Tuněchodský mlýn

Tuněchodský mlýn is a historic water mill standing on the Úhlavka stream, roughly a kilometer east of the village of Tuněchody, now part of the town of Kladruby in the Tachov district of Czechia. The building dates back to the 16th century and passed through generations of milling families before becoming a small guesthouse for groups in modern times.

How old is the mill?

The mill was built in the 16th century by the miller Mikuláš Štochl. In 1567 it was bought by Pavel z Dobřan, a subject of the Chotěšov monastery, and in 1595 the monastery formally confirmed that the mill, together with its surrounding fields, forest, access roads and a pond, belonged to the town of Kladruby. That record is what makes it one of the region's older documented mills.

Who ran the mill over the centuries?

The chain of owners is unusually well documented. In the 17th century the mill belonged to the Frölich family, and from 1699 to 1728 it was run by Jakob Harlass, followed by Jiří Václav Harlass (1728–1763) and Anton Harlass from 1773. In 1805 the mill passed to Josef Himmel. Between 1855 and 1889 it was managed by the Böhm family — first Franz, then Anton, whose initials "AB" appear on a surviving water gauge from 1874. Josef Böhm owned it in 1927. After the Second World War, from 1945 to 1948, the mill was run by Vojtěch Fähnrich, and from 1948 until the end of the 20th century it was cared for by Antonín Zdvořan and his family. After 1989 the mill was taken over by a Dutch couple, Gerard Grünning and Renee Meuteboon, who ran it until 2017, when Tomáš Herold became the new owner.

What machinery powered the mill?

In 1838 the mill was driven by three water wheels on the head water. By 1930 the number of wheels had been reduced to two, running on a flow of 0.15–0.25 m³/s and a head of 3.1 meters, producing 10.7 horsepower. In 1889 the mill installed a smooth roller milling machine made by Julius Hübner & Karl Opitz of Pardubice, and in 1945 electric motors rated at 20 horsepower were added. A sawmill also operated on the site until 1930. Today the water drive no longer functions, but parts of the old milling technology survive, including the roller mill and some of the stone sets, and the building is undergoing gradual reconstruction.

What can visitors do at Tuněchodský mlýn today?

The mill now operates as a guesthouse for groups, about 13 kilometers from Stříbro, in a quiet spot surrounded by meadows and pine forest along the Úhlavka. Guests have nine bedrooms accommodating 10 to 27 people, plus, in summer, a caravan for two and a wooden hermit's cabin called the "Hermitage." The grounds also include a 100 m² room with a wooden parquet floor suited to exercise, meditation, training sessions and team-building. Guests can use Wi-Fi, a sauna and around 12 parking spaces right in front of the building. Camping in a tent or sleeping outdoors can also be arranged.

How do you get there and visit?

The mill sits in a secluded side of Tuněchody, away from the main tourist routes, making it a good base for anyone looking for quiet among the forests and meadows of western Bohemia. Visiting the building itself requires prior arrangement with the current hosts, since it functions day-to-day as a private guesthouse.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the mill without booking a stay? Access to the interior and the historic machinery is possible by prior arrangement with the owners, since the property is privately run.

How many people can stay here? The mill has nine bedrooms for 10 to 27 guests, plus a caravan and a hermit's cabin for smaller groups in summer.

Does the mill still grind grain? No — the water drive no longer works, though elements of the old equipment survive, including the 1889 roller milling machine.

How far is it to the nearest town? Stříbro is about 13 kilometers away, and the mill itself lies on the outskirts of Tuněchody, part of the town of Kladruby.