Content
Attractions in the village and surroundings
Information leaflet - Babylon Municipality
Orientation map of the village
Orientation map of the village surroundings
Where to go in Babylon and the surrounding area Type: PDF document, Size: 37.16 MB
Devil's Nature Trail and Marble Run Type: PDF document, Size: 19.99 MB
Bus timetable to Čerchov 2024 Type: PDF document, Size: 92.42 kB
Tourist map of the Czech Republic Type: JPG image, Size: 5.18 MB
Trip tips, the most beautiful places in the Pilsen region - Tourist's paradise
Statues in Babylon
In Babylon and its surroundings you will find several statues. The first is located by the chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, the second by the Devil's Stone, the third by the Swan Fountain, the fourth by the pond next to the football field, the fifth is located by the footbridge behind the fire station. We wish you a pleasant walk and nice looking :-)
"A fallen angel humbly offers his heart to passersby" (invented by a local elderly vacationer, registered at the office ;-)
https://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktivity/sochy-v-babylonu
Wells around Babylon
https://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktivity/studanky-kolem-babylon
Interactive map of tourist destinations in the Domažlice district
- Official website of the Domažlicko Association - Tourist information - Interactive map
- Leaflet - tourist destinations in the Bohemian Forest 2020 - download here
Scenic spots in the Domažlice region
- map of viewpoints: https://www.svazekdomazlicko.cz/modules/mapy/poi.php?lang=cs&active=59
- overview of viewpoints in our region - leaflet: download here
Devil's Stone
Where to go from boredom - Viklan Devil's Stone at Babylon near Domažlice
Where to get out of boredom - The Devil's Nature Trail
The 11 km long Devil's Nature Trail ( Download the guide here ) runs through the surroundings of Babylon and the village itself . It has 21 stops and is suitable mainly for walking or mountain biking. It starts in the village of Havlovice - Hadrovec near the aqueduct. It runs past the Black Pond, which is currently used for fish farming.
On the edge of the village of Babylon, the Devil's Stone is located in the forest . This rock (weight 40 tons, length 4 m, height 1.5 m) only touches the rocky bedrock with a small part of its surface. In the 1860s, a railway connecting Bavaria and Bohemia was being built nearby. Italian workers rocked it so that it fell off its axis. And it has just been lying there ever since. The symbols of crosses are painted on the huge stone, and locals say that the devil used to go there to rest after work. The forty-ton stone giant was returned to its original bed in 2009 by Czech scientist Ing. Pavlov Pavlov, who is also known for moving the statues on Easter Island. The Devil's Stone was re-installed in its original bed in September 2020. Now every visitor can rock with this "giant" again! In 2022, a natural marble run for children was added to the area around the viklan.
Another stop on the Devil's Nature Trail is the so-called Rašín Stone . Alois Rašín was a prominent politician of the First Republic and regularly visited the area during his vacation in Česká Kubica.
The Tepla Bystrice drive
Sokolova prospect
The natural monument Sokolova vyhlídka is another point on the Devil's Nature Trail . It is located southwest of the village of Babylon and south to southeast of the village of Pec on the edge of the Český les Protected Landscape Area, outside its territory, at an altitude of 560 m above sea level. You can reach the site by following the green tourist trail from Babylon or the yellow one from Pec. The area of 3.5 ha has been protected since 1980. The reason for the protection is the rocky outcrop of the quartz embankment. However, due to the grown trees, there is no longer a view of the surroundings from the site. A memorial plaque of Prof. PhDr. Rudolf Sokol, a geologist and scholar, is located here.
Furth im Wald
The village of Babylon is located approximately 7 km from the German border. Not far from the border is the town of Furth im Wald. Every August, a week-long festival called " Drachenstich" takes place here . This tradition dates back to 1590 and is one of the oldest in Germany. The giant dragon is digitally controlled and is state-of-the-art.
Drachensee is a reservoir at the foot of the border ridge about 2 km from Furth im Wald and serves as a flood protection area and creates space for both recreation and ecological stability. About halfway across the reservoir, a footbridge spans the reservoir, allowing birdwatching in the protected shallow part of the reservoir.
