The first part of the Gunther Trail mainly connects locations where the cult of the monk, hermit, diplomat and negotiator Gunther of Bohemia flourished. It leads along one of the oldest trade routes, from Gunther’s home monastery of Niederalteich in Bavaria through Dobrá Voda near Hartmanice to Blatná in South Bohemia. The SVATÁ LUDMILA association has now extended the route through to the Břevnov Monastery in Prague. The new section is 136 kilometres long and can be divided into 6 stages. St Gunther’s Way | Source: Prague City Tourism Start of the trail: romantic South Bohemia Our journey begins in Blatná. The symbol of this town is the 40-metre high historic watchtower dating back to the 16th century, which was used to defend the town. From its top there is a beautiful view of the town and the surrounding South Bohemian countryside. Blatná is also known for its rose cultivation and beautiful château standing in the middle of a pond. You can take a boat ride on the castle pond or stroll through the park, which is home to a variety of foreign trees, romantic nooks, an artificial cave and herds of fallow deer. Svatá Hora | Source: Berounsko, z.s., TO Brdy Podbrdsko Through a landscape of mines and historic settlements From Blatná you will reach Březnice, which also boasts a beautiful castle. Looking towards Příbram, one can see how the South Bohemian landscape gradually changes into the Brdy range, covered with forests but also full of the remains of former gold panning sites or uranium and ore mines. The crown jewel of Příbram is one of our most famous pilgrimage sites – Svatá Hora (Holy Mountain). This Baroque pearl should not be missed. The trail continues north past the original Gothic fortress in Pičín. You can also stop in Buková u Příbramě, where an educational exhibition inspired by Old Czech tales and national traditions awaits you in Čech’s Barn. From the hills of Brdy to the Bohemian Karst After crossing the Brdy ridges (Hřebeny), you will follow the ridge trail to the village of Osov with a beautiful church dedicated to St John the Baptist, Gunther’s favourite saint. On the way there, you can climb Studený vrch hill and admire Brdy from the lookout tower. Next, you will wander through the landscape of the Bohemian Karst. The view of the Homolák quarry and the section leading through the Kodu national nature reserve are breathtaking. Svatý Jan pod Skalou | Source: www.svatyjan.cz Finally, you will reach Tetín, residence of the widowed Princess Ludmila, who took refuge here after a power dispute with her daughter-in-law Drahomíra. In the end, she was caught in 921 by assassins who strangled her on Drahomíra’s orders. After visiting the sites, Tetín will reward you with a beautiful view of the Berounka River. Continue to the village of Svatý Jan pod Skalou with its viewpoints, remnants of mining activity and reminders of the life of the pilgrim St Ivan. There is also a church dedicated to St John the Baptist, and you can also visit the former Benedictine monastery, of which St Gunther was a member. By now you will be approaching Prague. Passing through Rudná and Jinočany, you will reach the abandoned village of Krteň and follow the restored Krteň road to Prague’s Stodůlky and Řepy districts. Just before the end of your journey, you can rest in the Pilgrimage Garden of the Benedictine Monastery at Bílá Hora, and then you will have less than an hour to walk to your destination – the Břevnov Monastery, where St Gunther is said to be buried. His symbolic tombstone is also located there. Břevnov Monastery | Source: Prague City Tourism Who is St Gunther? The inspiring personality of St Gunther seems to have been somewhat forgotten in the Czech Republic. Perhaps because Gunther, originally the son of a German noble family, mainly lived in the Bohemian (Šumava) and Bavarian Forests. It was he who started the clearing of the impenetrable forests and founded one of the first settlements, Rinchnach, along with a monastery of the same name, in the midst of the uninhabited borderlands. This is why the hermit is sometimes called the “first inhabitant of Šumava”. Besides his hermitage, Gunther also participated in political negotiations, both as a confidant of the rulers and as a diplomat. For instance, in 1040 he mediated peace between Emperor Henry III and Prince Břetislav I. His contacts on both the German and Czech side can thus be described as connecting – just like the entire length of St Gunther’s Way. St Gunther, Kladno | Source: www.wikipedia.com More information about the first part of the trail at: https://www.putovanizakoreny.cz/projekty/vintirova-stezka. Map of the second part of the trail here: www.mapy.cz