Discover Osek: Culture, Ponds and Trails

Osek combines visible traces of the past with ponds, forests and paths through the landscape. A distinctive starting point for discovering the village is Hrádek: it stands on the site where Zálužský hrad castle stood in the Middle Ages and remains a local landmark of the landscape to this day. The history of the village therefore begins not only with dates, but also at a specific place that helps shape Osek’s character.

Historical traces in the villagescape

A chapel with a square floor plan, a tented roof and a wooden lantern with a bell stands on the village square. It is of local heritage significance. Nearby, the war memorial commemorates those who fell in the world wars. Smaller individual monuments also form part of the village’s history: The cast-iron cross on the road to Újezd stands opposite the school in Osek. House Osek No. 66 is a traditional log house of heritage value.

The T. G. Masaryk monument stands in Osek Park. It was donated in 1948 by a group of people from Osek in Prague. Together with the chapel, war memorial and log house, it provides various ways of approaching the village’s history: religious architecture, commemorative culture, traditional construction and public remembrance of an important figure.

Ponds and countryside around Osek

The surviving ponds are also part of Osek’s distinctive character. Žákův rybník is one of two ponds that have survived in Osek out of a total of ten historic ponds. U Severů is the second of these two surviving ponds. The two surviving ponds complement the buildings with a landscape focus: here, the emphasis is on historic bodies of water and the development of the village, rather than on individual monuments. Those who want to get to know the village not only through its buildings but also through its landscape will find a clear historical connection here between the bodies of water and local development.

Route, run and cycling connection

The “Běh partyzánskou stezkou” run is held in memory of the anti-fascist resistance in the Hořovice region and has already taken place for the 44th time. Its route partly follows an asphalt road and then continues through woodland to a partisan shelter and back. The event thus combines physical activity with a specific place of remembrance. Planning an active day therefore already involves alternating between a paved surface and woodland.

For cycling, the “Z Hořovic na Záskalskou a do Komárova” route leads into the municipality of Osek. In addition, a cycle path from Osek to the outskirts of Hořovice is expected to be built soon. If you would prefer to plan your stay around history, ponds or cycling connections, Osek offers various starting points for further planning.

Other places in the surrounding area

For further orientation, you can also discover Koněprusy, take a look at Lužce, explore Lochovice, visit Libomyšl, get to know Zajecov, discover Mořinka, explore Svatý Jan Pod Skalou and take a look at Železná.

For the broader travel overview: Beroun District.