Zápy: Baroque Church, History and Active Discovery

Zápy combines more than 950 years of history with an exceptionally concentrated cultural heritage. If you are looking for a smaller Czech destination for your trip with sacred art, archaeological traces and opportunities for active breaks, the village offers several clearly distinct discoveries.

Baroque Church and Layers of Local History

At the center is the present-day Church of St. James the Greater. It was completely rebuilt in 1750 according to plans by Kilian Ignác Dientzenhofer in an ornate Baroque style. On the high altar, you can see Filip Leutner’s painting The Beheading of Saint James from 1769. The Baroque pulpit depicts episodes from the life of Saint James the Elder in reliefs and shows the journey of his relics from Palestine to Santiago de Compostela.

The protected church complex includes not only the church but also the surrounding wall, the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, the staircase and the enclosed plots within the grounds. A prominent feature is the massive two-storey stone bell tower from the 16th century, built in a Gothic-Renaissance style. Of the three original bells, the large bell of the Virgin Mary and the smaller Evangelist bell have survived.

The cemetery also adds to the historical picture. In one corner stands a Baroque mortuary chapel with an ossuary, built around the middle of the 18th century. The cemetery also contains valuable tombstones from the 18th century and the middle of the 19th century. The area around the church is a significant archaeological site in the ÚAN I category, with connections to prehistoric agriculture, the Knovíz culture, the Middle Ages and the modern era. The history of Zápy developed from the formerly separate settlements of Zápy, Zípce, Ostrov and Stránka.

Teletník Arena and Cycling Connection

For an active change of pace, Teletník Arena offers a beach volleyball court and another multifunctional artificial-turf field for nohejbal, volleyball and floorball. Visitors can use a garden area, a snack stand, a grandstand, a pergola and a children’s playground there. Even outside match times, it is possible to sit there and enjoy refreshments; the playground is a practical detail for families with children.

Another documented route connection is the 2.9 km Zeleneč–Lázně Toušeň cycleway project in the cadastral areas of Zápy and Lázně Toušeň. It was intended to connect the residents of Lázně Toušeň, Zápy and Zeleneč with Prague. The exact form of the project remains part of the described planning.

Special Dates and Further Destinations

A specific example of the village’s cultural opening was 23 May 2025: As part of the traditional Night of Churches, the Church of St. James the Elder in Zápy was open to visitors from 5 to 9 p.m. Traditionally, the bell tower and mortuary chapel could also be visited. For further searches at this level, you can also find Ondrejov, Vodochody, Nehvizdy, Konojedy, Křížkový Újezdec, Struhařov, Dubiny and Podolanka.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Praha-Východ.