Celtic roots and gingerbread walls: discovering Holašovice with Julia Kňažková

In this summer edition of Czechast, host Vít Pohanka visits the South Bohemian village of Holašovice, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that feels like a storybook come to life. He speaks with Julia Kňažková, a local guide and heritage expert, about the village’s ancient roots, charming architecture, and sometimes overwhelming popularity with tourists. This episode explores how the community balances preservation with everyday life — and how its future may depend on the next generation.

Julia Kňažková|Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International

Known for its beautifully preserved Baroque rural architecture, Holašovice has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. But as local guide Julia Kňažková explains in her conversation with host Vít Pohanka, the village is much more than just a postcard-perfect attraction.

“The settlement is much older than most people think,” Kňažková says. “Celtic inhabitants were here even before they went to Ireland, which is strange, because the Irish pride themselves to be Celts — but no, they were here before that.”

Despite its popularity with tourists, many visitors are surprised to discover that Holašovice isn’t a museum — it’s a real, living village with residents and routines. That leads to some curious, and at times, chaotic situations.

Holašovice|Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International

“Our mayor has this little joke that when first Holašovice was open to tourists, the Asians came and were licking the walls because they didn't believe it was real,” Kňažková recalls. “It does look a little bit like a gingerbread house in some cases, but no, it's all real. And what's interesting is that it was bricked even in the 16th century.”

Some encounters, however, have tested the patience of the locals. “Especially foreign tourists were rather unruly,” she says. “And if they saw an open gate, they went in and they were looking for bathrooms and stuff, which was very difficult for the locals to swallow. I mean, like, you live peacefully and suddenly out of nowhere, there's a bunch of Asians coming looking for a bathroom, and you don't speak their language, they don't speak yours, and you don't know what they want.”

Holašovice|Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International

Yet Kňažková is optimistic about the future of the village — particularly through her work with children and young people. “This is the future generation and it's up to us to create an environment that they will want to stay in. Because it's difficult, like, to even marry into this village. Like, often tourists ask me during guided tours if I’m from here. And I say, well, no way — because the youngest bachelor is 70 and I'm single but not desperate.”

The episode captures the charm, wit, and resilience of a village that has managed to preserve its beauty without losing its soul.

Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International

To hear the full conversation with Julia Kňažková, listen to the latest episode of Czechast, hosted by Vít Pohanka.