Havlíčkův Brod is a historical town founded in the 13th century. You will be impressed by its charm, by the green strip downtown, a hundred years old park “Furture”, and pedestrian precinct on the brink of Sázava river, at the first sight. Its rich history is documented by about a hundred sights; downtown was declared a historical heritage zone since late 1980’s
Cultural heritage
The most important landmark is without a doubt Havlíček square with the renovated facades, poetic names and rich history. One of the most beautiful buildings on the square is Malina house (# 50), formerly Křečkovský. Late Gothic style house was rebuilt as a Renaissance house in the end of the 15th century. Front facade is from 1730 and it is baroque style. In the heart of the square you can find Koudel fauntain from the 18th century. St Mary Victorius is overlooking everything from the Marian Column with statues of the town patrons St. Wenceslaus and St. John of Nepomuk, St. Florian and St. Andrew as pillars of the column. Landmark of the square is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Originally early Gothic building was rebuilt several times, the Baroque dome was raised in 1707. The beautiful early Baroque altar is from 1661. Huge foursided tower 52 m tall with bell Vilem from 1335, probably the oldest in the Czech Republic, carries the old Czech clock.
You can witness medieval times if you visit Štáfl cottage. Old smoke room was discovered during the reconstruction, the room has the opening for smoke that puts this house among one of the most valuable monuments of old rural architecture in Bohemia.
The wall corner towers, where the most preserved is the Štáfl basilion, are embodied in the original city fortification. The cemetery with the Church of St. Wenceslaus is considered the oldest monument in the city. It’s probably situated in the original place of Roman church which was surrounded by Slovan merchant village Brod.
Nature
Place of interest is “Future” Municipal Park, Havlíčkův Brod downtown, stretched on 25 ha. You will be definitely impressed taking the walk through the park with many lakes and ponds, you can see lots of rare plants and trees there.
The most significant nature monument in Havlíčkobrodsko is Protected landscape area Žďárské vrchy. It’s a part of Českomoravská vrchovina. The landscape alternates between meadows, pastures, fields, forests, and ponds, and is interlaced with an irregular network of boundary mounds, sunken lanes, small forests and groups of trees.
National forest preserve Ransko. Ranský Babylon features bare rock segments where one can often find the remnants of serpentinite forests and a subspecies of the field scabious that is endemic to Ransko. Characteristic woody plants include beech and fir, while waterlogged soil hosts primarily spruce trees, and wet areas boast unusually preserved stands of black alder and European ash.
