Zborovy: Romanesque Church and Hrádek Fortification

Zborovy brings together the Romanesque Church of St John the Baptist and the stone ramparts on the wooded hill of Hrádek. This means very different traces of history meet in one destination: the church was originally built around the middle of the 13th century, while the Slavic hillfort dates from around the 10th century. Other monuments and a landscape shaped by pastures add to the area’s cultural character. If you are interested in architectural history and historic sites, Zborovy offers tangible points of interest.

Church and local monuments

The protected complex of the Church of St John the Baptist includes the church, a mortuary, a bell tower and the associated grounds. The church was originally built as a Romanesque rotunda around the middle of the 13th century. A rotunda is a circular building; here, the term refers to the church’s original form.

An original Romanesque window survives in the north wall of the presbytery, above the roof of the sacristy. The presbytery is the chancel of a church. The window’s semicircular arch and its precise position are also notable architectural details. This makes it possible to identify the church’s Romanesque history not only by its date, but also through a specific feature.

Other local monuments include a statue of St John of Nepomuk. Another sacred monument is the wayside shrine known as “Zborovy boží muka na návsi”. It is carefully crafted from local coarse-grained granite and assembled from four parts. The church draws attention to Romanesque architecture, while the shrine highlights its material and construction—two different aspects of the area’s cultural heritage.

Hrádek: hillfort and excursion

About 1 km northeast of Zborovy, the surviving stone ramparts of a former Slavic hillfort dating from around the 10th century stand on the wooded hill of Hrádek. An early medieval castle was later built on the site. The two historical periods can be distinguished: the hillfort is the older trace, and the castle came later.

The “Zborovy and Hrádek Hillfort” excursion is listed as approximately 4 km long, with less than 50 m of elevation gain. These figures help you gauge the tour’s scale for the day. Check current trail conditions before setting out, as they may change.

Landscape and orientation

Zborovy lies in a broad valley with a stream, on the road from Pačejov to Plánice. Pastures predominate in the surrounding area, interspersed with occasional copses or groups of shrubs. The rural landscape, as well as its monuments, shapes the character of the place. For travellers wishing to combine historic buildings with scenery, this offers a different focus from a stay centred on a single building.

Road 22 is another point of reference for getting your bearings in the region: Zborovy is near the road connecting Klatovy, Horažďovice and Strakonice. If you are considering Zborovy as a destination or a possible place to stay overnight, you can compare its location near the road with your own travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Klatovy, Frymburk U Sušice, Dlouhá Ves U Susice, Velké Hydčice, Domoraz, Horská Kvilda, Chudenice, Annín.

For the main travel overview: Okres Klatovy.