Drahouš: Chapel, Fortress Site and Landscape

Drahouš lies in a sloping valley of the Drahoušský potok stream. The dominant landmark of the village square is the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk. It was built in 1728 by František Josef Richtersohn, secretary to Count Černín.

Other places included in the local area are Šípy, Branov, Janov, Městečko, Řeřichy, Luzna U Rakovnika, Kolešovice and Milostín.

Culture and History

In the village of Tlestky, which belongs to Drahouš, you will find the Tlestky Fortress Site cultural monument. The Tlestky Fortress Site lies on the eastern edge of Tlestky on the road to Drahouš and remains clearly visible behind the last houses, numbers 20 and 9. Archaeological investigations confirmed that it was destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 15th century. In 2015, the Tlestky Fortress Site was cleared of non-original fill material and vegetation and equipped with an information board and a seat in the forest.

Near Smrk is a circular motte-type fortress site with a central mound approximately 20 metres wide and a ditch about 2 to 2.5 metres deep. The Smrk archaeological site preserves a circular medieval fortress site on the edge of the forest known as “Šance”.

The Svatý Hubert hunting lodge is currently not open to the public. At the former hunting lodge, the tower windows provided a view of the long avenues used by the estate for parforce hunting. An observer in the tower gave the hunters signals indicating the position of the game. The Chapel of Our Lady of Altötting is also part of Drahouš’s historical heritage: it was once a frequently visited pilgrimage site.

Landscape and Waterways

The 2-kilometre-long Plávečská Chestnut Avenue in Drahouš ends at the Chapel of Our Lady of Altötting. There are three ponds in the village: one on the village square and two directly in the course of the Jesenický potok stream. Two kilometres east of Drahouš, at an altitude of 578 metres, is the source of the Rakovnický potok stream. Its surroundings have been cleaned up, and the spring has been given an information board. The three ponds are not located at a single point but are spread across the village square and the stream course.

The Drahouš quarry is a registered significant landscape feature with heat-loving communities at rocky sites.

Routes and Excursions

The circular trail „Za Tleským pokladem“ leads from Jesenice via Tlestky to Drahouš. The circular excursion „K zámku Svatý Hubert“ also starts in Jesenice and leads to the former Svatý Hubert hunting lodge. It can be undertaken on foot, by Nordic walking or by bicycle and also leads to the Plaviště Nature Monument.

The Kámen svatého Huberta is located about 300 metres from the Svatý Hubert hunting lodge on a blue-marked hiking trail.

Brewery

Pivovar Kokeš is a small family brewery in Drahouš. It uses local water from Drahouš for brewing.

For the broader travel overview: Rakovník District.