Hartmanic excursion circuit

Length: 10.5 km

A wonderful walk around Hartmanice starts at Hartmanice square. The first half of the journey follows the Czech-Bavarian Vintíř trail, which connects important places connected with the medieval monk and hermit Saint Vintíř.

From the square we will follow the blue tourist sign to the church of St. Kateřiny and we climb the slope of Hamižná hill above the town, to the old Soumar chapel. From these places there is a beautiful view of Hartmanicko and Sušicko.

The blue tourist sign leads us through the forest to the settlement and pilgrimage site Dobrá Voda. Church of St. Vintíře is proud of a unique glass altar by local artist Vladěna Tesařová. Romantic souls will also appreciate the atmosphere of the adjacent cemetery.

Adjacent to the church is a chapel with a spring of ferruginous water, which was considered medicinal in the past.

In the birthplace of the prominent rabbi, pedagogue and scholar Dr. Šimon Adler's museum exposition of the Šumava Museum is made available.

From the well, we climb along the blue marker to the places where the Pustina glass settlement (Einöde) stood. The only remnant of the liquidated settlement and glassworks is the Pustina princely grove. Hájenka, reminiscent of a castle, was still inhabited in the 1990s.

During the first republic, Czechoslovak politics was created in Pustina, and President Edvard Beneš was a frequent guest here. The building was saved from liquidation in 1964 by the legendary Šumava doctor MUDr. Kostrouch, known as the doctor on horseback, who obtained the building thanks to his contacts. And from there he toured his patients in a wide area on horseback. We definitely do not recommend entering a heavily dilapidated and crumbling building. On the one hand, there is a high risk of injury, and on the other hand, we are entering a property of a private owner.

From the grove, we RETURN about 100 meters along the blue road to the crossroads and continue along the dirt road following the green tourist sign and to the Pod Březník junction. We turn into the forest and climb up to the chapel of St. Vintières.

The German Benedictine monk Vintíř, cousin of the Duke of Bavaria and later Roman Emperor Henry II, lived here in the hermitage at the end of his life and died on October 9, 1045.

The brick chapel was built on the site of a hermitage in the 19th century, was blown up by the army in the 1950s, and rebuilt in 1992 with the help of members of the St. Vintières from Rinchnach in Bavaria and residents of Hartmanice.

We climb the stone steps carefully to the top of Březnická skály and to the cross on the top of Březník (1006 m above sea level). Even though the view point is marked on the map, the trees have gradually covered the view.

We return along the same path through the forest to the Pod Březníkem junction and continue along the green path. We are rewarded with wonderful views of Sušicko. At the Rovina cottage, you can take advantage of the opportunity to have refreshments.

We descend following the yellow sign in the direction of Karlov Castle.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the then Austrian Minister of Railways, Henschl, began to build a small castle on the site of the original homestead. The castle took its final shape in 1868. The chapel with the onion-shaped mine and the fountain in the park were built in 1898. The building and the entire (military) area is inaccessible, you can only reach the chapel, the castle remains hidden from your view.

We continue along the yellow road to Pekelské údolí and return to Hartmanice along the asphalt (but little frequented) road, enjoying the views along the way.

There are children's play elements on the path. It will also please adults.