Popovice – Church, Water Castle and Village Traditions

Popovice combines medieval architectural history, lively village traditions, and marked trails to create a diverse destination in the Czech Republic. The settlement was first mentioned in writing in 1295. For planning your trip, the village therefore offers both specific historical discoveries and opportunities to attend events, go for walks, and take cycling tours.

St. James’ Church and Water Castle

St. James’ Church in Popovice is a Gothic church dating from the 14th century and has been documented since 1352. Around 1730, a side chapel with Baroque furnishings was added to the south side of the nave. The tower on the west façade has a bell-shaped roof covered with shingles. Inside is a historic bell made in 1512 by Bartoloměj from Nové Město Pražské. For your reference when planning your schedule: Masses are celebrated in the church at 10:00 a.m. on the first and third Sunday of each month.

Popovice Water Castle stands west of the village church by the mill pond. It was rebuilt into its present form in the 18th century. Part of the original Gothic enclosing wall has been preserved on the east side by the pond. Fragments of Renaissance sgraffito decoration can be seen on the north wing and its risalit. In the courtyard, a Gothic defensive tower with a modern brick addition adjoins the north wing. The church and water castle thus represent different historical periods in closely defined architectural forms.

Village Life and Traditional Events

The Zabíjačkové hody is traditionally held in Popovice during the first week of November. The history of the local volunteer fire brigade is also part of the village’s cultural profile: it was founded in 1887 and performed an amateur play for the first time on 11 May 1902.

During the 2024 Masopust procession, the route passed exclusively through Popovice and included almost 30 masks. Hasičské odpoledne took place in Popovice in 2018, 2019, and 2023. At the 2023 event, there were nearly ten competition stations and a slide for children. In 2018, the event also offered inflatable boat rides on the local pond. The documented years and programme items provide specific examples of the different aspects of village life without presupposing a particular event programme for your stay.

Hiking and Cycling in Popovice

A green-marked hiking trail runs through Popovice. Cycle route 0068 passes through a lime-tree avenue; Popovice is listed on the route at kilometre 27.50. If you are looking for a hotel or other accommodation in Popovice, you can therefore first decide whether historic buildings, local traditions, or trails should be the focus of your trip.

Further Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to extend your search to other places, you can also find Pavlovice, Jankov, Drachkov, Krňany, Ješetice, Libohošť, Tichonice and Zahorí U Milicína.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Benešov.