7. Border area route

10. The Novohradské Hory Hills

The Novohradské Hory Hills represent a relatively small area located along the Czech – Austrian border. The area represents a landscape phenomenon with a relatively dense hydrographic network and important water catchments of the Vltava River through its tributaries. Together with the Šumava Mts, it is the most densely forested montane area between the Alps in the south and the Sudeten mountains in the north. The former woodlands were wet spruce and beech forests of which now only a few remain. Peatlands are also typical for this watered area. The flora of the Novohradské hory Hills is composed of a relatively rich occurrence of montane, boreoalpine and subatlantic species. Plants of the Alpine migration are richly represented (e.g. Willemetia stipitata, Ranunculus aconitifolius, Soldanella montana, Crocus albiflorus, Cardamine trifolia).

The excursion is going to visit the baroque church in Dobrá Voda, the primeval forest Hojná Voda, the abandoned village Pohoří na Šumavě with the ruins of the church and the “Iron Curtain”, the former border between the eastern and western parts of Europe during the communist era.

The Church of Maria of the Good Advice

The two towered baroque Church was built on the place of a spring with medical influences in 1701 and become an important pilgrimage place. A bath was established nearby. In the beginning of the 20.Century, about 30 000 pilgrims from many countries came there every year between May and December. However, the medical power of the spring was known even earlier. There was a wayside cross by the spring before the church was built. The church is is visible from a far distance and has become a dominant part of the landscape. Historically, it is one of the most valuable baroque churches in South Bohemia. 

The primeval forest nature reserves - Žofínský prales and Hojná voda

The primeval forest nature reserves the National Natural Monument Hojná Voda (9.09 ha) and the Žofínský prales National Natural Reserve (102 ha protected by a fence) are thought to be the oldest European primeval beech forest reserves. They were established as protected areas in 1838 by count J.A. Buquoy. The protected area Hojná Voda is dominated by a beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest with an admixture of Picea abies, Ulmus glabra, Acer pseudopltanus, Acer platanoides and Abies alba. The species rich herb layer is represented by Dentaria ennephyllos, D. bulbifera, Festuca altissima, Mercurialis perennis, Cardamine trifolia, Galeobdolon montanum, Actaea spicata, Viola reichenbachiana, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris filix-mas, Dryopteris borreri, Polystichum aculeatum, Polystichum braunii. At the springs occur Carex remota, Circaea alpina, Chrysosplenium alternifolium, Veronica montana, Cardamie amara etc.

“Iron Curtain”

During the communist era, it was strictly prohibited to enter the area close to the border. There were electrical fences and between them an area without vegetation to see the traces of emigrants, altogether called the “Iron Curtain”. The Iron Curtain symbolized the totalitarian commmunist regime and formed a physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas during the Cold War. To keep this area without vegetation, the top soil was removed and herbicides were afterwards used to prevent plant regrowth. After 1989, when the communist era in the Czech Republic ended, the fences were removed and the area was abandoned. Nowadays, succession is in progress and oligotrophic species often established there, such as Drosera rotundifolia, Pedicularis sylvatica, Juncus squarosus, Lycopodium clavatum. According to the poor soil and disturbance, the most common pioneer species were spruces and birches.

Pohoří na Šumavě

This abandoned village with ruins of a church, houses and cemetery has a mysterious atmosphere. Pohoří na Šumavě was established in 1779 with the original German name Buchers, and a late baroque church was built afterwards. After the Second World War, the church was abandoned and became desolated. In 1999, the tower of the church fell into the nave and destroyed the church. The rest of the church has become a ruin, and it is now being partly restored. The houses in this small town totally disappeared. Nowadays, there are a few new houses for recreation. In addition, there is still the memorial of the victims of the First World War among the ruins.

3. Forestry sandpit – Cep

The sand pit (2.25 ha; 48°55‘24“N, 14°50‘20“E) is located in a forest in the southern part of the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area (40 km SE from České Budějovice). Mining started in 1987 and was done in cooperation with the authority of the Třeboňsko Protected Landscape Area.  Currently, succession has proceeded towards valuable wetland communities and technical reclamation has not been carried out. The sandpit is now overgrown by woody species and the oldest lakes are changing into peatlands. Vegetation of various successional stages is present on the locality. Different communities with several endangered species occur on bare sand, clay, shallow lakes and peatland. The site is part of a Natura 2000 locality, which was established for the protection of the Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus).

17. Nové Hrady, a historical town

A small town at the foothills of the Novohradské Hory Hills was founded in front of an old gothic castle which has been preserved with some later alterations. The town has some other historical monuments (gothic church, monastery, maisons) and, despite some demolitions during the communist era, it has preserved a typical atmosphere of a provincial town.