Discover Staré Sedliště

Staré Sedliště combines a landscape shaped by ponds with remarkable traces of Bohemian history. Between wetlands, church architecture, a castle grounds and historic craft traditions, it forms a destination that brings nature experiences and culture together within a compact thematic area. The town is particularly interesting when several interests are to be combined in the choice of accommodation: a marked hiking route, a cycling connection, ornithologically significant reserves and several cultural and historical sites offer different focal points for planning a trip.

Ponds, wetlands and rare habitats

The Tisovské rybníky Nature Reserve protects a system of ponds and adjoining wetland ecosystems. It is one of the most important ornithological areas in the Plzeňský kraj and provides a breeding habitat for the common crane. Thus, Staré Sedliště is not only about a landscape shaped by bodies of water, but also about a specific habitat for birds. Another nature reserve is Mělký rybník. It is located about 1 kilometre east of Staré Sedliště railway station, covers 27.9 hectares and features reed beds as well as an important bird breeding site. The Český les Nature Park is also listed as a protected area for Staré Sedliště. Tisovské rybníky represents a connected system of ponds and wetland ecosystems, while Mělký rybník is a defined reserve with reeds and a bird breeding site.

Church, vicarage and castle grounds

The historic townscape of Staré Sedliště is shaped by both loss and surviving individual monuments. During the socialist period, most of the historic buildings were lost; extensive demolitions caused lasting damage to the townscape. The surviving buildings and archaeological traces are therefore all the more significant. The vicarage is a cultural monument and a restored Baroque building from the 18th century. It can be used for family celebrations and smaller social events. Remains of a vaulted Baroque bridge have also survived in Staré Sedliště. Another special feature is the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk from the early 18th century, which has survived and can be seen on site. The Church of Saint Procopius and Saint Ulrich has a Gothic core, but was fundamentally rebuilt in the Baroque period. It is considered valuable Baroque sacred architecture of good quality and has survived without significant later alterations. A historic enclosing wall surrounds the church and cemetery grounds; it was built gradually during different periods. The castle grounds also tell the story of several eras. The late Baroque Staré Sedliště Chateau was built in 1792 by the glassmaker František Koler. The grounds are also an archaeological site with documented or well-founded suspected finds. The medieval fortress on the castle grounds was burned down during the Thirty Years’ War. A culture-oriented trip can therefore encompass various historical periods without reducing the history of the town to a single building.

Hiking, cycling and local history

A marked hiking route from Staré Sedliště is 21 kilometres long, is considered moderately difficult and is not a loop. It begins at the Staré Sedliště railway stop and follows the green hiking trail marker towards Nové Sedliště. For cycling, cycle route 2167 connects Staré Sedliště and Planá over a distance of 21 kilometres. The landscape is complemented by local economic history: the beginnings of the manorial brewery can be dated to around 1548. Historically, juniper syrup was also produced in Staré Sedliště and sold throughout Bohemia as well as in Saxony and Bavaria. Alongside its architectural and natural monuments, these traditions give the town its own distinctive historical character. Other destinations in this selection are Sulislav (Sulislav), Kladruby U Stříbra (Kladruby U Stříbra), Kočov (Kočov), Tisová (Tisová), Halže (Halže), Částkov (Částkov), Kříženec (Kříženec) and Milíře (Milíře).

To the main travel overview: Okres Tachov.