Have you ever heard of a village named after a woodworking technique? Struhařov in Prague is one of those villages, and its roots run deep into the history of the Czech Republic. The first written mention of Struhařov dates back to 1397, when Mikuláš Býdek purchased the entire village. Back then, it is said that the village was the epicenter of “shindle making” (a technique for creating roof shingles). The dense forests surrounding Struhařov provided ample wood for this craft, giving the village its distinctive name. Mikuláš Býdek was a nobleman, and he built a fortress in the village, which is no longer standing. Struhařov was then part of the larger Myšlín estate during the 15th century, and the local fortress fell into disrepair. Later, in the 16th century, the village became part of the Komorní Hrádek domain. During this period, the village experienced a boom in prosperity. Records from 1601 mention a village council and ten farms, as well as a description of the village’s obligations to the feudal lords. The turbulent events of the Thirty Years’ War and the abolition of serfdom impacted the lives of ordinary people in Struhařov. Today, you stand on a place that was once an important woodworking center, part of a larger feudal estate, and a community where the lives of ordinary villagers were influenced by the events of the past.
Lochkovský potok
Listen closely. Have you ever felt the hush of a hidden stream a secret whispered among the trees? That’s the