvilda-Filipova huť- Březníky, which is 15,21 km long.

Poledník

Poledník (Meridian) or Polední hora (Meridian Mountain) is a mountain located on plains of Kvilda. The mountain reaches a height of 1315 meters. Steep eastern hillsides have been formed by glacial activities. The mountain used to serve as an air defence of the state from the late sixties in the 20th century and was inaccessible to the public till 1989. All military compounds were demolished in 1997. The only preserved radar tower has been converted into a lookout tower, which was opened in the summer in the following year. It became one of the most visited places of Šumava in the same year. The tower is 37 meters high and you step on 227 stairs to reach the top. Three half round floors located in the top half are typical for the tower. The tower is open from May till October. It is a part of the nature trail Prášily - U Prášil - Prášilské jezero - Liščí díry - Předěl - Polední hora rozcestí - Polední hora vrchol, which is 8,5 km long.

Čertovo jezero

Čertovo jezero (Devil´s Lake) is the second largest glacier lake of the Bohemian side of Šumava (there are totally 5 lakes). It is located on the south-west hillside of the Jezerní hora (Lake Mountain) at an altitude of 1030 meters. It is 10,34 hectares large and it reaches a depth of 36,7 meters. The Lake is watered by two brooks. The surplus water is drained to the Danube river basin. The name of the lake is connected with a legend about a devil. The devil wanted to take an innocent girl to the hell. The girl was far-seeing and bound a heavy stone to the devil´s tail to drag the devil back to the hell. The devil struggled to keep himself on the ground. However, he has hollowed out a basin that has been flooded.

Strážný golf

The golf course GOLFCLUB am Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald e.V. is located 40 km far from the border crossing Strážný on the German side. It is situated in a pleasant environment of the oldest national park of Germany, the Bavarian Forest. You will be charmed not only by fabulous views but also by eighteen golf holes spread over an area of 90 hectares. The golf course is a proof that the nature conservation is not contrary to golf. Many protective areas for local fauna and flora have been created, with the positive influence on the course operation itself. The local fairways and holes have been named after wild animals and birds. For example, you have an opportunity to tee off on the “fox fairway” (“Fuchsbahn”) and hit a ball into the “bear hole” (“Bärloch”). The golf club focuses on comfort and mutual cohesion. A well-maintained and themed restaurant is a part of the complex.

Černé jezero

Černé jezero (Black Lake) is not only the largest glacial lake of the Šumava district but also the largest lake of the Czech Republic. It is located at an altitude of 1008 meters in the reserve “Černé a Čertovo jezero” (Black and Devil´s Lake), which was declared in 1911. It is 39,8 hectares large and it reaches a depth of 40,6 meters. The name of the lake is derived from its black color caused by a dark forests reflection. Two tributaries flow to the lake. The water flows away in the river Úhlava, in the Labe and Vltava rivers basin. Our first pumped-storage hydroelectric power station was built in the river Úhlava valley in 1929 – 1930. The lake was included in a frontier zone in 1950 and became inaccessible to the public till sixties. Many Czech artists were inspired by this lake, such as Jan Neruda, Adolf Heyduk, Jaroslava Vrchlická a Antonín Dvořák.

The lake is a part of the hiking trail Špičácké sedlo –Černé jezero- Čertovo jezero- Špičácké sedlo (8,97 km long). You can reach the lake if you follow the bicycle path 2055 as well.

Bučina

Bučina used to be the highest located settlement of the Bohemia, at an altitude of 1162 meters. It was situated on a road between Kvilda and Finsterau (in Germany). It has been named after a translation of the German term “Buchwald” (beech forest). Bučina was settled in the second half of the 18th century. The first written mention of the settlement dates back to 1790, when thirteen settlers lived there. One hundred years later, 466 inhabitants lived there and this number has never been exceeded. Elementary school, savings bank, customs, financial guard, hotels and inns came gradually into existence in the village. A Czech school was founded there in 1937. Only 29 Czech inhabitants, from total population of 320 people, lived there in 1939. The settlement ceased to exist as soon as the Germans were displaced after the World War II. Bučina was destroyed in 1956. Only the cottage U Pešlů (built by the Tourist Club at the end of thirties) and St. Michal chapel have been preserved. The cottage U Pešlů was demolished in 2003 and an almost identical hotel was built on the same place. You will be surprised by a very nice view, you can see Alps in case of nice weather. The Signální stěna (Signal wall) was made there in 2008, in memory of the real Iron Curtain located on the Czechoslovakian west border.

Pramen Vltavy

Pramen Vltavy (The Vltava Spring) flows under the south-eastern slope of the Černá hora (Black Mountain) at an altitude of 1172 meters. It has been located in the first belt of the Šumava National Park since 1991. The spring has been artificially pulled down to a different area. The Czechoslovakian Tourist Club´s cottage was built there in 1923. This cottage used to serve as a POW camp during the World War II. The cottage was demolished during the Iron Curtain building in 1953. The spring occurred in a non-accessible border zone from 1949 till 1989. A statue by David Fiala has been located at the symbolical spring since 2004.

You can follow a tourist- or bicycle mark or the bicycle path 1041 to reach the spring.

