Horní Radíkov

Horní Radíkov is a small village in the South Bohemian Region, about 3.5 kilometres north-west of Český Rudolec. It lies in a valley beside a tributary of the Radíkovský stream, surrounded by higher hills with granite rock formations. The settlement sits at 605 metres above sea level and once belonged to Landštejn Castle. The village first appears in records from the 14th century and changed hands several times among local noble families. During the Thirty Years’ War most farmsteads were abandoned, yet by 1671 four had been reoccupied. By the mid-19th century it had 24 houses and 121 inhabitants, mainly farmers and day labourers. The only craftsman was a tailor, and villagers travelled to Slavonice for weekly Monday markets. Today Horní Radíkov forms part of Český Rudolec municipality and offers quiet walks through the surrounding uplands. Granite tors such as Skalka rise on the south-western edge, and the wider Novobystřická highlands provide sweeping views. The vanished hamlet of Petrůvky once stood within the same parish boundaries.