Kozárovice – Granite, Hillforts and Baroque Traces

Kozárovice between the uplands and the Vltava region

Kozárovice lies in the Central Bohemian uplands on the eastern slope of the 568 m-high Březina mountain. The Orlík Reservoir on the Vltava and several campsites are located in the vicinity of Kozárovice. This means you encounter two clearly distinct sides here: a landscape of water and uplands, and a place with an exceptionally rich history. This is helpful when choosing the focus of your holiday: you can combine traces of culture in the village and at the cultural sites described with a stay at the Vltava reservoir. The Orlík Reservoir and several campsites form part of the water-oriented surroundings; the village centre and the hillforts shape the historical side.

Kozárovice granite in important buildings

One particularly striking subject is Kozárovice granite. After 1900, Kozárovice granite was used in the construction of the Vienna Parliament. The stone can also be found in the courtyard of Zvíkov Castle. Kozárovice granite was also used for the Gothic portal of the main entrance to Orlík Chateau. Kozárovice granite connects the construction of the Vienna Parliament with Zvíkov Castle and Orlík Chateau. The granite appears in different architectural contexts: in a parliament building, in the courtyard of a castle and on the Gothic portal of a chateau.

Village centre, village square and the Chapel of the Virgin Mary

The medieval and modern-era centre of Kozárovice is an area with archaeological finds. The village has medieval origins and is mentioned in a document from the third quarter of the 12th century. A small triangular village square is home to a late Baroque chapel. The Chapel of the Virgin Mary is an unoriented Baroque building from the late 18th century with a five-sided apse. It has documented, richly appointed Baroque frescoes; the uncovered paintings reach an exceptionally high artistic quality. The combination of an archaeological site, medieval origins and a late Baroque chapel brings together several historical periods in the village centre.

Hillforts with different historical layers

The four-part Kozárovice–Vystrkov hillfort covers approximately 12.5 hectares. Four prominent belts of transverse ramparts divide the site. Another historical trace is the Hradiště Hradeň hillfort: it was built sometime in the 10th century and may have been a centre of Přemyslid colonisation in the central Vltava region. Thus, Kozárovice and its surroundings focus both on archaeologically clearly described rampart structures and on an early site whose historical classification remains cautious. The area of approximately 12.5 hectares and the four rampart belts give the site a clearly structured spatial layout.

Cycle route through Kozárovice and Holušice

The 41.5 km Okolo Orlické přehrady II cycle route passes through Kozárovice and Holušice and is suitable for trekking bikes. At 41.5 km, the route is a longer cycling trip for which you can plan accordingly. The Vystrkov recreation centre and Hotel Orlík are also located in the cadastral area of Kozárovice. Further linked village pages lead to Radíč, Týnčany, Dobříš, Drsník, Zduchovice, Narysov, Vševily, Lazsko.

For the higher-level travel overview: Příbram District.