Hlavice – Pilgrimage, Panoramic Views and Paths through the Landscape

Hlavice between Pilgrimage and Open High Plateaus

Hlavice combines a strong pilgrimage tradition with a landscape of deep river valleys, open high plateaus and far-reaching views. If you would like to combine culture and paths through the landscape on your trip, you will find various points of interest here: the Baroque complex around St. Linhart, historic pilgrimage sites in the surrounding area, as well as a marked hiking trail and a designated cycling route.

St. Linhart and the Pilgrimage Tradition

The Baroque pilgrimage complex in Hlavice includes the Church of St. Linhart, a rectory, a granary and a statue of St. Linhart. At its centre is the present large Church of St. Linhart, built between 1748 and 1759 at the highest point of Hlavice. There is also a Baroque statue of St. John of Nepomuk nearby.

The history of the pilgrimage site dates back to 1747. Following an animal epidemic, processions made their way to Hlavice, laying the foundations for the pilgrimages. This tradition is not merely a historical memory: it continues with a large pilgrimage at the end of August. Hlavice therefore offers a tangible cultural point of interest for visitors who want to discover religious buildings, regional history and living traditions in one place.

High Plateaus, Valleys and Panoramic Views

The landscape around Hlavice has a distinct character of its own. To the southeast and west, Hlavice is bordered by the deep, picturesque valleys of the Malá Mohelka and Zábrdka rivers. The central part of the area consists of treeless high plateaus with meadows and fields crossed by smaller valleys. Open spaces and deeply cut landscapes therefore alternate without the need to connect different regions.

From Hlavice, there are far-reaching views of the Ještěd Ridge, Český ráj and Bezděz. These panoramic views complement a visit to the pilgrimage church with a landscape perspective and also make the destination interesting for a trip in which cultural attractions are not the sole focus.

Exploring Hlavice on Foot or by Bike

For hikers, a blue-marked trail passes through Hlavice. It runs between Hrubý Lesnov and Vrtky on the Liberec–Čertova zeď–Mnichovo Hradiště route. The trail places Hlavice within a larger hiking connection and makes the town a specific section of this route.

Cycling route T 3048 passes through Hlavice between Vrtky and Cetenov, then continues towards Na Pince and connects to route T 25. This provides two clearly distinct types of routes for trip planning: a blue-marked hiking trail and a designated cycling route with a further connection.

Kristiánka in Lesnovek: Pilgrimage History and Change

The Kristiánka pilgrimage site in Lesnovek includes a statue of the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus dating from 1845. Processions went there annually until the 1920s; today, no pilgrims visit this pilgrimage site. This change over time gives the place a different historical significance from the continuing pilgrimage tradition in Hlavice.

The Kristiánka spring near Lesnovek is also part of this history. Its water was once considered to have healing properties. Today, the spring has completely dried up; its water is fed into a borehole used for the regional water supply. The former religious and healing-related tradition should therefore be clearly distinguished from the present situation.

More Destinations for Trip Planning

If you would like to extend your trip planning beyond Hlavice, you can also find Oldřichov V Hájích, Bílá, Kobyly, Příšovice, Frýdlant, Vselibice, Hodkovice Nad Mohelkou and Kunratice at the same level.

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Liberec.