Sedlčany: History, Astronomy and Trails to Josef Suk

Sedlčany brings together urban history, astronomy, musical tradition and active discovery within a compact thematic area. During your stay, you can choose between historic collections, public nighttime sky observations, a town festival and a signposted hiking trail. The connection to Josef Suk is particularly interesting, as it is reflected in the museum, on the Suk Walking Trail and at the Sukovy Sedlčany music festival.

Town Museum and Historical Landmarks

The Městské muzeum Sedlčany presents the Sedlčany region in its permanent exhibition, from prehistory through the Middle Ages and the early modern period to the present day. On display are archaeological finds from the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Celtic oppidum of Hrazany. The exhibition concludes with a memorial dedicated to the life and work of the composer Josef Suk.

The religious buildings also tell stories from different eras. Kostel sv. Martina was first mentioned in writing on February 1, 1364. The early Gothic parish church, built in the third quarter of the 13th century by the building workshop of Milevsko Monastery, features Baroque furnishings. These include an altar from 1704 with a painting by J. Umlauf added later. A Gothic column has been preserved in the cellar of the Stará radnice; the historic Stará radnice now houses the town museum.

Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie, also known as Církvička, is a Baroque cemetery church. It was built in 1732–1734 on the site of an older Gothic chapel and stands on a hill on the northern side of Sedlčany.

Astronomy, Festivals and Active Days

The Hvězdárna Josefa Sadila Sedlčany offers public nighttime sky observations every Saturday. Direct observations with the large telescope are accompanied by projected images of the observed objects, as well as explanations and discussions covering various areas and topics in astronomy. This gives your evening program a clear scientific focus while also making it vivid and accessible.

The tradition of the historic ROSA festival in Sedlčany was revived in 1990. Since 1994, ROSA has been held regularly in June as the town festival of Sedlčany. For physical activities, the Luční Sports Complex offers a 560-meter track for inline skating and cycling. Younger visitors will find climbing structures and a pyramid there, while teenagers and adults can use parkour obstacles and an outdoor fitness area.

Exploring the Suk Walking Trail

The signposted Suk Walking Trail from Sedlčany to Křečovice is 11 km long. It begins in Sedlčany and leads through the valley of the Mastník stream to the birthplace of Josef Suk in Křečovice. The route also leads to the Drahoušek lookout tower. It therefore combines scenery, physical activity and the composer’s biographical legacy, which is also visible in the museum and at the Sukovy Sedlčany festival.

More Destinations to Consider

If you would like to consider additional destinations besides Sedlčany, the following are also available for further selection: Pičín, Nalžovice, Horčápsko, Kňovice, Dolní Hbity, Křešín, Radíč and Nepomuk Pod Třemšínem are also available for further selection.

To the higher-level travel overview: Příbram District.