Modrava

The village Modrava consists of three former settlements Modrava, Filipova Huť and Vchynice-Tetov. It is located in a valley at an altitude of 980 meters, on the confluence of three brooks (Roklanský, Modravský and Filipohuťský). The Vydra River comes into existence by this confluence. This area used to serve for purposes of fishing and pastoral farming in 17th century. A fishing- and hunting settlement arose in the village in 1757. A big turn came in 1799 when the prince Schwarzenberg bought the manor in Prášily. The lumbering has been developed since that time. The Vchynice-Tetov navigation channel was finished in 1801. The channel was partially brick. The length of the channel was 14,4 kilometres and the width was 5 meters at most. The original arched bridges and remnants of bricks have been preserved up to now. The entrepreneur Fr. Bienert bought an elderly sawmill in 1827. The sawmill gained the privilege to exclusive production of sounding timber. 50 – 100 people worked there in the mid-19th century. The sawmill ceased to exist after the Fr. Bienert´s death during the years 1871-1880. A part of the sawmill has been preserved up to now for purposes of storing- and desiccation of manufacturing materials, which serves as a holiday resort now and is one of the most dominant features of the village. The Klostermann cottage, a mountain cottage designed by Bohuslav Fuchs, was built there in 1924 by the Czech Tourist Club. The cottage serves as an accommodation facility nowadays.

There are two nature trails in the neighbourhood of the Modrava village - Proměna horské smrčiny na Březníku and Vchynicko-Tetovský plavební kanál (Transformation of spruce grove at Březník and the Vchynice-Tetov navigation channel).

Archeopark Prášily

Archeopark Prášily is located in a village of the same name, where the life of our ancestors Celts (6th - 1st century BC) is shown. This Celtic village is open from 9 am to 6 pm every day from May to October. The Archeopark originated as a reconstruction of real findings. The biggest reconstruction of Celtic gateway (it is going on the back gateway of the Oppidum Nevězíce) in Central Europe is to be found there. It has an area of 25 square meters. Further parts of the Archeopark consist of reconstruction of pagan sanctuary (diameter of it is 12 meters), residential log cabin, manor house, ceramic workshop and many others. During weekends, you can enjoy shows of crafts, such as weaving, smithery, production of ceramics, cooking and many others.

Kašperk

Kašperk Castle is the highest located royal castle in Bohemia with its altitude of 886 meters. The castle was founded by the Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV (Karel IV in Czech) in 1356. In tribute to him, the former name of the castle was Karlsberg (Mount of Charles). Today´s name Kašperk originated as a corruption of the former name. The castle was built for three reasons- to protect the border between Bohemia and neighbouring Bavaria, to defend the gold-bearing area and to ensure safety on a trade route called the “Golden Route”. The castle has never been conquered thanks to the system of wooden drawbridges and moats. There was no permanent owner of the castle ever. The castle and whole manor were rented to pledge holders. Such first pledge holder was Jan Očko from Vlašim, the second Archbishop of Prague and the first Czech cardinal. The castle became the property of the Šternberk dynasty in the second half of the 15th century. Jiří of Lokšany (Jorge of Lokšany), a vice-chancellor and an important adherent of the Czech king Ferdinand I of Hapsburg (Ferdinand I. Habsburský), was one of the notable holders of the castle in the half of the 16th century. The end of the 16th century was connected with the castle´s decay and importance decline. Finally, the nearby town called Kašperské Hory bought the Kašperk Castle in 1616 and has become the owner up to now. There was no money in the town´s budget to renovate the castle. A reconstruction was realized in the 20th century and the castle has been opened to the public since 90s. The castle´s inhabitants are for example eerie woman called Swizy, stray knight and big black dog with fiery eyes.

The castle is popular with filmmakers as well. The famous Czech fairy movie Anděl Páně and some sequences of the movie Rafťáci have been filmed there.

Mitterfirmiansreut

Mitterfirmiansreut is a small village in Bavaria, located 35 kilometres far from the Kvilda village over a ski compound. There is a nearly 6 kilometres long ski slope at an altitude of 850 – 1139 meters (the ski slopes are black, red, children´s etc.). The ski slopes are mostly artificially snow-covered. Ski rentals, ski services, ski schools, restaurants and fast foods are available for you. An unique spiral-shaped observation tower, named “Stezka v korunách stromů” (“Trail in corollas of trees”), is built 20 kilometres far from the ski compound. Its height is 44 meters. The trail goes through corollas of trees, 25 meters above the ground. The trail is open year-round.

Lindberg

The Lindberg village is situated among hills of the National Park called Bavorský les (Bavarian forest). Mountain grazing lands, marshlands and forests are the reason, why this place is one of the most favourite holiday destinations. Watching a venison feeding is possible from a roofed scenic booth. There is a golf course called Oberzwieselau with sixteen golf holes for golf lovers. There is a large cross country skiing area for wintertime. The Farmer´s museum from 16th century is worth visiting as well. You can see there how forest farmers have lived. You should not miss a visit of the only Art nouveau church in Bavaria, the Ludwigsthal Church. The mountain Velký Javor (Big Maple) is located near the Lindberg village. The mountain is called also “král Bavorského lesa” (King of the Bavarian forest) and is the highest mountain of the Bavarian-Czech border range of mountains (the height is 1456 meters). The glassworks Rotwaldglashütte is located less than one kilometre far from the Lindberg village.