BASIS INFORMATION AND PLACES OF INTEREST

"…da ruhen die breiten Waldesrücken und steigen lieblich, schwarzblau dämmernd ab gegen den Silberblick der Moldau... Es wohnet unsäglich viel Liebes und Wehmütiges in diesem Anblicke.” A. Stifter: Der Hochwald

TOWN HORNÍ PLANÁ

The town of Horní Planá lies on 48° 47’ 30” geographical latitude and 14° 02’ 30” geographical longitude on a low hill on the right bank of the Lipno water reservoir. Average elevation above sea level is 775 metres.

Two hills lie above Horní Planá - the Dobrovodský kopec and Křížový vrch. Going ahead through a shallow valley we move onto the 914 meters high Houbový vrch hill. From the hills one can see the impressive panorama of Southern Šumava mountain range, the Lipno dam lake and if the visibility is good one can even see the peaks of the Austrian Alps.

Today, Horní Planá is a dynamically developing tourist centre. The Lipno dam lake and the Šumava National Park offer excellent conditions for water sports, walking-tours and cycling. During the winter, sport enthusiasts are offered maintained cross country-skiing tracks and nearby downhill skiing centers at Kramolín and Hochficht in Austria. Ice-skating on the frozen dam is an unusual but enjoyable winter activity.

The town of Horní Planá has more than 2 200 inhabitants and is the largest town of the Lipno dam. Small neighbouring villages administratively belong under own of Horní Planá - Zvonková, Bližsí Lhota, Hory, Pernek, Maňava, Jelm, Hodňov, Olšina, Žlábek, Hůrka, Karlovy Dvory and Jenišov.

The history of Horní Planá

The original settlement was founded in the 1st half of the 14th century by monks from the Zlatá Koruna monastery. The settlement was promoted to a township by King Charles IV in 1349. During the Husite wars the township became a part of the Český Krumlov manor.

The location of the town near a trade trail between from Bohemia and Austria had a positive effect on its development. Later, the town was influenced by the construction of the Schwarzenberg floating channel and the railway.

The name of the town is first noted in a record of the Zlatá Koruna monastery as "Plan", later it is noted in the kingship record of 1349 as "Plana". The city is named "Plan oppidum" in the very oldest tax register from 1445 and in another register as "Miestečko Plané" in 1493. A tax document from 1653 names the town in German as "Oberplan"; other documents describe the town as "Ober Plan". As of 1918 the town is officially named "Oberplan" in German and "Horní Planá" in Czech.

Horní Planá has been using the same town erb since the 15th century - a bear with the Rožumberk rose in its paws.

Horní Planá is as colourfull and diverse as the whole of Šumava. One can study historical sites as well as enjoy the scenery of the Lipno water dam and the beauties of the Šumava region.

The city is dominated by the originally gothic churc of Saint Margareth (1374). The church was later rebuilt into pseudogothic style. The gallery is painted with early renaissance fresco from around 1520 and is fitted with a unique church organ made by J. Kloss from Krnov. A baroque chappel devoted to the Virgin Mary can be found in the forest at Dobrá Voda hill. The chappel is fitted with classicist organ made by organist J. Breinbauer.

Natural beauty

Diversity will always surprise you in Šumava and Horní Planá - whether you will be walking on a classic footpath through the Šumava forest, on a comfortable stroll around the Lipno dam lake or cycling on one of the many bike trails. Nature is diverse and mostly conserved in its original beauty thanks to the Protected natural area, the Šumava National Park, the Boletice military area and last but not least the border area which was closed off during the 2nd half of the 20th century.

The Šumava Protected Natural Area was founded in 1963 and currently has a diameter of some 6thousand square kilometres.

The Šumava National Park was founded in 1991 in the most significant parts of the protected natural area. Together with the Bavarian Forest the Šumava National Park is Europe’s largest forest complex (2.000 square kms) irrespective of national borders. UNESCO has given both the Bavarian Forest and the Šumava National Park the status of a biospheric reservation. More information about the National Park can be found at www.npsumava.cz.

North of Horní Planá a wide Military Training Ground of Boletice is located. Thanks to the different way this area is managed in comparison to residential areas, the Training Ground was awarded "Important bird area of 2006 - Bird area of the Natura 2000 concept". One might not believe that this inhospitable training area can be the place of domicile of - for instance - the forest titlark.

A part of the Training Ground was - for its tourist potential - made accessible for so-called "soft tourism" in 2006. One can move on given footpaths throughout the year during limited times (Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays from 7am to 9pm).

 

Tento projekt je spolufinancován Evropskou unií a Jihočeským krajem v rámci Společného regionálního operačního programu - grantové schéma 4.1.2. na podporu regionálních a místních služeb cestovního ruchu v Jihočeském kraji pro veřejné subjekty.