Píčův statek

Píčův statek is the ruin of an old farmstead in the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj), near Mnichovo Hradiště in the Central Bohemian Region. It stands on the Hrada plateau, inside the area of a prehistoric hillfort, making it one of the rare examples of a homestead built directly on top of an archaeological earthwork.

Where is it located?

The ruins lie within the Příhrazské skály rock formations, about 200 meters from the Klamorna rock castle and close to the famous Drábské světničky, a former Hussite rock stronghold. The red-marked Stezka Českého ráje trail passes right by it, making the site an easy addition to a longer hike through the sandstone rock towns around Mnichovo Hradiště. Tucked among cliffs and forest, Píčův statek is often described as one of the most atmospheric spots in the whole region.

What is the history behind it?

A settlement on this spot is documented as early as 1554, recorded as the Hrada hermitage. Land records from 1682 name Pavel Komárek as owner, and the farm was then known as the Komárek cottage. The male line of the Komárek family died out in the early 18th century after heir Jiří Komárek failed to return from war. In 1716, Jan Píč married into the family, bringing wealth into the household — and giving the farmstead the name it still carries today.

Under the Píč family, the estate reached its greatest prosperity. It grew to roughly 14 to 15 hectares of fields, meadows and woodland, and became known above all for horse breeding: according to local tradition, members of the Wallenstein (Valdštejn) family from nearby Mnichovo Hradiště would come here to pick out horses. Grain from the fields was ground at a mill a few kilometers away, and the household regularly baked its own bread to feed the family and farmhands.

Why did the farm fall into ruin?

The last farmer to run the estate at full scale was Václav Píč. After his death in 1941, the farmstead began to decline. Matters worsened after the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948, when the family lost the property. In 1952, Václav's son Vladimír Píč was detained by the communist State Security (StB) and sent to a forced-labor camp at a quarry, where he remained until 1954. Left without residents, the abandoned farmstead was looted and gradually dismantled, and by the 1950s it had ceased to exist as a working homestead.

What can visitors see today?

What survives are mainly extensive stone foundations, fragments of walls, and cellars carved straight into the sandstone bedrock the farm was built on. The layout of the remains still gives a sense of how large the estate once was, while the surrounding cliffs and woods lend the site a quiet, almost mysterious mood — hence its reputation as one of the "magical places" of Bohemian Paradise. It makes a worthwhile stop for anyone exploring the nearby rock towns and Drábské světničky, combining local history with striking scenery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the name Píčův statek come from? From the Píč family, who took over the farmstead in 1716 when Jan Píč married into the older homestead then known as Hrada.

Why is the farmstead in ruins today? After the last farmer died in 1941 and the family was dispossessed following the 1948 communist takeover, the abandoned property was dismantled and stopped existing as a working farm by the 1950s.

What remains of the original buildings? Stone foundations, wall fragments, and cellars cut into the sandstone bedrock.

How do you get to Píčův statek? On foot, via the red-marked Stezka Českého ráje trail, near Drábské světničky and the Klamorna rock castle, not far from Mnichovo Hradiště.