Čižice: Granite Landscape, Chapel and the Úhlava

Čižice lies in what is known as a granite island landscape. The local granite led to the opening of quarries that provided many residents with a livelihood. The rise of local stone masonry has been documented since around 1870. The landscape and the craft therefore jointly shape the character of the village. Above Čižice rises Jelení vrch, at an elevation of 519 metres above sea level. The Vysoká forest area lies east of Čižice.

The first written mention of Čižice dates from 1115; at that time, the Kladruby Monastery is said to have owned an estate there. A visible reference to the village’s history is the Chapel of Saint Adalbert. It is a Baroque building from the mid-18th century, preserved in its substance and in the details of its original construction. The chapel and the nearby memorial cross are a preserved cultural and historical element of Čižice’s village green.

Pivovar Bizon is a family-run microbrewery in Čižice that opened in 2011 as part of the adjacent Hostinec U Bizona. The brewery specialises in Pilsner-style lagers as well as top-fermented, cold-hopped beers. Pivovar Bizon’s beers are neither filtered nor pasteurised. The local beer is therefore one of the village’s specific culinary connections.

A yellow-marked hiking route from Čižice crosses a bridge over the Úhlava to the Kozí kámen rock. At the Čižice bridge, leave the red-marked trail, cross the bridge and then continue along the yellow marking. The sequence of trail colours indicates the crucial transition for this hike. Two cycle routes also pass through Čižice. At Čižice, the Úhlava is used by water sports enthusiasts for paddling.

In the immediate surroundings of Čižice, the summit of Vysoká is home to a preserved rock city with several-metre-high, pointed towers. There are several climbing routes and bolts in the rocks, which are also visited by beginner climbers. The area known as “Pod Smutným koutem” features uneven-aged oak woodland with diverse forest flora. This includes several specially protected plant species, among them Solomon’s seal, the Turk’s cap lily and alpine buckthorn. The rocks and forest thus create two distinct natural landscapes around Čižice.

The Husova pouť pilgrimage is celebrated in Čižice on 6 July on the village green lined with lime trees. Summer entertainment events held on a dance floor in the open air are known in Čižice as “Čihule”.

Other destinations in the selection: Dolce, Prádlo, Mladý Smolivec, Střížovice, Útušice, Nezdice, Žákava, Srby Nad Úslavou

For the higher-level travel overview: Plzeň-Jih.