Watermill in Mýto (Tachov)

The Watermill in Mýto (Mýtský mlýn) is a historic water mill standing in an isolated spot west of the village of Mýto, on the Lužní stream, within the municipality of Tachov, in the Plzeň Region of western Czechia. It survives as one of the region's remaining witnesses to traditional milling craft, protected today as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

Where is it and how do you get there?

Mýto is a small village roughly 3 to 4 kilometers west of Tachov, surrounded by the forests of the Český les (Bohemian Forest borderland). The mill itself stands away from the village center, on the western edge of the settlement by the bank of the Lužní stream. It makes a worthwhile stop for anyone hiking or cycling through the Tachov area, since the surrounding countryside has for centuries lain along the route of the old Golden Road (Zlatá cesta), the historic trade path connecting Prague with Nuremberg.

What is the history behind the mill?

Records place a mill on this site as early as the second half of the 18th century, when Wenzl Träger worked as the miller. The current building dates from 1788. In 1925, Johann Stadler took over the operation, and he is also recorded as its owner in a 1930 register of waterworks. After the end of the Second World War, the Stadler family, like most of the German-speaking population of this Bohemian-Bavarian border region, was expelled from the area.

What does the mill complex include?

The complex comprises a residential section with the milling room itself, a small hydroelectric plant paired with a sawmill, a farm building, a barn, and a walled courtyard with a gate. Water was channeled to the mill wheel through a dedicated millrace, or náhon, running from the stream. This combination — a grain mill linked to a small hydroelectric generator and a sawmill — was typical of rural milling estates in the region around the turn of the 20th century, when mills increasingly paired traditional grain grinding with generating their own electricity.

Why is it worth a visit?

The Watermill in Mýto appeals to visitors interested in vernacular architecture and the history of rural technology rather than travelers looking for a fully developed tourist attraction. Its value lies in the authenticity of the surviving complex — a complete residential and farm ensemble from an era when water-powered milling underpinned the local economy. Its secluded setting on the stream, framed by the forests of the Český les, makes it a scenic stop on a walk or a worthwhile addition to a tour of the Tachov area, where the history of German-speaking millers and the postwar expulsions remains legible in the landscape.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the mill located? West of the village of Mýto, on the Lužní stream, within the municipality of Tachov, in the Plzeň Region of western Czechia.

When was the current building constructed? It dates from 1788, though records confirm a mill on the site as far back as the second half of the 18th century.

Who was the last known miller? Johann Stadler, who took over the mill in 1925 and was listed as its owner in a 1930 register of waterworks.

What happened to the millers after the war? The Stadler family was expelled after the end of World War II, along with most of the region's German-speaking population.

What buildings make up the mill complex? A residential section with the milling room, a small hydroelectric plant with a sawmill, a farm building, a barn, and a walled courtyard with a gate.

Is the mill legally protected? Yes, it is registered as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic.