Lčovice – Castle, Věnec Hillfort and Celtic Festival

Lčovice between the Castle and the Train Station

Lčovice reveals its character in the layout of the village itself: it is divided into an upper part around the castle and a lower part at the train station in the Volyňka valley. This division helps you get your bearings initially. When choosing accommodation, you can consider whether proximity to the castle or a location near the train station and the described trails is more important for your trip.

Castle and Historical Traces

Lčovice Castle is a protected cultural monument. Its grounds contain a Baroque garden chapel and a hunting pavilion. Near the castle, the hunting tower bears the alliance coat of arms of Hýzrl of Chodů and Eleonora Alžběta of Donín above its entrance. Several visible testimonies to the local and architectural history are therefore concentrated in the upper part of the village.

Above Lčovice there is also the Chapel of Saint Anthony of Padua, dating from 1714. A special connection to cultural history arises through the architect Josef Zítek, known as the builder of the National Theatre: in 1881, he married Berta, the daughter of the local castle family, at Lčovice Castle.

Věnec: Hiking Trail and Hillfort

Věnec is a 765 m high hill southeast of Lčovice. A blue-marked hiking trail to Věnec Hillfort begins at Lčovice train station. The approximately 2.7 km route initially follows a comfortable forest road and then continues along a steeply rising path. The route therefore offers a clearly recognizable sequence of a forest road followed by an ascending path.

The triangular Věnec Hillfort near Lčovice is surrounded by approximately 1.5 km of ramparts. The entrance gate to the acropolis is still clearly recognizable today. The hillfort area was a functioning settlement of regional importance during the Hallstatt and La Tène periods. On your excursion, the landscape of the hill combines with an archaeologically significant destination and visible traces of fortifications.

Celtic Festival and Special Dates

The recurring event “Putování Keltskou stezkou” follows a 27 km route from Kubova Huť and is accompanied by a Celtic celebration in Lčovice. The Celtic Festival includes an authentic Celtic camp with demonstrations of historical crafts and weapons. The festival also features craft markets, creative workshops for children, horseback rides and gold panning.

Every year on January 1, Lčovice organizes a climb to the summit of Věnec. In addition, the approximately 18 km tourist route “Turistická trasa krajem Jiřiny Jiráskové a pradávné jeskyně” passes through Lčovice. Thus, alongside the historic buildings, there are recurring events and a longer route that incorporates the village into a broader hiking plan.

Guidance for Choosing Your Location

For a culture-focused itinerary, the castle, park, chapels and historical traces in the upper part of the village are the main attractions. For the route to the hillfort, however, the train station is an important documented starting point. From Čkyně, you can reach Lčovice train station via an approximately 3.3 km field path along the Volyňka or take the train. This connection can therefore be taken into account when planning travel between Čkyně and the lower part of the village.

For further research, you can also visit the places Stachy, Kristanovice, Libotyne, Netolice, Žárovná, Ckyne, Němčice and Vlachovo Brezí.

To the higher-level travel overview: Prachatice District.