Kuklov lies above the valley of the Brložský potok stream in the Blanský Forest. The history of the area brings together two distinct sites: the never-completed Pauline monastery and Kuglwaid Castle, of which remains of walls, a moat cut into the rock and earthworks have survived. There are also nature trails and two numbered cycling routes. This makes it possible to understand Kuklov through both its history and specific route information.
Pauline Monastery: an unfinished project
The story of the Pauline monastery’s foundation begins in 1495. Petr IV of Rosenberg invited the Order of Saint Francis of Paola to establish a monastery in Kuklov. The planned construction included the single-nave Church of Saint Andrew. “Single-nave” describes a church interior with one main nave. However, the monastery was never completed and was abandoned around 1530. Its foundation, the church construction and its abandonment are thus part of a story that does not end with a completed religious building. The dates provide a timeline: the invitation in 1495 was followed by the abandonment of the project around 1530. Those interested in architectural history will find not only the foundation here, but also the unfinished end of a monastery project.
Kuglwaid Castle and its surviving traces
Kuglwaid Castle takes us back to an earlier period. It was founded around 1357 on the site of a prehistoric fortified settlement and was a royal castle. Located on a rocky promontory, it stood about 100 metres west of Kuklov. Some remains of walls, a moat cut into the rock and earthworks have survived to this day. The traces range from masonry to features shaped in the rock and the landscape. The castle also differs from the later monastery project in date: its foundation around 1357 predates the invitation to establish the monastery in 1495. Together, the two stories illustrate different periods in the history of the area, though the sites are not one and the same.
Nature trails and cycling routes
Kuklov is a stop on the Brloh Nature Trail. The Brložsko Nature Trail is a 7.2-kilometre circular route with 16 stops. These route references provide different kinds of orientation: the stop information places Kuklov on the Brloh Nature Trail; the Brložsko circular route is described by its length and number of stops. Kuklov is also a junction of cycling routes No. 1090 and 1066. Here, the two route numbers and their junction provide the route reference. For the Brložsko Nature Trail, by contrast, the focus is on the circular route’s length and its stops. Those who use specific details to identify routes can thus distinguish between a circular route with a stated distance and a connection to two numbered cycling routes.
A film connection to the monastery
Kuklov Monastery also has a connection to film history: in the 1967 film “The Valley of the Bees,” it served as the fictional Vlkov Fortress. This connection adds a cinematic portrayal of the site to its architectural history. For travellers interested in film locations, this offers another way to engage with the monastery’s history; Vlkov is the fictional fortress in the film.
If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Kuklov, a simple comparison can help you decide on your destination: are you more interested in the history of the castle and monastery, the film connection, or finding your way around the nature trails and cycling routes?
For the broader travel overview: Brloh.
