Kněždub – Culture and Landscape at Šumárník

Kněždub lies in a landscape shaped by orchards, fields and vineyards at the foot of Šumárník. The village combines this rural setting with an unusually rich cultural history: the church, cemetery, artists’ houses and traditional events offer several different perspectives during a stay. If you are looking for more than just accommodation for your trip, but also a place with character, Kněždub offers tangible connections between landscape, art and everyday history.

Art and History in the Village

A striking starting point is the Church of St. John the Baptist. It dates from 1898 and was built in the pseudo-Romanesque style, which is based on Romanesque architectural forms. Inside, you will not find a purely historical design: the academic painter Vojmír Vokolek painted the interior in an unusually modern style. Thus, architectural history and an independent artistic interpretation stand directly alongside each other in this place.

The local cemetery, “Slovácký slavín,” is also part of Kněždub’s cultural identity. The painters Joža Úprka and Antoš Frolka, as well as the sculptor Franta Úprka, are buried there. The birthplace of the Úprka brothers is also important for exploring the region’s art history. It is a state-protected cultural monument and houses a permanent exhibition of their works. It also presents the period furnishings and equipment of the interiors in which the brothers lived and worked.

The restored birthplace of the brothers Joža and Franta Úprka was reopened to the public on July 9, 2005. The building is a typical example of a house built of clay in its period and is one of the few surviving typical representatives of this construction method. The visit can therefore be understood not only through the works on display, but also through the building itself: the materials, layout and preserved furnishings are all part of the history of the artists’ family.

Landscape and Protected Nature

The Čertoryje Protected Landscape Area, which extends across the cadastral territories of Hrubá Vrbka, Kněždub and Tvarožná Lhota, is partly located within the municipality. The area is home to the lady’s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), the saw-wort (Serratula lycopifolia) and the marsh gladiolus (Gladiolus palustris). The documented occurrence data differ considerably: the lady’s-slipper orchid is found at three sites in the White Carpathians and occurs there at two micro-localities with two clumps. Serratula lycopifolia is found at four sites in the White Carpathians and forms extensive stands in the Vojšické louky area, as well as at two micro-localities of a few square metres below the summit of Čertoryje. Gladiolus palustris has its only site in the White Carpathians here and consists of a few specimens at a single micro-locality.

Tradition and Discoveries with Children

The municipality lists the costumed “krojované hody s právem” fair celebrations in October as a traditional event. For children, Selský domek offers a particularly vivid encounter with animals: there, they can pet and feed Cameroon goats and other domestic goats, a pot-bellied pig, as well as rabbits and chickens. This direct experience complements the cultural and natural character of the village.

More Places for Your Search

If you would like to compare other local pages from the same selection, you will find Ostrovánky, Nový Poddvorov, Vřesovice, Celoznice, Žeraviny, Dolní Bojanovice, Josefov U Hodonína and Kuželov here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Hodonín District.