Top Attractions in CHKO Žďárské vrchy

CHKO Žďárské vrchy Essentials

Known as the Green Heart of the Czech Republic, this protected area features the UNESCO-listed Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk, a masterpiece of Baroque Gothic architecture by Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel. The region is defined by dramatic gneiss rock formations like Devět skal and Čtyři palice, the preserved folk architecture of Veselý Kopec, and the ruins of Štarkov castle. The landscape is further characterized by large ponds, peat bogs, and traditional Vysočina homesteads.

gampe / CC BY-SA 3.0

Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk

The Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk at Zelená hora is a religious building at the edge of Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic, near…

Prazak / CC BY 2.5

Žďár monastery

Former 13th-century Cistercian monastery and Baroque chateau managed by the Kinsky family. The complex features architecture by Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel and houses an interactive multimedia museum.

Stanislav Dusík / CC BY-SA 4.0

Veselý Kopec Museum

Open-air museum featuring approximately thirty timbered houses and technical structures dating from the 18th to the mid-20th century. The site showcases historical homesteads and water-driven equipment illustrating traditional rural life and farming methods.

Bohy.b4 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Devět skal

Highest peak of a mountain range featuring a unique rock labyrinth and a lookout point with panoramic views. This forested summit is protected as a natural monument and consists of three ridges with nine rock towers.

Velké Dářko

The largest pond in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, used for windsurfing and sailing. It is surrounded by a national nature reserve featuring rare peat bogs and a 12-kilometer educational trail.

Prazak / CC BY 2.5

Pasecká skála

A prominent gneiss rock formation reaching 819 meters. The summit features a lookout point with views of the Vysočina Arena and the peaks of the Žďárské vrchy range.

BíláVrána / Public domain

Rosička

A 42-meter-high steel telecommunication and observation tower. The viewing platform at 24 meters offers panoramas of the Sázava valley and the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.

Dům přírody Žďárských vrchů

An interactive nature center located in a traditional farmhouse in Krátká. The museum features exhibitions on the geological history, traditional farming, and natural heritage of the protected landscape area.

Paveln4 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Skály

Remnants of a 14th-century Gothic castle, also known as Štarkov. The ruins are uniquely integrated into the surrounding rock formations and include preserved wall sections, a moat, and a cistern.

Čtyři palice

A natural monument consisting of four massive orthogneiss rock towers. It is a significant site for sport climbing and offers views over the Svratka river valley.