Ždírec – Nature, Culture and Ways through the Czech Republic

Ždírec is a destination with an unusually diverse range of attractions. The Ždírecká ZOO makes the local wildlife visible through artistically designed sculptures, while church and chapel art in Žďár and Smederov adds historical accents. There is also Buková hora–Chýlava Nature Park, the Přešínský stream, a blue-marked hiking trail and a rail connection on the Plzeň–České Budějovice main line. This allows you to plan your trip around nature, culture and active excursions.

Ždírecká ZOO: Discover nature and learn through play

Ždírecká ZOO is a publicly accessible park in Ždírec–Myť. It presents the local wildlife through artistically designed sculptures made of wood and metal, as well as educational and play elements. The interactive educational offerings include a dendrophone and activities for identifying animals. This combination of a nature theme, playful elements and vivid objects gives the visit its own distinctive character, without reducing Ždírecká ZOO to an ordinary park description.

The opening hours are clearly defined: Ždírecká ZOO is open daily year-round from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is free.

Churches and a chapel with distinctive details

In Žďár stands the Gothic Church of St. Wenceslas, built in the first half of the 14th century under the influence of the building workshop of Pomuk Monastery. Its distinctive historical character is also evident in the presbytery, which contains unique frescoes from around 1350 depicting scenes from the Wenceslas legend. The church stands on a prominent headland above the right bank of the Úslava, next to a burial ground.

In Smederov, the Neoclassical Chapel of Our Lady of Klatovy complements the cultural landscape. It is divided into two parts, each with its own entrance. The first part contains a central image of Our Lady of Klatovy, while the second part contains a nativity scene. When selecting cultural destinations, this means that not only architectural forms but also clearly distinct interiors and pictorial content are documented.

Chejlava and the Přešínský stream

Chejlava is part of Buková hora–Chýlava Nature Park. On a lydite substrate, the Chejlava forest has a primeval-forest-like character. The Chejlava protected area safeguards flower-rich beech forests and scree forests, placing a clear emphasis on protected woodland landscapes.

The natural conditions along the Přešínský stream are also precisely described. Its immediate surroundings are characterized by willow and alder stands; the wider area initially consists of alder stands and forest, but predominantly of mown meadows. A stable population of noble crayfish lives along the Přešínský stream and reproduces regularly and successfully. The area belongs to the Natura 2000 network and is designated as a natural monument.

Hiking, cycling and rail connection

A blue-marked hiking route runs through the municipality from Nepomuk via Kámen, Myť, Ždírec, Žďár, Smederov, Blovice and Vlčtejn to Nebílovy. Ždírec has a rail connection on the Plzeň–České Budějovice main line and a railway station. In addition, long-distance cycle route No. 31 includes the Vlčice–Ždírec section. A project also provides for the continuation of construction of a cycle connection between Blovice and Ždírec; this section should therefore be classified as a planned extension rather than an existing connection.

The Silvestrovský běh is a local tradition. It has been officially held annually in Ždírec since 1991 and attracts athletes from all over the Czech Republic. Together with the hiking and cycling connections, this creates a broad range of documented topics for finding a suitable stay in Ždírec.

Other places you can include in your travel planning in the Czech Republic are Trebcice, Střížovice, Mladý Smolivec, Ptenín, Nezdřev, Sedliště Nad Úslavou, Týniště and Čižice.

For the higher-level travel overview: Plzeň-Jih.