Dragon Lookout is an observation deck at the end of an arched staircase in the shape of a dragon's head leaning over the water, from which you can see the entire Dragon Lake.
Salka Cave
Not far from the village of Pasečnice , on the slope of the overgrown hill of Skalka (620 m above sea level), there is a rock cave called Salka , the bottom of which and the adjacent "galleries" are flooded with water up to a height of 5 meters. In the 17th century, kyz slate was mined here for the production of alum.
Salka is very popular with tourists not only in summer, but also in winter, when icicles can be seen in the front part above the lake.
Zelenov Nature Park
Zelenov Nature Park covers an area of 345 ha and is connected to the protected landscape area of the Bohemian Forest and the nature park of the same name. It is located about 2 km southwest of Domažlice and is part of the Všerubská vrchovina geomorphological unit, the Českokubická vrchovina sub-unit and the Babylonská vrchovina district. The landscape with increased aesthetic value was assessed for 97% of the park's area. The majority of the park, with the highest peak Dmout (602 m above sea level), is covered with spruce forests, which are complemented by alders, remis and scattered greenery. The rock base of the nature park area is dimica shales with transitions to dimica to biotitic pararula. In some places, colorful mesophilous grasslands have been preserved and high herbaceous heathland has developed on former wet meadows. Rarer plant species occur on the edge of the pond - e.g. marsh hogweed (Comarum palustre) or scalloped skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata). In places, there are moist mowed meadows where we can find rare plants, such as the May fingerwort (Dactylorhiza majalis), the low snake's-nose (Scorzonera humilis), or the dioecious valerian (Valeriana dioica). There are also three ponds on the Zubřina River - Zelenovský, Radošovský and Strakovský (from north to south). The given area is home to one of four locations within the Czech Republic where the critically endangered stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) occurs. At the same time, it is the only location in our country so far where it occurs together with the river crayfish (Asfacus astacus). In addition to crayfish, the occurrence of other legally protected animals has been registered here, namely the river mussel (Anodonta cygnea) and the river kingfisher (Atcedo atthis). Both are also classified as critically endangered species. Zelenov was declared a peace area in 1987.
Hadrovec Aqueduct
On September 22, 2012, the aqueduct over the Na Hadrovci railway line was opened to the public. Not far from it is the Havlovice train stop on this line. The wooden structure replaced the original aqueduct torn down in 1984 and is the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic - nowhere else does water flow over a railway line. And nowhere else can you cycle along the flowing water in a wooden aqueduct - the bridge is part of the international cycle route Prague-Pilsen-Regensburg-Munich and allows cyclists and hikers to cross the Pilsen-Česká Kubice railway line together with the watercourse.
The Teplá Bystřice watercourse has been bringing water from the Danube basin to the Elbe basin since 1571 and was used to supply the Domažlice mills and the moat of the city fortifications. Only in 1862 was the drive interrupted by the construction of the Fürth im Wald - Pilsen railway line, so the water had to be transferred across the line by a metal aqueduct. The supporting structure of the new aqueduct consists of two glued wooden beams 24 meters long, between which is a steel structure with a footbridge and a channel.
Lomeček in Mrákov
Less than 8 km from Domažlice towards Nový Klíčov, you will come across the area of a former quarry, whose current appearance is more reminiscent of a large park with a number of wooden sculptures , which were gradually left here by master carvers from the annual symposium. The water here is beautifully clean, the beaches are grassy and sandy. There is a possibility of refreshment in the area. The most important thing why people and divers come here is the flooded quarry and the underwater observation cabin . It is open all year round - both the diving cabins, refreshments and clubhouses, which serve as facilities for divers. Admission is paid. There is a strict ban on entry with dogs.
The depth of the quarry, whose area is approximately 0.8 ha, does not exceed 10 meters. The observation deck is located at a depth of 8 meters and is accessible from a floating pier, where you can clean your shoes. Then you continue through a steel tube (relatively narrow) on a steel ladder. (In winter, you will appreciate gloves.) Below you will find yourself in a space similar to a round cabin with windows and a bench around the perimeter - for sitting observation. The best observation is with three people, although the cabin capacity is 6-8 people.
