Drahov – Church, Pilgrimage and Landscape

Drahov is a place for visitors who want to combine history, landscape and village traditions. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is at its heart; architectural history, pilgrimage, landscape and local events come together around it. You can therefore explore the area according to your interests as a cultural and historical destination, a landscape destination or an event venue.

The church at Drahov’s highest point

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary characterizes Drahov and is protected by the National Heritage Institute. It stands at Drahov’s highest point, at an elevation of 441 m. As a parish church, it is documented at least as early as 1359. The church is a masonry building from the early 15th century and has a floor plan in the shape of a regular cross. The Gothic building was altered in the second half of the 16th century and in the 19th century. Inside, remnants of the original wall paintings and a stone baptismal font have been preserved.

Near the church are a Marian chapel and a spring. According to local tradition, the water is said to have healing properties. Together with the architectural history, this creates a place where religious tradition and visible historical details complement each other directly.

Landscape protection and protected habitats

The road running through Drahov also forms the boundary of the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area. A special connection with nature can be seen at Farářský Pond: protected habitats include species-rich mesotrophic to wet meadow communities, communities with sedges and rushes, and waterside vegetation with shrubby willows. The nearby Nežárka and the forests around Drahov are suitable for walks; the surrounding area is also suitable for cycling. Walks along the Nežárka or through the forests offer a different kind of experience from attending a procession or a local event.

Pilgrimage and village traditions

The revived tradition of the Senné pilgrimages offers a clearly scheduled event: On the first Sunday in July, a procession travels from Veselí nad Lužnicí via nearby Zlukov to the pilgrimage church in Drahov. There is also the Drahov Traktoriáda, a gathering of tractors of various brands, model years and ages.

A masked procession through the village and a children’s masked carnival also take place every year. If you specifically want to experience an event, you can distinguish these annual masked events from the pilgrimage procession on the first Sunday in July and from the Traktoriáda.

Veselí nad Lužnicí as a point of reference

Located approximately 4 km from Drahov, Veselí nad Lužnicí is a railway junction with train connections to Prague, České Budějovice and České Velenice, as well as to Brno via Jindřichův Hradec. This connection is relevant when choosing where to stay if you want to combine Drahov’s church and landscape with a place offering documented rail connections.

Discover more places

If you would like to continue your search beyond Drahov, you can find Vesce, Hodětín, Sedlečko U Soběslavě, Katov, Slapy, Hutě, Dražičky and Šebířov here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Tábor District.