Cycling to see Michal Olšiak’s sculptures
Set off on a cycle ride around Žďár nad Sázavou, following in the footsteps of some rather unusual guides through the countryside. Michal Olšiak’s concrete sculptures stand by the roadsides, in villages and in unexpected spots in the countryside, turning an ordinary ride into a playful treasure hunt.
Along the way, you’ll meet Mamlas, Hamroň, Mamut, Charlie Chaplin and the Boundary Stone featuring the Czech lion and the Moravian eagle. The Pilská Reservoir car park is a 30-minute drive from the OREA Resort Devět Skal. Before you set off on your bike, don’t forget to pack a snack at breakfast. At OREA, you can put together your own snack to suit your taste and pack it into the bags provided.
Route details
Length: 17.2 km
Bike type: trekking, mountain or children’s bike with wider tyres
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Elevation gain: 160 m
Surfaces: a combination of tarmac cycle paths, local roads, forest tracks and shorter hiking sections
Mountain bikes can be hired directly from reception at OREA Resort Devět Skal
Where does the route go?
The trip begins at the Pilská reservoir, where you can leave your car in the car park at the Pilák leisure centre. This is a pleasant place to both start and finish the route. There are facilities by the water, space to rest and, depending on the season, refreshments are also available.
Start by turning off towards the ‘Hraniční kámen’ sculpture, which is located right within the Pilák complex. You’ll then join the cycle path leading to Starý Dvůr, behind which stands the statue of Mamlas. The route continues to Hamry nad Sázavou, guarded by the statue of Hamroně. The path leads through Hamry and then turns back into the forest.
The biggest treat for children is usually the Mammoth. It stands in the Sázava river valley not far from Rozštípená skála and looks as though it has just emerged from the ground. A short distance away lies Šlakhamr, a technical monument commemorating the old ironworking craft. A nearby natural attraction is the rock formation known as Rozštípená skála, which takes its name from a distinctive chipped-off section.
The return journey follows largely the same route, though depending on your energy levels, you can add one more stop. Instead of turning off towards the statue of Hamrona, you can continue straight on to Žďár nad Sázavou and look out for the statue of Charlie Chaplin.
Hotels nearby
The complex at Pilská Reservoir offers children’s play areas, mini-golf, disc golf, beach volleyball and other sporting activities. A cycle path around the reservoir runs right through the complex, and a sports equipment hire service is also available during the season.
Michal Olšiak’s sculpture group on the banks of the Pilská Reservoir commemorates the provincial border between Bohemia and Moravia. The Bohemian side is represented by a lion, the Moravian side by an eagle, and a boundary stone stands between them. The actual historical border runs approximately 80 metres from the sculptures.
Michal Olšiak’s concrete sculpture of Mamlas stands at a vantage point behind Starý Dvůr. It was created in 2005 as one of the artist’s first sculptures in the area around Žďár nad Sázavou. From this spot, you can see both the town and Zelená hora.
Michal Olšiak’s ‘Hamroň’ resembles a cross between a snail and a frog. The sculpture, created in 2007, stands between Žďár nad Sázavou and Hamry nad Sázavou, right by the road and the cycle path.
At Rozštípená skála, a large mammoth’s head emerges from the banks of the Sázava; it was created by Michal Olšiak in 2006. Originally, the plan was to create the entire prehistoric creature, but due to its size, the artist decided to create only the head.
Šlakhamr in Hamry nad Sázavou is a cultural monument managed by the Technical Museum in Brno. The exhibition traces the history of hammer-making, the timber industry and the lives of the last owners. Its centrepiece is a working hammer mill powered by a water wheel.
This natural monument above the River Sázava consists of a gneiss rock face. At the base, it is split by a weathered fissure approximately 10 metres long and about 2 metres wide, from which the entire formation takes its name.
The statue of Charlie Chaplin by Michal Olšiak stands on Veselská Street, not far from Náměstí Republiky. The artist created it in 2011, depicting the actor with his trademark bowler hat and moustache.
