Valdštejnovo zátiší

Valdštejnovo zátiší is a small hunting lodge tucked into the forest of the Svatoslav municipality, roughly 2.5 km northwest of the village itself, along a side road toward Radošov, in the Třebíč District of the Vysočina Region. This forest retreat once belonged to the Waldstein-Wartenberg (Valdštejn-Vartenberk) family and today runs as a small guesthouse sitting right at a crossroads of hiking trails through the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.

Where exactly is Valdštejnovo zátiší, and how do you get there?

The lodge sits deep in the woods, well outside the main built-up part of Svatoslav, on the way toward the hamlet of Radošov. It happens to mark a genuine trail junction: a yellow-marked route running north–south between Měřín and Čechtín crosses a blue-marked route running east–west between Kouty and Horní Radslavice. For hikers or cyclists moving between those villages, it's a natural stopping point, and the surrounding forest of the Českomoravská vrchovina keeps the area quiet and largely free of crowds.

What's the history behind the place?

The lodge was most likely built in the 1870s, on a stretch of forest formerly known as Seč — a name later replaced by Zátiší, which the site still carries today. It's credited to one of the owners of the Třebíč estate, either Jan or Josef Valdštejn-Vartenberk. What started as a simple summer hunting cottage was gradually expanded into a proper family villa.

In 1923 the Valdštejn family's Třebíč estate was split in two, and Zátiší went to Zdeněk Valdštejn-Vartenberk. Between 1928 and 1932 a second storey was added, giving the building the two-storey form it has today. After 1945 the property was confiscated from Zdeněk's daughter, Gabriela Valdštejnová, and taken over by the state, which ran it as a recreation facility — a use that led to a number of alterations and partial loss of the original interior. Following the political changes of the early 1990s, the estate was returned to the family's heirs, who still own it today.

What can visitors do there now?

Valdštejnovo zátiší currently operates as a private guesthouse run by descendants of the Valdštejn family, set in grounds that include a garden with a barbecue area. Mature Douglas firs, planted back when the building served as a summer residence, still stand on the property. The estate also includes private fishing grounds available to guests interested in angling. It's a destination for travelers who want a genuine sense of history without a museum-style visitor setup — just the quiet, lived-in atmosphere of a family forest retreat.

Is it worth combining with a trip to Třebíč?

Svatoslav and its surrounding forest lie within easy reach of Třebíč, the historic town known for its UNESCO-listed monuments and for a castle of its own that was, for centuries, tied to the same Valdštejn family. For anyone curious about the family's history, the two sites complement each other neatly — the town residence and its museum exhibition dedicated to the Valdštejns on one hand, and this far more intimate forest hunting lodge on the other.

Frequently asked questions

Is Valdštejnovo zátiší located in the village of Svatoslav itself? No — it stands in the forest about 2.5 km northwest of the village, along the road toward Radošov. It's a separate property within the municipality, not a building in the village center.

Who owns the estate today? Since the property was restituted after 1989/1990, Zátiší has belonged to descendants of the Valdštejn-Wartenberg family, who now run it as a guesthouse.

Can you stay overnight? Yes, the estate operates as a guesthouse with a garden and barbecue facilities, aimed at guests looking for a quiet stay in the forest.

Which hiking trails pass through the site? The lodge sits at the crossing of the yellow Měřín–Čechtín trail and the blue Kouty–Horní Radslavice trail.