Zábrdí – Blanice, Nature and Paper Nativity Scenes

Zábrdí combines a varied landscape with unusual cultural stories and distinctive natural features. The village lies above the Blanice River at an average elevation of 642 metres above sea level. Anyone looking for a place in the Czech Republic with a clearly recognisable landscape and village character will find several distinct themes here: the protected river course, historical traces, a remarkable collection of paper nativity scenes and small discoveries along the way.

The Blanice and Protected Landscape

The Blanice River and its surroundings are protected because of a natural river course with a sandy to gravelly riverbed substrate. The riverbed substrate refers to the bed of the river and makes clear that the focus here is not only on the course of the waterway, but also on the natural character of the river course. For travel planning, this offers a landscape perspective distinct from the village’s cultural themes.

Smaller natural features are also part of Zábrdí’s character. At a crossroads on the western edge of the village stands a black locust tree protected as a natural monument. Directly beside it is a cross bearing the year 1871. The V polích protected area also includes a site protected for its rich population of lesser butterfly orchids. The Zábrdská Cave lies below the road to the mill.

The Village’s History and a Remarkable Biography

The name Zábrdí refers to a village located behind a hill or behind the Brd. Its written history also reaches far back: in a document issued in 1359 concerning the enfeoffment of Petr of Janovice and his heirs with estates, Zábrdí was one of the villages mentioned.

Zábrdí is also connected with the biography of Josef Hasil. He was born on 8 February 1924 in Zábrdí u Prachatic. Hasil was known as the “King of the Bohemian Forest”; he was a former smuggler in the Bohemian Forest and later an agent of the American intelligence service CIC. For visitors who wish to explore historical figures and the history of the border region alongside the landscapes, this connection with the village offers an independent perspective on the past.

Almost 900 Nativity Scenes in the Museum

One particularly distinctive cultural experience is the Museum papírových betlémů in Zábrdí u Husince. The museum is open daily, seven days a week. It houses a collection of almost 900 nativity scenes from around the world; 99 percent of them are paper nativity scenes. The focus is therefore not on a single exhibit, but on an extensive collection with a clearly distinctive material. The museum complements the natural and historical themes with a cultural stop centred on the origins, design and variety of the nativity scenes.

This allows different interests to be combined in Zábrdí without reducing them to a single attraction: the landscape along the Blanice, protected plant and natural sites, a historical village name, the memory of Josef Hasil and the museum’s collection. Depending on your preferred focus, you can therefore get to know the village primarily through nature, history or paper nativity scenes.

Other Places to Explore

If you would like to compare other places with Zábrdí for your travel planning, you can also find Volary Volary, Arnostov Arnostov, Bohunice U Tvrzic Bohunice U Tvrzic, Mahouš Mahouš, Lčovice Lčovice, Svihov Svihov, Dvory U Lažišť Dvory U Lažišť and Kratušín Kratušín.

For the overarching travel overview: Prachatice District.