Horní Kounice – History on the Rokytná

Horní Kounice between history and riverside landscapes

Horní Kounice combines impressive evidence of Moravian history with the varied landscape of Rokytná Nature Park. For families and other travelers who want to combine culture, nature observation and local traditions, Horní Kounice offers a range of discoveries in all three areas. The municipality can be reached by car or bus, lies on the Moravský Krumlov–Tavíkovice route and is integrated into the IDS JMK transport system.

Historical traces in the village and by the river

Among the notable buildings in Horní Kounice is the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Michael the Archangel. The late Baroque building was constructed between 1785 and 1790 and has a Romanesque core dating from the mid-13th century. Horní Kounice square is also home to an architecturally valuable rectory dating from 1780. Both buildings give the village historical depth without requiring you to visit a large urban complex. A special connection to the Rokytná landscape is provided by the Alinkov farmstead. The late Renaissance complex, built around 1600, lies on the right bank of the Rokytná north of Čermákovice, but is already located within the cadastral area of Horní Kounice. The remains of the farmstead include a mill. Alinkov is therefore an independent historical point of interest in the surroundings of the village. The former Johanniter Commandery was initially converted into a Gothic fortress and later transformed into a granary. A cellar remains, accessible through an Early Gothic pointed-arch portal. The Johanniter Commandery is considered the best-preserved example of a rural commandery in Moravia and, together with the church, forms a significant historical landmark of the municipality. In the cellar of the southern wing of the opposite farmstead, the lower part of an Early Gothic residential building belonging to the Johanniter Commandery has also been preserved. The cellar, measuring 17.7 × 5 meters, is accessible through the pointed-arch portal from a staircase leading to the courtyard.

Rokytná Nature Park and protected landscape

Rokytná Nature Park also encompasses Horní Kounice. The protected landscape around the Rokytná belongs to the European Natura 2000 sites. Its character is shaped by the river’s meanders, rocks, floodplain meadows and scree habitats. These are complemented by changing forest types, including spruce, oak-hornbeam and pine forests. This diversity makes the natural area particularly interesting for travelers who want to experience different landscapes on their excursions rather than a uniform backdrop. Wildlife observation is also part of the nature experience: Kingfishers, crayfish, otters and eagle owls can be spotted in Rokytná Nature Park.

Local tradition with kettle goulash

A culinary specialty of the village is the Gulášfest, a traditional competition in Horní Kounice for the best kettle goulash. At the fourth edition, tasting and judging the kettle goulash were part of the program. The festival complements the historical and landscape themes with a local event centered on regional food culture. If you are looking for a hotel in Horní Kounice, you can choose your place of stay according to your preferred focus: The local history leads to the church, rectory and Johanniter Commandery, while the Rokytná, with its riverside landscapes, forests and protected habitats, offers a different emphasis. To compare other places at the same higher-level category, you can find Nový Šaldorf-Sedlešovice, Hrabětice, Jaroslavice, Tasovice Nad Dyjí, Lesná U Znojma, Lesonice, Oleksovice and Jezeřany-Maršovice here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Znojmo District.