City of Domazlice
Domažlice is about 8 km from Babylon and is the natural center of the Chodsko region. The core is an urban monument reserve with a square lined with medieval houses with arcades. The dominant feature of the city is the leaning tower of the Archdeacon Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary , which also serves as a lookout tower. It is 56 m high and is deviated from its axis by 60 cm. The church has a glass bas-relief, the highest sculpture of its kind in the Czech Republic, for which more than 4 tons of glass were used. Domažlice also has the Gallery of the Špillar Brothers , Chodský Castle , which houses the Chodsko Museum, and the museum of composer Jindřich Jindřich , the lower city gate from the 13th century, and the Bezděkovská gate. For sports, a newly reconstructed swimming pool and an ice rink are available. In August, the St. Lawrence pilgrimage and the so-called Chodské festivities , which are visited by thousands of tourists.
Chodský Castle stands on Chodské náměstí in an inconspicuous valley position above the Zubřina River at an altitude of about 420 m. Since 1958, it has been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. It represents the style of a Central European castle and is the most sought-after monument in the town of Domažlice. You can see permanent exhibitions of the history, archaeology, ethnography and nature of the Chod region or the cellar lapidary. Currently, its premises house the Chod Region Museum .
Lavřineček with the church of the same name and a nice view of Domažlice, Chodsko and the Bohemian Forest and Šumava ranges is a frequent destination for locals and tourists. The church acquired its current form only in 1851. According to historical sources, it was founded in the 10th century by Prince Boleslav to commemorate his victory over the Hungarians on the Lešské polí.
Tip: From Babylon we go through the Zelenov peace area, past the Zelenovské ponds, and through the Dmout forest. From Domažlice we return to Babylon either by train or bus. The walking part of the trip is 7.5 km long.
Sawmill
From the large Babylonský pond we will walk through the forest through the village of Pila and its railway stop Újezd-Pila. There are large cottage settlements by the two ponds, originally a nobleman's sawmill from the 17th century stood here.
District
In the village of Újezd there is the birthplace of the leader of the Chodské Uprising, Jan Sladký Kozina , which is partially open to the public and the educational explanation is in the typical Chodské dialect.
The monument to Jan Sladký Kozina stands on the top of Hrádek u Domažlice ( 585 m above sea level). It was built in 1895, ten years after the first book edition of Psohlavce by A. Jirásek. A commemorative plaque to the Czechoslovak legionnaires is also placed on the pedestal. The entire Chodsko region can be seen from here. There is a restaurant open at Hrádek and there is also a playground available.
At the top of Hrádek Hill you will also find the Dog of Ch o dský . The concrete statue, measuring 3.8 x 8.1 meters, is one of the largest works by sculptor Michal Olšiak. The statue is hollow, so you can get inside and then peek out through the dog's mouth.
Tip: You can continue over Václavka Mountain (534 m above sea level) to the pilgrimage site of Dobrá voda near Draženov (a pilgrimage church from 1872 and a well surrounded by legends).
Good water
Southwest of Draženov stands the Chapel of the Virgin Mary , the youngest pilgrimage site in the Domažlice region. A wooden chapel was built around 1800 by a spring whose water was supposedly healing, and was replaced by a brick building in 1882-1883.
Trhanov
There is an outdoor school in the Lamingerov castle , and in the direction of Klenčí there is a "lomikarov" alley of old lime trees. The famous Czech doctor and writer Prof. Dr. Thomayer was born in the castle, who invited A. Jirásek to the Chod region for historical research and literary depiction of the heroic resistance of the Chods against serfdom.
Pec pod Čerchovem
In Pec pod Čerchovem you can visit the Woodcutters' Museum . The majority of the exhibits in the museum are lent or donated by current residents of the village, who kept them as a memento of their ancestors.
In the museum you will find not only the tools and implements that lumberjacks used when working in the forest, but also wooden products that brought them a living. You will see, for example, sledges, so-called štumpochy, basins, basins, boxes for matches, but even decades-old puppets for local puppeteers, whom Oldřich Nový helped to make theater during his summer holidays. One part of the museum is dedicated to now historic chainsaws , which literally meant a revolution in logging. The museum also offers information and a look at exhibits from the second half of the seventeenth century, when a blast furnace for smelting iron was smoking in the center of today's Pec pod Čerchovem and later a glass factory was established on the western edge of the village. At the very end of the visit to the museum, famous personalities who lived in Pec pod Čerchovem are mentioned.
