Manětín – Baroque Traces between Landscapes and Cycling Routes

Manětín combines a rich baroque heritage with distinctive landscapes and documented cycling and hiking trails. The urban conservation area was designated in 1992 and encompasses 25 monuments. When choosing where to stay, the key question is whether historic townscapes, paths through the countryside, or longer cycling routes should be the main focus.

Baroque Traces in the Town

The sculpture group of the Holy Trinity from 1719 shapes the townscape of the main square. Today, a sandstone copy stands there, created by academic sculptor Jiří Novák between 1998 and 2000. Another historic axis is Vysoká cesta. It connected Manětín with the settlement near the Church of St. Barbara and was furnished between 1728 and 1734 with 14 larger-than-life statues of saints from the workshop of sculptor Josef Herscher.

The Church of St. John the Baptist also reaches far back into Manětín’s history: its existence has been documented since 1182, while its present form was created through reconstruction between 1711 and 1717. Remains of the walls of the chancel with the tower survive from the original Gothic church; the interior is predominantly baroque. Manětín also preserves an ensemble of more than 30 baroque statues and sculptural groups.

The Château Grounds and Landscape

The Manětín château grounds include a French garden and an English park. The English landscape park was laid out south of the Manětínský potok at the beginning of the 19th century. Its documented features include a pond with its own inlet, a hermitage, and a pavilion on an artificial hill.

The orangery of Manětín Château preserves parts of the original wooden structure and glazed wall, a brick aviary, and remnants of 18th-century baroque wall paintings. Based on the investigations, it was decided to restore the orangery to a form approximating its baroque state.

Cycling and Hiking Options around Manětín

Two routes of different lengths related to Manětín are available for cycling. The 37-kilometre “Baroko II” cycling route passes through Manětín. The 58-kilometre “Along the Ridge of the Chlumská hora to Třebouňský vrch” route starts and ends in Manětín. The different distances help you distinguish between shorter and longer cycling tours when planning your trip.

The Mlýnská stezka connects Manětín and Nečtiny and is just under three kilometres long. Nine stations with information panels and hand-carved wooden sculptures give the trail its own distinctive thematic character. South of Manětín lies the Lomské vrchoviny forest complex. The options therefore range from historic features in the town and a short, thematically equipped trail to longer cycling routes and a wooded area to the south.

Other Places for Your Research

Other destinations to explore: Koryta, Tatiná, Krašovice, Výrov, Nekmíř, Bezvěrov, Česká Bříza, Velečín.

To the higher-level travel overview: Plzeň-North District.