Orlovice

Orlovice combines a distinctive cultural landscape with traces reaching far back into the past. The village lies at the foot of the Litenčická pahorkatina hills; a ring of mixed forests surrounds Orlovice from west to east. Several small streams rise in these forests and merge to form the Medlovický stream. During your stay, this creates a village setting where historical discoveries and paths through the surrounding landscape lie closely side by side.

Orlov Castle and the History of the Village

The archaeological site of Orlov Castle lies on a rocky promontory of the Litenčické vrchy hills on the western edge of Orlovice. The castle was founded around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries by the Knights Hospitaller of Ivanovice and served as a residence of the Order of St. John in Moravia. The site is therefore connected not only with a single medieval complex, but also with the regional history of this order.

Ditches and ramparts have survived at the castle. An archaeological investigation in the 1930s also uncovered the remains of a round tower. West of present-day Orlovice, in the area of St. Wenceslas Church and near the ruins of the medieval castle, there was a fortified hilltop settlement. This site was already in use during the older Iron Age. Those interested in archaeology will therefore encounter several periods of history in one place.

A local legend recorded in 1617 tells of the daring hunter Jarek. On the summit of a hill, he found an eagle's nest with three eaglets; according to the legend, the castle and his family took their names from the eagles. The story complements the archaeological traces with a local tradition without equating the historical character of the site with the legend.

St. Wenceslas Church at the Eastern End of the Village

St. Wenceslas Church stands on a slight rise at the eastern end of Orlovice and offers views of the wider surroundings. Its complex includes a mortuary chapel and a cemetery that is still in use; an enclosure wall surrounds the entire ensemble. During renovation work in the 1930s, masonry presumed to be Romanesque and dating from the 12th or 13th century was uncovered on the south wall. The cautious wording is important here: this is presumed historic fabric.

For orientation within the village, a direct footpath connects the western side of the village square to the church via a staircase. Unsigned parking areas in front of the church serve visitors to the church and cemetery.

Hiking and Cycling Around Orlovice

A blue-marked long-distance hiking route runs from Vyškov through Moravské Prusy, Orlovice, the remains of Orlov Castle, Pavlovice, Kozlany and Kojátky to Bučovice. It also passes St. Wenceslas Church and the remains of Orlov Castle.

For shorter walks or routes with a different focus, a relatively dense network of field and forest paths connects Orlovice with the neighboring municipalities and makes it possible to walk through the surrounding landscape. Cyclists can use Cycle Route 5029, which connects Vyškov, Orlovice, Hvězdlice and Nesovice, where it joins EV4. Depending on your preferred focus, Orlovice can therefore be explored through its cultural history, on foot or by bicycle.

If you would like to add more places to your search, you can find Křenovice, Krasensko, Nevojice, Švábenice, Austerlitz, Tučapy, Pustiměř and Rybníček here.

For the broader travel overview: Vyškov District.