A place where history, the mountains and the story of two friends come together.

Vrbatova bouda stands in one of the most striking spots in the western Krkonoše Mountains.

It is situated on the summit loop of Masaryk Road, which runs from Horní Mísečky to Zlaté návrší, at an altitude of around 1,400 metres. Today, it is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists, as well as a starting point for ridge walks. Its history, however, runs much deeper – and is inextricably linked to the tragic story of Bohumil Hanč and Václav Vrbata.

Václav Vrbata was a member of Sokol and a lover of the mountains. On 24 March 1913, he came to cheer on his friend Bohumil Hanč, who was taking part in an international 50-kilometre championship race.

The race took place in exceptionally adverse weather conditions. A fierce snowstorm, strong winds and a rapid drop in temperature created conditions that proved fatal. Vrbata set out to help Hanč, but perished himself in the mountains.

Their tragic story is still commemorated today by the Hanč and Vrbata Memorial, which stands not far from the present-day mountain hut. It was built in 1925 and has become a symbol of friendship, self-sacrifice and the dangers that the Krkonoše Mountains can pose in adverse weather.

It was in honour of Václav Vrbata that the mountain hut on Zlaté návrší was later named.

However, Vrbata’s Hut was not the first building intended for this site.

In the centre of the road turning circle, we can still find a stone boulder which was placed there in September 1936 as the foundation stone of the planned Švehla Hut.

The project was truly ambitious for its time. It envisaged nearly two hundred beds, two restaurants for around 250 guests, its own hydroelectric power station on the Pančava, a large garage, a car park, a post office and a gendarmerie station.

However, the project was never realised. The plans were thwarted by the approaching war and the construction of border fortifications around Zlaté návrší and Labská louka.

The Krkonoše countryside thus gained a somewhat unexpected ally in the form of historical events.

Compared to many of the historic huts in the Krkonoše Mountains, Vrbatova bouda is a real ‘youngster’.

The decision to build it was not taken until the second half of the 1950s. The main reason was not tourism, but primarily the need to establish a high-quality Mountain Rescue Service station for the western Krkonoše region.

Construction took place between 1959 and 1962 as part of the so-called ‘Z’ campaigns of the time. Officially, these were meant to be ‘improvement’ projects, but in reality, unpaid or ‘voluntary’ work brigades also played a significant role in such construction projects.

The new hut was primarily intended to serve as the Mountain Rescue Service’s main ridge-top base. At the same time, it was to offer tourists at least basic refreshments and replace the unsightly kiosk that had previously stood at the end of the road.

Recollections of the construction of Vrbatova bouda illustrate just how challenging it was at that time to build such a structure in a mountainous environment.

The labourers and volunteers lived at the nearby Jestřáby huts. They travelled to the site on the morning bus from Jilemnice and returned down to Horní Mísečky at the end of the working week.

The designers, Vladimír Šír and Jiří Bartoš, together with the foreman Kovařík from Jilemnice, encountered a rather unexpected surprise right at the start. The granite at the building site was so weathered that the foundations could be dug out by hand – using pickaxes and spades. What’s more, the excavated material was used as sand for the masonry and concrete.

And then there was another problem – the roof.

One of the contractors used one-metre-wide sheets when laying the metal roofing, even though the plans specified different dimensions. The builders only noticed the mistake afterwards, and it was decided that the roof would have to be redone.

But before they could get round to it, Krakonoš himself intervened.

A strong gust of wind simply rolled up the roof and deposited it next to the hut.

This time, the Krkonoše Mountains managed the dismantling more quickly than the construction firm.

Today, it is perhaps hard to imagine that it was once possible to drive or take a bus practically right up to Vrbatova bouda.

In the 1970s in particular, the surrounding car parks used to be full of cars. Tourists from various parts of what was then Czechoslovakia, as well as from the German Democratic Republic, would come up to the mountains. Hundreds of Wartburgs and Trabants made their way to Zlaté návrší.

Today, of course, the situation is completely different. Motor vehicles are banned from the area for nature conservation reasons, and Vrbatova bouda remains primarily a destination for hikers and cyclists.

Vrbatova bouda also has an interesting history from a sporting perspective. It served as the finish line on several occasions for the legendary Peace Race, which was one of the most significant cycling races of its time.

Indeed, the climb up to Zlaté návrší is still considered one of the most demanding road climbs in the Czech Republic. For cyclists, it presents a real challenge – and at the same time a reward in the form of the mountain scenery and views that open up once the climb has been conquered.

Today, the Vrbatova bouda mainly offers light refreshments and, for many visitors, serves as a natural starting point from which to continue along the ridges of the Krkonoše Mountains.

From the chalet, you can set off, for example, towards the Hanč and Vrbata Memorial, the source of the Elbe, Labská bouda or the Pančavský Waterfall. The ridge trails can also take you towards Harrachov and further across the border into the Polish part of the Krkonoše Mountains.

For less experienced hikers, the circular route via the source of the Elbe, the Labská bouda mountain hut and the Pančavský waterfall is a good choice. More experienced hikers can continue further along the ridges and enjoy one of the most beautiful mountain areas in the Krkonoše Mountains.

The Vrbatova bouda is thus not just a place where you can stop for refreshments. It is a reminder of the history of the Krkonoše Mountains, the story of two friends, and a time when the mountains were conquered under conditions very different from those of today.

And perhaps that is precisely why it is worth pausing for a moment when visiting Zlaté návrší to reflect on how many stories have unfolded in these mountains.

Source: History of the Krkonoše Mountain Huts