If interested, a tour of the interior of the Woodcutter's Chapel of St. Procopius is possible .
Tip: You can return to Babylon by crossing the Vejslavka forest ridge (541 m above sea level).
Views
Approximately 10 km from the village of Babylon you can visit Výhledy - a significant tourist spot in the Chodsko region. There is a majestic 12 m high monument to Jindřich Šimon Baar , unveiled in 1933. From Výhledy there is a beautiful view of Trhanov, Chodov, Hrádek and Domažlice.
Baar's Museum is located in Klenč pod Čerchovem on the square at No. 140. The two-story building, covered with a mansard roof, dates from the mid-19th century. The collections located here commemorate the writer J. Š. Baar and the exhibits present the ethnography of Chodsk. A memorial plaque is placed at the site of Baar's birthplace at No. 94, by the road in the upper part of the square.
Kurz's Lookout Tower - Čerchov
Timetable to Čerchov 2024 Type: PDF document, Size: 92.42 kB
Čerchov is the highest mountain in the Bohemian Forest (1042 m above sea level) with a stone Kurzova lookout tower and a military tower on the summit. These towers form one of the most recognizable peaks of the Czech border mountains, visible from afar, as far as Pilsen.
Kurz Tower is a stone structure 19 m high, with an observation deck at a height of 16.4 m. You have to climb 129 stone steps that turn clockwise to get a bird's eye view of the surrounding beauty. You will have a view of the entire Bohemian Forest mountain range, as well as the western Šumava, Bohemia and Bavaria.
From the observation tower, the view opens to the north to Přimda, Slavkovský les and Doupovské hory, to the NE to Plzeň, Radyňa and Brdy, to the east to the nearby village of Pec pod Čerchovem, Koráb, South Bohemian Basins and Temelín, to the SE to Dlouhá skála and other peaks of the Bohemian Forest and further to the Šumava with the peaks of Velký Javor, Roklan, Luzný and Ostrý, to the south to the west to the German part of the Bohemian Forest and the border region. With exceptionally excellent visibility, the Alps with Dachstein can be seen to the south and the Ore Mountains to the north.
The refreshments are located in a nearby former military building, which is reminiscent of the atmosphere of the KVČ in the ČSLA barracks.
The best way to get to the lookout tower is from the parking lot in Capartice, from there it is about 4 km to the top on foot along a marked path. For less able tourists, a regular bus service runs to the top in the summer months.
Nature trail Capartické louky
The Capartické louky nature trail was opened in the southern part of the Český les Protected Landscape Area. The trail introduces preserved species-rich meadows with the occurrence of a number of rare plant species.
The most beautiful view of the Capartice meadows is in spring and early summer, when the plants are in full bloom, but the trail also offers many interesting things outside of this period. Various types of butterflies and birds can be seen here, and visitors can try out for themselves how the local inhabitants used water to power machinery, which used to be very widespread in the Bohemian Forest area.
The nature trail is less than 2 kilometers long and will introduce visitors to common meadow species and rare orchids. During the walk, you will also learn something about the history of Capartice and its surroundings. We also recommend hiking up to Sádek and enjoying the beautiful view.
Klenčí pod Čerchovem
(approx. 9 km from Babylon)
The House of Nature of the Bohemian Forest was created in the historic building of the so-called Old Post Office right on the square in Klenčí pod Čerchovem , which deals in detail with the transformation of the landscape of the Bohemian Forest Protected Area over time. The exhibition will guide you through the local nature and history, settlement, the construction of Baroque rural settlements or the history of local industry and glassmaking. The exhibition is designed interactively and engagingly to attract even children. Come here for tips on trips and say hello to the white stork, who is the mascot of the entire house and will be happy to show you how it builds its nest.
Other points of interest: J. Š. Baar Museum, St. Martin's Church, production and sale of Chodské ceramics.
