Stožec was originally built as a wood working village around 1769. An interesting historical event of the village is the largest European poacher battle. In February 1850 Bavarian poachers attacked the foresters who were fortified in the local Hotel Pstruh. The result were many dead and wounded on both sides. In 1910, the 8 km long railway, which led from Černý Kříž via Stožec to the state border of Nové Údolí was built, as one of the last built local lines. This enabled the connection between the South Bohemian and the Bohemian Forest trails with the Bavarian railways network. It is no coincidence that Stožec is referred to as the „German gateway to Lipno“.
If you find yourselves in the village Stožec, you can visit several special landmarks. Among the most interesting belongs the Chapel of Our Lady, known as the Stožecká Chapel (Stožecká kaple). It is a wooden pilgrimage chapel, which was built in 1791 under the former castle because of the healing effects of the local spring and the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary. There is a beautiful Cross Way leading to the chapel.
Other attractions include the castle, which was built on Stožec Rock (Stožecká skála), presumably to protect the Golden Trail - a system of north-south medieval trade routes that crossed the Bohemian Forest and connected Bohemia with the Danube region. It has been suggested that the castle was built by the dean of the Prague Chapter in the 13th century, but today only ruins are left.
Stožec Rock (Stožecká skála) belongs to the first zone of the National Park, also because on its southern slope there is a protected area with its original growth of beeches and firs. This area is similar to Boubín Forest and provides a beautiful view of the surroundings. Another beautiful view is also offered by the Třístoličník border mountain. About 5 km southeast of Stožec the famous Schwarzenberg shipping canal begins. If you want to take a look at the Golden Trail, then we recommend going to České Žleby where the Trail passes directly through.
Water tourists know Soumar Bridge (Soumarský most) certainly very well - it used to be a historical wooden bridge, but now it has been replaced by a concrete structure. It is the starting point for water tourism through the Vltavský luh and the village Lenora with a glass manufacturing tradition – also a starting point for water tourists.
It is also worth mentioning that the area of Stožec, the whole of the Lipno region and together with the Bohemian Forest are the largest dark-sky preserve in the Czech Republic.