Jeník’s Journey to School – From Husinec to Prachatice

Total length

6.2 km (one way)

Duration

2 hours

Terrain

Paved roads and unpaved forest paths.

Recommended period for visiting

Accessible year-round.

Difficulty level

Easy (suitable for families with older children, not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs).

Marking

Yes

How do you get to the start

You can easily get to the starting point by car or bus.

How to get back

Return the same way or by transport.

Route description

The route starts in the village of Husinec. From Prokop Square, where you’ll find the birthplace of Master Jan Hus, follow the yellow tourist trail south. Just beyond the last houses of Husinec, by the Blanice River, is Hus’s Rock (1.3 km), where little Jeníček and his mother used to rest on their way to school.

The trail continues for about 1.2 km to the Husinec Reservoir, a significant technical monument. Here, you carefully walk 600 m along road no. 14531 and then join the red tourist trail. You continue past Staré Prachatice (1.6 km) and through the crossroads by the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul to the natural monument Žižka’s Rock (580 m above sea level) (1.3 km). From there, you get a beautiful view of the historic center of Prachatice.

From here, it’s just a short walk (about 400 m) to the town center. You pass through the Lower Gate and soon arrive at the Church of St. James the Greater, which has a viewing tower open to visitors. After another 150 m, you reach the final destination, Hus’s House (Husova 71). This route is especially suitable for casual hikers and families with children (total length: 6.2 km).

You can extend the route by about 200 m to visit the early Gothic Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Staré Prachatice. From the church, you can follow the Svatopeterská educational trail in the opposite direction (1.5 km), which focuses on the history of the town and surrounding area. The trail runs alongside the red tourist trail and ends below Žižka’s Rock at the Lower Gate, from where it’s a 250 m walk to Hus’s House (total length: 6.4 km).

Interesting places on the route

Birthplace of Master Jan Hus, Memorial in Husinec

The journey begins at his birthplace on Husinec’s main square, where you’ll find a new exhibit dedicated to the era, life, work, legacy, and tradition of the most famous Czech reformer. The historic character of Husinec, where Jan Hus was born, is documented by literary records and artifacts from the time of the Utraquists or Calixtines. Many of these are still preserved in Husinec.

Hus’s Rock

Just beyond the last houses of Husinec, by the Blanice River, they passed a rock where young Jeník often rested. According to one legend, an imprint on the rock was made by his face leaning against it repeatedly. Another tale says lightning once struck the rock, setting fire to the juniper bush growing there.

The thoughtful boy once said to his mother: “You see, just like this bush, I too will leave this world in flames.”

Today’s visitors following the yellow trail can, at the right angle, spot the profile of Hus’s face in the rock.

Hrádek near Husinec

Almost opposite Hus’s Rock, you can find the remains of the Husinec fortress. When young Jeník passed by on his way to school, he may have encountered its owner, Pavel of Vimperk. The fortress likely fell into ruin after the Hussite Wars. In the nearby village of Dvory, a Gothic portal, probably from this fortress, is built into the entrance of house no. 11.

Husinec Reservoir

The main purpose of the reservoir was to protect Husinec and other villages from floods. The lake created by the dam still holds back high waters during the spring thaw. Completed in 1939, the reservoir’s original function has since expanded. The lake behind the dam covers 68 hectares and holds 6.53 million cubic meters of water. Between 1939 and 1945, the dam also marked the symbolic border of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Svatopeterská Trail (Way of the Cross)

Named after its destination, the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Staré Prachatice, this 1.5 km educational trail focuses on the history of the town and nearby area. Informational panels, roadside crosses, and chapels enhance the experience. The trail starts below Žižka’s Rock near Prachatice’s Lower Gate.

Žižka’s Rock

Descending past the quartzite ridge above Prachatice, Jeník and his mother approached the town. The rock was named Žižka’s Rock after the famous general who led the siege of the town from here after 1918. An inscription carved into the stone, Schiller Felsen, still reminds us of its original name. From the rock, you have a wonderful view of the old town center.

Church of St. James the Greater

A late Gothic church as it stands today, dating from 1505–1513. Visitors are impressed by the high star-shaped vaulting of the main nave from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. Even older are the church’s portals, especially the massive stepped entrance portal. Among the valuable interior features are late Gothic pews, wall paintings, and a stone sacrament house from 1508. When young Jan visited, the church was only a few decades old.

Hus’s House

Young Jeník attended school in nearby Prachatice. According to tradition, during his studies, he lived in today’s Hus’s House, no. 71. This originally one-story Gothic house was rebuilt in Renaissance style in the second half of the 16th century. Today, it captivates visitors with its Lombard volute gables and richly decorated sgraffito facade. Jeník most likely also sang in the boys’ choir at the local church: “When I was a schoolboy and sang vigils with the others, we would sing one and be done.”

In Prachatice, he also met Master Křišťan of Prachatice. Around 1385, this future rector of Prague University likely took young Jeník with him to study in Prague.