Rájec-Jestřebí: Discover the Castle, River Valley and Culture

Rájec-Jestřebí combines a distinctive river landscape with castle culture, small historical discoveries and a signposted hiking route. For you, this means that you can focus your stay on culture, plan an excursion into the valley and onto the ridge, or combine both. The town also offers various points of interest for families with different interests, so you do not have to commit to just one type of holiday.

Landscape between two rivers

Rájec-Jestřebí lies at the confluence of the Svitava and Býkovka rivers. At the same time, the town is situated in a picturesque valley at the transition between the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Drahanská vrchovina uplands. This location shapes the character of the town: waterways, the valley and the uplands form the scenic setting for sightseeing and excursions.

Castle, garden and open-air theatre

Rájec nad Svitavou State Château is a national cultural monument and a Neoclassical château of French type. Members of the noble Salm family had it built according to plans by the French architect Isidor Amand Canavel between 1763 and 1769. The château grounds include a garden nursery divided into three terraces connected by stairways. A special botanical tradition is formed by the rare camellias of Rájec: they are cared for and exhibited every two years in the château rooms.

West of the château building, the Teatrum stands in the château park, a small structure for open-air theatre performances. As a result, the château grounds have a clear connection not only to architecture but also to the performing arts.

Hike from the railway station and summer gardens

The Jedle–Hořice excursion route leads from Rájec-Jestřebí railway station via Jestřebí along a well-marked hiking trail to the ridge. Along the way, views open up over the town and its surroundings.

A seasonal highlight is provided by the Langr garden nursery. Dahlias are cultivated there, and visitors can admire them outdoors in late summer. Alongside the château garden and the camellias, this provides another reason to plan your stay around garden and plant-related attractions at the right time of year.

Historical traces in the town centre

In June, concerts of the International Music Festival of the 13 Cities, Concentus Moraviae, take place at the château in Rájec-Jestřebí. The town's cultural life extends beyond this: generations of actors continue the tradition of amateur theatre in Rájec-Jestřebí to this day.

A cast-iron cross was erected in 1868 at St. Anne's Chapel in Jestřebí in memory of the farmer Josef Fojt, who drowned in the flood on 13 June 1867.

The All Saints' Church, an architecturally valuable landmark, stands in the town centre. Wall paintings from the 15th century have been uncovered in its presbytery. In the square in front of the church stands a statue of the Archangel Raphael dating from 1749. The statue of St. Florian from 1888 and its history of creation also form part of the historic character: it was made by the ironworks in Blansko and is considered a valuable testimony to the artistic craftsmanship of the late 19th century.

For your further travel planning, you can also discover Habrůvka, Černá Hora, Velké Opatovice, Kunice, Kuncina Ves, Valchov, Šebrov-Kateřina and Velenov.

For the higher-level travel overview: Blansko District.