Věnec Hillfort

Welcome, distinguished visitors. Please stop for a moment, take a breath and look around you. Right now you are standing on the top of Mount Věnec, in the beautiful Šumava foothills, just a short walk from the village of Zalezel. What you see before you may not look at first glance like a monumental building we know from cities, but beneath your feet and in the surrounding terrain is a fascinating story of thousands of years of human existence. You are standing in the place of a primordial castle that carries traces of many generations of people here looking for safety, sanctuary, or maybe even a connection with higher forces.

If you look at the area of this place, you realize that you're moving in a space that occupies approximately eight hectares. It is a considerable area, which, in times of its greatest fame, must have been very dominant in the surrounding landscape. To understand how this place happened, we need to move very far into the past in our minds. The use of this hill as a high estate began already in the Stone Age, thousands of years ago, when people were looking for strategic points in the landscape that gave them an overview of the surroundings and natural protection. Imagine the first people who came here, watched the valley, and decided that this very summit would be their home.

But, over time, people's needs have changed and the way they used this place. Around the eighth century BC, something much more complex began to develop here. In the late period of the Halštatian and then in the early period of the Latin, the castle itself formed here. This was no longer just an easy settlement, but a fortified space. Although we do not see tall walls of stone today, at that time there were probably barriers that separated the inner space of the castle from the outside world. Notice the terrain around you and try to imagine the effort that the people had to make to adjust this peak for their needs.

The key to understanding this place was the findings that tell us stories today about the people who lived here. One of the most important evidence of the origin of the castle from the period of the Halštats was the finding of part of the bronze belt. This subject, although it may sound like a minor detail today, was a vital clue for archaeologists. The bronze belt tells us about the social status of the people who lived here, their craftsmanship and trade relations with the surrounding areas. Imagine a man wearing this belt walking around the same place you're standing now.

The history of this site is not only about prehistoric, but also about the people who tried to decipher it in the newer times. The first one was Johann Gottfried Sommer, which in the year eight hundred and forty presented the first mention of the castle on the Gentiles. Sommer was a man who saw more than trees and stones in the landscape, and could read the traces of ancient history. His observations opened the door for other researchers. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Jan Nepomuk Woldřich and J. V. Želízko joined the research. These men, with patience and care, examined the surface and layers of soil to understand what once happened here.

However, Bedřich Dubský wrote the most important chapter in getting to know the wreath in the years one thousand nine hundred nineteen to one thousand nine hundred twenty. It was his research that brought the most answers. Dubský discovered cultural layers which were full of ceramics and metal objects. Every piece of clay dishes, every piece of metal was like a word in a forgotten book. Thanks to his work today we know that Věnec was not just a random gathering of people, but an organised place with a clear structure.

But now we get to the part that is perhaps most fascinating. Despite all research and findings, the function of this premises remains uncertain. That's the big mystery of Vence. Was it just a fortified settlement where people lived and protected their property? Or did the buildings have a different purpose here? Some experts suggest that the fort could serve as a cult place. Imagine this - a place where people gather to worship their gods, sacrifice gifts and seek answers to the questions of life and death. The peak of the mountain, the proximity of the sky and the isolation from the ordinary world make it an ideal place for religious rituals. Is it possible that Věnec was a spiritual centre for the whole area? This question remains open and is left to your imagination.

Now, when you look around, feel the atmosphere of this place. Věnec is today protected as a cultural monument, because it is a unique testament to how mankind evolved in our borders. From simple stone age hunters and collectors to bronze and iron masters to modern scientists trying to reconstruct the past. All these layers of time are present at the same time.

Notice how quiet this space is, and think about how many voices there were a thousand years ago. This is probably where important things were decided, where people met in conflict or here in the room they grew their crops and raised animals. Every meter of land you walk on can hide other secrets that have not yet been revealed.

Now let's move on slowly. I ask you to walk quietly throughout the castle area. Follow the lines of the terrain, feel the wind in the trees and try to imagine what this peak looked like two thousand years ago. Do not search here for ruins in the form of high walls, but look for them in a sense of place and landscape that is the best archive of our history.

Thank you for spending time with us on the wreaths. We hope you are interested in this journey to the depths of time and that you are leaving with a new look at the landscape of Šumava's foothills. We wish you a pleasant continuation in exploring the surroundings and the joy of discovering other hidden treasures of our history. Goodbye.