Žirov – Ponds, Mills and Cycle Routes

Žirov combines a small-scale pond landscape with traces of regional history and several documented cycling routes. Those who want to get to know a place not only through its present-day appearance but also through its development will find various points of connection here: the Chapel of Saint Wenceslas, cast-iron crosses, former mills and paths that make historic connections in the landscape visible.

Ponds and the Landscape Around Žirov

Below Žirov lies the Kladiny pond system. Its history dates back to the 16th century: Dolní Kladina pond was created in 1545, and Horní Kladina pond in 1559. The Kladinský potok is fed by these ponds. This means that the landscape can be viewed not only as a succession of individual bodies of water, but also traced through the course of the stream and its connection to the mills.

The area around Žirov has been revitalized particularly since around 2010 through the restoration of ponds. In terms of how the area is perceived, this represents a development over time alongside the older Kladiny ponds. On the Žirov circular route, the approach to Žirov offers views of the summit of Strážiště and the Křemešník massif. An exploration therefore focuses both on the immediate pond landscape and on broader landscape connections.

Chapel, Crosses and Local History

The Chapel of Saint Wenceslas in Žirov was built in 1929. Marian devotions are held there in May and October. There are also more than ten cast-iron crosses in the cadastral area of Žirov. Many of them probably replaced older wooden crosses. Together with the chapel, they provide the local history with concrete, visible points of reference, without reducing the development of the village to a single building.

Žirov was probably founded in the 13th century on the edge of the Červená Řečice domain of the Diocese of Prague. This classification explains the place's long historical perspective, but is expressly a probable dating and not a confirmed year. For visitors who like to combine their journey with regional history, the chapel and crosses complement this early local history with more recent evidence.

Historic Mills on the Kladinský potok

Světničkův mlýn was a groat mill and remained in operation until the middle of the 20th century. Machkův mlýn – formerly Lhotecký mlýn, later Pilařův mlýn and also mlýn Pilař – remained in operation until 1960. Originally, the mill below Dolní Kladina pond was an archiepiscopal mill.

Vlčinec Mill probably originated in the first half of the 18th century. A wooden mill building constructed using the log-building method has been preserved there. Vlčinec is also the last mill along the Kladinský potok before it joins the Jankovský.

Discover Žirov by Bicycle

Žirov is a waypoint on the 39 km cycling circuit from Pelhřimov via Křemešník and back to Pelhřimov. Another blue cycling route from Křemešník to Mladé Bříště and Humpolec roughly follows the medieval path that passed Žirov. The word “roughly” is essential here: the route is related to a historic path, without this implying an exact match.

The Žirov circular route can be extended near Žirov via Zachotín, Mysletín, Dudín, Polánky, Vyskytná, Branišov, Kamenicko and Horní Strměchy. This allows you to combine different priorities when planning your own journey: the ponds and waterways, the historic local structure, the former mills or the views of Strážiště and Křemešník.

If you would like to compare other places besides Žirov, you can also find [Jiřice U Humpolce](Jiřice U Humpolce), [Rodinov](Rodinov), [Hořice U Humpolce](Hořice U Humpolce), [Útěchovice Pod Stražištěm](Útěchovice Pod Stražištěm), [Chystovice](Chystovice), [Buřenice](Buřenice), [Důl](Důl) and [Komorovice](Komorovice).

For the overarching travel overview: Pelhřimov District.