Sázava

The Sázava–Přibyslav heritage railway

For many visitors the village's most charming claim to fame is the museum railway line that runs between Sázava and Přibyslav. In the summer months heritage motor cars put on scheduled rides through the valley of the upper Sázava — a slow, scenic excursion past water meadows, woodland and the small settlements strung along the river, an unhurried way to see a stretch of the highlands that the river has carved into a gentle corridor. It is a favourite with families and rail enthusiasts, and an easy excuse to make Sázava itself the destination rather than just a stop.↗

Views from the Rosička look-out tower

Just a short walk or drive south, on the 645-metre hill of Rosička, rises the village's most modern landmark: a slim 42-metre steel tower that doubles as a telecommunications mast and a public look-out. Reached by 140 steps to a gallery 24 metres up, it opens out panoramas across the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and, on clear days, far over the Vysočina ridges. The site has long drawn crowds — it once carried an interwar aviation beacon and, later, a wooden triangulation platform used for hilltop gatherings and dances — before the current tower opened in August 2001. Operated by the municipality, it is freely accessible, and during the tourist season a small stall offers refreshments and souvenirs at the top.↗

Žďár nad Sázavou and the UNESCO church on Zelená hora

Sázava makes a peaceful base for exploring what lies on its doorstep. Only about six kilometres east, the town of Žďár nad Sázavou surrounds itself with a cluster of highlights: the baroque monastery-château complex, the town's old square and museum, and the Pilská reservoir nearby for a slower moment by the water. The undisputed masterpiece, however, is the Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora, a short drive away and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994.↗↗

Designed by Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel and consecrated in 1722, the church is a startling piece of 'baroque Gothic' built on the plan of a five-pointed star — five chapels, five altars, five stars and five angels on the high altar, with a ten-pointed star formed by the surrounding ambulatory and five gates. The number recalls the legend of the crown of five stars said to have shone over the spot where St John was drowned, and the whole composition, restored in a major project completed in 2021, remains one of the most photographed sights in the entire Vysočina. Guided tours generally run from April to October; booking ahead is advisable.↗

Making the most of a visit

Sázava itself rewards a half-day: wander the green to take in the Evangelical church, the chapel and the weathered granite shrines, cross the old stone bridge over the river, then time your trip with the summer heritage railway or a climb up to the Rosička tower for the view. Most travellers pair the village with Žďár nad Sázavou and the Zelená hora pilgrimage church in a single day's loop, using the highland town for food and fuel. Because the sights are spread between the valley, the hilltop and the town just to the east, a car is the most flexible way to cover them, though the river valley also lends itself to walking and cycling on quieter days.↗↗