Discover Stara Hut': Ironworks History and Karel Čapek

Stará Huť lies at the foot of the Brdy Mountains on the Kocába River. The settlement combines natural scenery with an unusually tangible industrial history: its most likely founding date is 1674; iron ore from the Brdy Mountains, timber from the forests, and suitable water resources shaped its development.

From Ore to Iron Rolling Mill

The water from the outflow of the Strž pond and from the Kocába was gradually used to power four hammer mills, where pig iron was processed into usable wrought iron. The first iron rolling mill in Bohemia and throughout what was then Austria was established in Stará Huť. Those interested in regional history will therefore find not only natural scenery here, but also traces of a significant technological heritage.

Following in the Footsteps of Karel Čapek

The Karel Čapek Memorial was established in 1963 in the house where the writer spent the last three years of his life. Following a comprehensive reconstruction of the building and exhibition, it reopened on April 25, 1997, dedicated to Karel Čapek and his wife, Olga Scheinpflugová. The memorial can be reached by car, train, and bus.

Educational Trails with Routes of Varying Lengths

The Karel Čapek Educational Trail features information panels and rest areas and follows the original route along which the writer liked to walk. The first loop is approximately 2 km long and is particularly suitable for families with young children and seniors. The second loop follows Čapek's preferred route and is approximately 7 km long. The third leads to Plechhamr: there, you can either cross the Kocába and continue according to the map or return to the junction. The interactive educational trail comprises ten panels on local history, fauna, and flora; at the memorial, you can pick up a worksheet and complete it at the stations. Visible remains of iron processing have also been preserved throughout the surrounding area. In the garden, the Klikotoč sound totem tells three stories in Czech, English, and Japanese.

Strž and Cycling Routes

The Strž site, also known as Čapkárna, houses an exhibition on the history of the local ironworks and hammer mills. You can reach the site from a free car park at Strž pond via a 400 m long, level footpath on a paved path. Strž lies along the red hiking trail known as the Říp–Blaník Pilgrimage Route; a free charger for e-bikes and bicycle racks are also available there.

Cycling Route 308 runs through Stará Huť and connects Dobříš, Stará Huť, Chramiště, and Prostřední Lhota. The “Around the Château with Karel Čapek” route leads to Stará Huť and the Karel Čapek Memorial; its first cycling excursion is approximately 13 km long and begins and ends in Dobříš. If you are looking for accommodation, you can therefore first consider whether you would prefer to plan your stay more around the literary and historical sites or around the hiking and cycling routes.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare other places in the Czech Republic for your travel research alongside Stará Huť, you can find Háje, Chraštice, Brekova Lhota, Svaté Pole, Jince, Lazsko, Nová Ves Pod Pleší, and Rosovice here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Příbram District.