Unterhaid: Culture, Border History and Circular Trails

Unterhaid between Cultural Monuments and Themed Trails

When you choose Unterhaid as your destination, you can combine cultural history with signposted circular trails and special reminders of the Bohemian-Austrian border region. Around Dolní Dvořiště, religious buildings, historic routes, and natural areas come together to form a variety of excursion plans. You can choose between a culture-focused exploration, a hike with a railway-history theme, and a longer route through the border region.

Religious Buildings with Distinctive Character

The Church of St. Giles in Dolní Dvořiště is listed as a protected cultural monument. Its design is that of a three-nave hall church with a separate polygonally enclosed choir. It was originally built in the Gothic style around 1480. Another notable site is the pilgrimage site of Svatý Kámen, which includes a hexagonal chapel dating from 1706, built above a spring with healing water. The pilgrimage church stands on a gentle hill; its only ascent is lined with six chapels. The Baroque Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Svatý Kámen is also located nearby. It is a single-nave church with a three-sided enclosed choir.

Three Circular Trails with Different Focal Points

The Stezky poznání near Dolní Dvořiště comprise three signposted themed circular trails. The red circular trail is 9 km long, runs east of Dolní Dvořiště, has an elevation gain of 47 m, and leads mainly to religious buildings. The green circular trail is 13 km long, runs west and south of Dolní Dvořiště, has an elevation gain of 96 m, and conveys the history of the railway. At 26 km, the yellow circular trail is the longest of the three routes; it has an elevation gain of 110 m and focuses primarily on the border region, which was shaped by the expulsion of the German population and the period of the Iron Curtain. The different lengths, directions, and themes help you choose the right focus for each excursion.

Border Landscape and Railway History

The yellow circular trail follows the former Signalkorridorstraße through the Horní Malše natural monument, which was designated to protect endangered animals. The Koňská dráha educational trail provides another historical highlight. It begins in Dolní Dvořiště-Jenín, in a forest near the Czech-Austrian border. In the forests near Dolní Dvořiště, the educational trail provides information at a reconstructed remnant of a railway bridge about the history of the horse-drawn railway that ran from České Budějovice to Linz. Along the route, an information board stands beside a reconstructed railway structure, more precisely beside half of a reconstructed bridge pier.

Tichá Fortress as a Special Destination

Near Dolní Dvořiště, Tichá Fortress has a 28-meter-high tower, considered the southernmost castle lookout tower in the Czech Republic. From Dolní Dvořiště, the fortress can be reached on foot via the red hiking trail in just under an hour, at a rather leisurely walking pace. Tichá thus complements the religious and railway-history destinations with a military-history theme.

Discover More Destinations

You can also visit the pages for Meinetschlag, Cerna V Posumavi, Rosenberg, Angern, Gojau, Moyne, Groß Umlowitz and Rosenthal.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Český Krumlov.