Varvazov: Church, Castle and Cultural Landscape on the Skalice

Varvažov combines remarkable buildings with a landscape shaped by the Skalice, distinctive mountains and historic paths. Between St. Catherine’s Church, Varvažov Castle and the old water mill, there are several tangible points of interest for a journey that combines culture and regional discoveries.

Bridge, Mill and Chapels in Varvažov

A prominent landmark is the Varvažov road bridge in the western part of the village, U Mostu, on the through road 1219. The bridge includes a niche chapel with a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. The Varvažov water mill, with the adjoining residential building, is also located in U Mostu in the valley of the Skalice. It is an important urban-planning element on the Skalice.

Another niche chapel lies west of Varvažov on the road to the hamlet of Most and forms a distinctive landscape feature. The plastered brick building has a rectangular ground plan and is extended at the rear by a chamfered supporting section. The two chapels differ in their locations: one stands at the road bridge in the U Mostu part of the village, while the other is west of Varvažov on the road to the hamlet of Most.

Church and Castle as Historical Focal Points

St. Catherine’s Church in Varvažov was probably built as a Gothic church in the second half of the 13th century. It has an Early Gothic chancel, which adds a particularly early architectural detail to its construction history. Alongside its probable origin in the second half of the 13th century, the Early Gothic chancel is another tangible feature of St. Catherine’s Church in Varvažov. Varvažov Castle was built in the Baroque style in 1760, possibly on the site of an older fortress. The church and castle thus offer two different historical perspectives on the same place.

Destinations in the Surrounding Area and Regional Landscape

Hrad Zvíkov Castle is located in the vicinity of Varvažov. The historic site “Lety u Písku. Memorial to the Holocaust of Roma and Sinti in Bohemia” is also nearby. Svatý Jan Church is additionally located in the vicinity of Varvažov. For nature and landscape interests, Chlum, Obora, Zvíkovec and Jenšovice provide points of reference; all four are classified as mountains. Further within the wider regional surroundings of Varvažov are the ruins of the Radomysl Mediumwave Radio Mast.

Cycling Route and Practical Orientation

The route “From Vráž via the Sedláček Trail to Zvíkov” passes through Varvažov and supplements the historic destinations with a specific cycling connection. For planning a cycling tour, the route provides a concrete framework between exploring the village and visiting a regional destination in the surrounding area. There are bus connections from Varvažov to Písek, Milevsko, Čimelice and Prague; these places are therefore connected with the village as specific transport destinations.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

For further orientation within the same selection of places, you will also find Myslín, Minice, Zvíkovské Podhradí, Králova Lhota, Slabčice, Smetanova Lhota, Ostrovec and Borečnice.

For the higher-level travel overview: Písek District.