Králova pila

Králova pila is a historic timber water mill with an attached sawmill, standing on the banks of the Chrudimka River in the hamlet of Milesimov, part of the small village of Všeradov in the Žďárské vrchy area of the Czech Republic. Protected as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic, it is considered the oldest surviving timber-built water mill combined with a sawmill in the country.

Where is it located?

Všeradov is a small sub-mountain village in the Chrudim district, Pardubice Region, lying within the Žďárské vrchy protected landscape area, southwest of the town of Hlinsko. The village is made up of two small settlements, Milesimov and Jasné pole, with a combined population of around 150 people. It's in Milesimov, right on the bank of the Chrudimka, where Králova pila stands. The wider Hlinsko area is known for its well-preserved examples of traditional timber folk architecture, making the surrounding Pardubice Region worth combining with other heritage stops nearby.

Where does the name come from?

According to local legend, the water-powered sawmill on this spot was built on the orders of the Czech king Wenceslaus II in 1302 — hence the "royal" (Králova) part of the name. While the legend itself is hard to verify from written sources, it has been passed down locally for generations. The first documented written mention of the mill itself, however, dates only to 1651, naming a miller called Jan Kumpán. The mill building was then rebuilt in 1745, giving it much of the form it retains today.

How was the mill and sawmill built?

Králova pila is a single-story, log-built ("roubený") undershot water mill, with a simple single-blade sawmill added on along one wall of the mill house. The sawmill's mechanism had an archaic design: a wooden carriage, cart and flywheel, with the saw driven from the water wheel through a wooden pinion gear mounted on a wooden shaft. Only in the early 20th century were these wooden drivetrain parts replaced with metal ones, improving the mechanism's durability. It's also worth noting the effect the sawmill's own weight had over time: attached directly to the mill house wall and operating for 148 years (1796–1944), it caused the upstream-facing wall, together with its log structure, to gradually sink by 50 centimeters.

Can you visit the building?

No. Králova pila is permanently inhabited today and remains private property, not open to visitors on the inside. Travelers can view the building only from the outside, and should be mindful that it's someone's home rather than an open-air museum.

Why does this site matter?

Králova pila a mlýn is a nationally unique example of vernacular technical architecture — a water mill and sawmill combined under one fully timber-built roof, preserved in a form older than any comparable structure elsewhere in the Czech Republic. That is why it has been listed as an immovable cultural monument, a status that protects the building from demolition or alterations that would clash with its historic character.

When to visit?

Since the mill can only be admired from outside, spring and summer are the best times to come, when the Chrudimka valley and the surrounding meadows of the Žďárské vrchy look their most scenic and the region's hiking and cycling trails are fully accessible. In autumn and winter, reaching the hamlet itself can be harder due to the weather typical of this sub-mountain terrain.

Frequently asked questions

What is Králova pila? It's a historic timber water mill with an attached sawmill, standing on the Chrudimka River in Milesimov, part of the village of Všeradov.

Where does the name "Králova" come from? Local legend holds that the water-powered sawmill on this site was built on the orders of the Czech king Wenceslaus II in 1302.

Can visitors go inside the mill? No — the building is permanently inhabited as private property today and is not open to the public.

Why is Králova pila a protected monument? Because it is the oldest surviving timber-built water mill combined with a sawmill in the Czech Republic, a unique example of vernacular technical architecture.