Polletitz: Cultural Heritage, Hiking Trails and Cycle Paths

Polletitz is a destination for trips that combine cultural history with active exploration. In Boletice, a Romanesque church and traces of the vanished settlement take centre stage. The Hallstatt-period hilltop settlement is located on Raziberk; cycle paths and hiking trails are also designated in the Boletice Military District and its surroundings. If you are looking for accommodation in Polletitz, you can therefore plan your stay around whether you want to focus on historic sites, a longer hike, a cycling tour, or the landscape of the Bohemian Forest.

St. Nicholas Church and the history of Boletice

St. Nicholas Church in Boletice is originally a Romanesque building dating from the second half of the 12th century. It has been listed as a national cultural monument since 3 May 1958 and is considered the oldest sacred monument in South Bohemia. Partially uncovered medieval wall paintings have been preserved in the chancel. The church therefore presents several historical layers: its Romanesque origins, its subsequent heritage history, and visible evidence of medieval decoration.

There is an important restriction to note when planning a visit: The interior is normally closed and can only be visited by prior arrangement. The church is also used for cultural and social events as well as weddings. By 1722 at the latest, the former municipality of Boletice was associated with a school building that belonged to an extensive vicarage near St. Nicholas Church. As of 2021, the former school still had remnants of the perimeter walls with parts of the façade or plaster, as well as preserved wooden window frames.

In the 13th century, Boletice was the centre of an extensive royal Rychta and later an important centre on the old route of the Linecká stezka. The former settlement has been accessible since the beginning of 2016, following the reduction in the size of the military district. This historical development makes the place particularly interesting for travellers who want not only to view individual buildings but also to understand the transformation of a settlement landscape.

Marked trails for hiking and cycling tours

For cycling, Cycle Route 1254 leads from the Kájovská access road via Maniny to St. Nicholas Church in Boletice. The Kájovsko–Boleticko circuit, including the detours to Červený Dvůr Château and St. Nicholas Church, is approximately 20 km long and runs exclusively along existing marked cycle paths. The designated 95 km of cycle paths and 75.5 km of marked hiking trails in the Boletice Military District and its surroundings provide further orientation.

Those planning a longer hike will find a clearly described route to Knížecí Stolec: It is 14 km long and climbs more than 400 metres in elevation. The route is publicly accessible on weekends and public holidays and may only be followed along the marked trail, as the area is used for military purposes. The route to Knížecí Stolec is also publicly accessible on weekends and public holidays; here too, visitors must remain on the marked route because military exercises take place in the area.

Knížecí Stolec and the protected surrounding landscape

Knížecí Stolec lies in the surroundings of Boletice and was formerly called Liščí louka. The mountain is 1,236 m high and lies in the South Bohemian part of the Bohemian Forest. It is the highest mountain in the Želnavská hornatina and, after Smrčina, the second-highest mountain in the Český Krumlov District. An 8 m-high wooden observation tower was ceremonially opened on the summit on 11 July 2012.

The Raziberk hilltop settlement area is also part of the landscape and archaeological setting. It is dated approximately to the period from 750 to 450 BC and is therefore assigned to the Early Iron Age, or Hallstatt period. The site is fortified in an irregular circular shape and features two parallel ring-shaped ramparts as well as outer ditches. The Boletice military area is protected under Natura 2000; this includes the European protected areas of Boletice and Polná, as well as the Boletice Special Protection Area.

You can find more ideas for places to visit at Sirnin, Gojau, Kalsching, Groß Umlowitz, Moyne, Neudorf B. Berlau, Tritesch and Goldenkron.

For the broader travel overview: Český Krumlov District.