From Šumavské Hoštice to Saint Adalbert

We begin our trip in the village dominated by the Church of Saints Philip and James. From afar, we are greeted by its red dome. The first mention of the village, which was once part of the Lčovice estate and later the Vimperk estate, dates to 1360. Today, the village has its own municipal office, which administers the surrounding villages of Kosmo, Vojslavice, Škarez, and Nedvídkov. A landmark here is also the former inn No. 25, built in 1846 by the folk builder Jakub Bursa. The inn is no longer in operation, so we refresh ourselves at the restaurant in the Cultural Centre.

We set off from the village to the local part called Škarez, where we turn left and join the green-marked tourist trail. We pass through a picturesque landscape with the villages of Vojslavice and Kosmo. Below the hill Běleč with its transmission tower, we turn left and reach the edge of the forest, from where Lštění is already visible. However, we turn right and descend along the yellow-marked trail that follows the national natural monument Hajnice, declared in 1992. This area protects various orchid-like plants, such as the lesser butterfly-orchid, broad-leaved helleborine, and eggleaf twayblade. The critically endangered one-leaved bog orchid can also be found here. We descend into the valley of the Libotyňský stream and arrive at the village of Libotyně. In 1995, the village was declared a village conservation zone, primarily due to the legacy of none other than Jakub Bursa. These include the Chapel of the Virgin Mary from 1844, the blacksmith's shop No. 24 from 1842, and the impressive farmstead “U Dudáků” No. 6 from 1845. These buildings have been protected monuments since 1958.

From Libotyně, we ascend through Radhostice and Dvorce to Lštění. Today, Radhostice administratively includes both Libotyně and Lštění. Here we find a tavern from 1842 – again the work of Jakub Bursa.

The main landmark of Lštění is the pilgrimage Church of Saint Adalbert, after whom the village was once named. The original church was built in the second half of the 13th century. Legend has it that Bishop Adalbert of Prague visited the church around the year 995. The oldest preserved written record of the village, however, comes from 1352, when it belonged to local noblemen Zdeněk and Vilém.

The church was baroquely reconstructed during the period of strong Adalbertian cult in the years 1739–1741, based on plans by E. A. Martinelli. The stonework was done by Matěj Plánský from Český Krumlov. Inside the church, there is a main altar with statues of Czech saints from 1755 by the sculptor Josef Muck. Paintings were made by the artist J. Putz. There is also a pulpit from the first half of the 18th century and a Gothic baptismal font from the 13th century. From the original Gothic church, part of the current presbytery wall has been preserved. The church has long been and still is an important pilgrimage site for the surrounding region. Old pilgrimage banners are preserved here, which were carried at the head of processions four times a year. A cemetery with an old wall adjoins the church. In front of the church stands a stone cross from 1857. On the rocky hill above the church is a votive chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is said that from this very spot, Saint Adalbert once blessed his homeland – Bohemia.

Right across the road below the church stands the old rectory from the 15th century, rebuilt in the 17th century and still roofed with wooden shingles. Below the rectory is the spring "Dobrá Voda" (Good Water), above which an octagonal chapel was built, again dedicated to Saint Adalbert. According to legend, the water has miraculous properties. The blind son of Countess Arnoštka of Eggenberg regained his sight after washing his eyes in it, and the countess had the chapel built in gratitude. From the area around the church, there is a beautiful view of the inland countryside and of the Šumava peaks Boubín and Bobík. Conversely, the Church of Saint Adalbert is visible from the Šumava foothills. West of the village is a small rocky area once favoured by the Boháč brothers, painters from Volyně, though it is now overgrown with wild vegetation. Jan Neruda and Adolf Hejduk also liked to visit Lštění. We return to Šumavské Hoštice via a winding, gently descending road.

Basic Information:

• Starting Point: Šumavské Hoštice
• Route: Šumavské Hoštice – Vojslavice – Kosmo – Libotyně – Radhostice – Dvorce – Lštění – Šumavské Hoštice
• Length: approx. 18 km
• Trail Difficulty: Challenging due to length
• Access: on foot
• Refreshments: Šumavské Hoštice