Rural House in Kakejcov Chodové Hand-painted glass plates Museum Postřekov Museum of the Chodsko region in Domažlice Puppet Museum A region of traditions and folk creativity Chodsko festival Chodsko-style kolache Chodské slavnosti Chodské slavnosti An absolutely unique ethnographic area within the whole of Bohemia is found in the unusual Chodsko region. During the kermesses and festivals, every family bakes a great delicacy – the renowned Chodsko-style kolache. Even specific Chodsko-style music with typical bagpipes survives to this day, and local people dress in Chodsko-style folk costumes and speak the local dialect. The tradition of ceramics production is very strong in the region. Flowers, poppies and corn are hand-painted on vases, small plates or cups in Chodsko region. While traditional folk ceramics in a red-brown hue have already been produced in Koloveč in the Domažlice region since the end of the 18th century. The history of glassblowing in the Bohemian Forest and in the Upper Palatine Forrest also dates back to ancient times. Woodcarvers and Christmas crib makers, who follow the old handcraft tradition, today work in the Bohemian Forest region and in the Bohemian Forest itself. Their mastery is recognised by the mechanical Christmas crib exhibited in the Museum of the Bohemian Forest in Sušice. The infamy of the regions blacksmiths is today reinforced by events taking place at a water-powered hammer mill in Dobřív in the Rokycany region. This hammer mill is a technical monument. Folk architecture has especially been preserved in small hamlets. Old log houses can still be seen in the Bohemian Forest and in the Bohemian Forest region, and in hamlets in the Domažlice region, e.g. in Koloveč. However, rural folk architecture can also be seen in Plzeň, with excellent examples including the U Matoušů farmer's courtyard in the urban district of Bolevec and the classical rural houses in the urban districts of Černice, Koterov and Božkov. Historical burgher architecture can be admired in the historical centre of Horšovský Týn, in Plzeň, in Úterý in the northern Plzeň region or in Domažlice on the main square, which is lined with burgher houses with arcades. You can visit open-air museums of folk architecture in Chanovice in the Klatovy region and in Velhartice, in front of the castle. Folk traditions are remembered through a large number of museums in the region. The Museum of Technology and Crafts in Koloveč became famous for its mill house, which mills old women into young ones. In Postřekov you can see folk costumes, while the Museum of the Chodsko region in Domažlice provides insight on the whole unusual area. Ethnographic expositions can be found at the Dr Hostaš Museum in Klatovy and in the Museum of West Bohemia in Plzeň. i map menu www Museum of Technology and Crafts