Újezd Svatého Kríze – Church, Cycling Route and Český les

Újezd Svatého Kříže is a destination for travelers who do not want to view cultural history and the landscape separately. Its highlights include a High Gothic church with preserved historical traces, the history of a former castle, the protected landscapes of Český les and a 31 km cycling route. This allows the town to combine historical discoveries with nature and active pursuits when planning your trip.

Church, Cemetery and Castle History

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Újezd Svatého Kříže is a High Gothic building that was remodeled mainly in the Classical style and again at the end of the 19th century. In the presbytery, the choir area of the church, the original vault and fragments of wall paintings have been preserved. The first written evidence of the church’s existence dates from 1352. Next to the church stands an early Baroque rectory from the second half of the 17th century. In this way, architectural history and preserved details are part of a closely connected historical setting.

The cemetery adjoins the church. It contains numerous gravestones of the area’s former German inhabitants. The former castle is also part of the local history. It was blown up in 1978 after being devastated by a border guard unit and was surrounded by a park. In the 1860s, Josef, Quido and Amálie Mánes were frequent guests of the castle and created numerous drawings there. Thus, the historical side of Újezd Svatého Kříže encompasses not only religious architecture, but also memories of former inhabitants, a vanished castle and the stay of the three artists. The cemetery points to the region’s population history, while the castle history connects the town with art and a turbulent past.

Protected Landscape and Cycling Route

Újezd Svatého Kříže lies in the Český les Protected Landscape Area and also in the Český les–Domažlice Nature Park. The mountains Železný vrch, Reichenstein, Schillerberg and Gradelhöhe are located in the surrounding area. For your trip planning, the landscape therefore complements the historical destinations: you can view the town through its architectural and local history as well as through its protected surroundings and mountains. This combination appeals to different interests within a single trip, without requiring culture and nature to be considered separately.

For cycling, the 31 km Cycling Route 2281 is a concrete point of reference. It passes through Újezd Svatého Kříže and connects Nemanice with Bělá nad Radbuzou. The route length gives you a tangible measure when mentally planning an active day and distinguishing it from a focus that is more strongly centered on cultural history. The Kocovy kameny are also located in the surrounding area, consisting of rock formations with inscriptions carved into the stone by hunting parties. They lie below the 862 m-high Velký Zvon. The route and these distinctive rock formations offer different points of focus: on the one hand, there is the connection between places; on the other, a landscape feature with historical inscriptions. Both make the area appealing to travelers who want to combine cycling with outdoor discoveries.

More destinations for your trip planning

For further research, you can also find Čermná, Babylon, Bělá Nad Radbuzou, Brnirov, Díly, Hostouň, Horsovsky Tyn and Hlohová.

For the higher-level travel overview: Domažlice District.