Old Herštejn
(approx. 20 km from Babylon)
The nature reserve is located southwest of the village of Vranov, from which it is accessible by following the green trail to the Vranovské sedlo crossroads, from where you continue along the red trail (Baarova cesta) towards the west. You will also find the ruin of the same name with a view of the surroundings, which was reconstructed in 2020.
The defunct village of Lučina (Grafenried)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFk2K4oYC6I
Horsovsky Tyn
(18 km from Babylon)
The Horšovský Týn State Castle and Chateau is one of the most accessible buildings in the Czech Republic, located in the historic center of the city. It is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic and was included in the list of national cultural monuments in 1996.
This area includes not only the main castle building, but also the building of the Burgrave's Palace and an almost forty-hectare natural landscape park with the Gloriette, the Loreto Chapel and the Widow's House. Today, the castle is one of the most accessible historical monuments in our country.
The approximately 3km pleasant walking circuit of the Royal Gorge Nature Trail begins and ends at the summer palace in the Horšovský Týn castle park and leads through the famous Royal Gorge. At a total of five stops, it provides information about the history of the castle and chateau as well as other interesting buildings in the park.
Other attractions: historic square, Church of St. Peter and Paul, Church of St. Apollinaire
The Žibeniční vrch lookout tower is located on Žibeniční vrch (459 m above sea level), its total height is 21.5 m, the viewing platform is at a height of 13 m and there are 66 steps leading to it. The lookout tower consists of a wooden prismatic tower.
Ryzmberk
(approx. 17 km from Babylon)
The ruins of Rýzmberk Castle , which also includes an observation tower, are located on a high wooded hill Rýzmberk (665 m) near the town of Kdyně. The historic observation tower on Rýzmberk can be found in the place where a Gothic castle founded by the Drslavic family at the request of Přemysl Otakar II stood from the second half of the 13th century. It was rebuilt several times. In 1641 it was devastated by the Swedes and in 1655 it was demolished by order of Emperor Ferdinand III. In 1676 the castle became a ruin.
Between 1847 and 1848 a new neo-Gothic observation tower was built in the former third courtyard of the castle. In 1991 the castle was returned to the Kdyň department of the Czech Tourist Board and after further necessary modifications the observation tower was repaired and made accessible again. On the upper floor of the lookout tower there is a small photo exhibition on the history of Rýzmberk Castle. The tower is 18 m high and there are 82 steps to the top.
From the Rýzmberk lookout tower you can see Kdyně, Jezerní hora, Ostrý hill to the south, Bavarian forest, Český forest, Čerchov to the west, and then Domažlice or Přimda.
The ship at Kdyna
(approx. 23 km from Babylon)
Koráb (773 m) is the highest peak of the Chudenická Highlands. There is a lookout tower of the same name here, a simple structure 21 m high with five beam floors, from 1938. On foot from Kdyně along the yellow hiking trail (approx. 4 km). There is a mountain hut adjacent to the lookout tower, where refreshments or accommodation are available.
Novy Herstejn
(approx. 23 km from Babylon)
The extensive ruins of the castle, founded before the middle of the 14th century by Bušek II. of Velhartice, lie on a wooded hill.
The castle remained in the possession of this family for practically the entire period of its existence. In the constant border war with the Bavarians, it was conquered, burned and demolished in 1475. In 1496, it was bought by Půta Švihovský of Rýzmberk, who apparently restored it. After 1508, when he also acquired neighboring Rýzmberk, Nový Herštejn lost its importance for him and after 1524, when it was sold to the Domažlice family, the castle was abandoned. There are remains of a massive residential tower, where loopholes and a clearly visible entrance at the height of the first floor are visible.
Kolovec
(approx. 24 km from Babylon)
In the village of Koloveč, which was first mentioned in the early 12th century, there used to be several pottery workshops and brushes were made here. That is why there is an interesting Museum of Technology and Crafts here today . With an area of 1000 m2 and more than 7000 exhibits, it is one of the largest and most comprehensive museums of its kind in the Czech Republic. You can find all traditional folk crafts here, currently a total of 67 complete workshops and trades and another 12 technical exhibitions.
