Rybitví – Ruchadlo, Routes and Getting There

Rybitví combines the history of an unusual plough design with hiking and cycling routes, as well as public transport connections. The focus is the “ruchadlo,” whose development in Rybitví is associated with two cousins, a farmer and a blacksmith. There is also a monument, the inventors’ currently closed birthplace, a 3 km hiking route, and a 52 km cycling route.

The History of the “Ruchadlo”

In 1827, the cousins František Veverka, a farmer, and Václav Veverka, a blacksmith, completed their approximately three-year efforts to develop a new plough design in Rybitví. Local residents called it the “ruchadlo.” The device was not merely a local landmark but an agricultural plough with a clearly described function: it made it easier to regulate ploughing depth, turn the soil, and loosen it. Its function thus comprised three stages of soil cultivation.

A monument commemorating the first successful trial recalls this development. It consists of a bronze “ruchadlo” on a stone pedestal near the former smithy in Rybitví. The historical object is presented there together with the specific site of the first successful trial.

The history also includes a later dispute over attribution. In 1832, Jan Kainz, an official of the Choltice estate, displayed the “ruchadlo” at an agricultural exhibition under the name “Kainz plough,” claiming it as his own invention. The exhibition therefore took place five years after František and Václav Veverka had completed their trials.

Birthplace and Current Visitor Status

The birthplace of the Veverka cousins, “Rodný domek br. Veverkových,” is currently closed. A restoration project is currently being prepared for the birthplace and its surroundings, and a suitable option is being selected. The planning therefore covers both the building and its surroundings, while the current closure remains in effect for the house itself.

Public Transport Connections and Routes

DPMP route 33 connects Hlavní nádraží with Rybitví via Globus. This is based on the timetable valid from 27 July 2026. DPMP route 3 connects the main railway station, Hlavní nádraží, with Rybitví and Lázně Bohdaneč. The two routes therefore differ in their itineraries: Globus lies on the route to Rybitví for route 33, while route 3 also includes Lázně Bohdaneč.

On foot, a yellow-marked 3 km hiking route leads to Rybitví and ends at a public transport stop. The 52 km route “Along the Opatovice Canal to the Horses” is designated for road and trekking bikes. The birthplace of the Veverka cousins in Rybitví is one of the attractions along this cycling route. This places a short hiking route ending at a public transport stop alongside a considerably longer cycling route with a cultural and historical destination.

More Destinations for Your Research

If you would like to compare other places besides Rybitví, you can also include Černá U Bohdanče, Bukovka, Srnojedy, Urbanice, Sovolusky, Horní Roveň, Bezděkov U Choltic and Strašov in your search.

For the higher-level travel overview: Pardubice District.