Zbraslavec – Chapel, Trails and Pottery History

Zbraslavec combines sacred architectural history, local craftsmanship traditions, and marked trails within a compact village setting. The Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is particularly characteristic: dating from 1901, it preserves several architectural and historical details that make the village interesting beyond being merely a stopover. There is also Cycle Route 5141, an educational trail relating to local sights, and traces of the former milling and sawmill history.

Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and a Cross from 1857

The Neo-Gothic Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, built in 1901, rewards closer inspection. Its older western section consists of an original prism-shaped chapel with a square floor plan. Attached to it is a newer, slightly wider rectangular nave. This transition between the older core and the later-added nave makes the building's architectural history legible in the structure itself.

In front of the southern wall stands a stone cross with an image of Christ painted on sheet metal. The year 1857 is carved into the cross. At this one location, you can therefore encounter two distinct traces of time: the 19th-century cross and the Neo-Gothic chapel from the beginning of the 20th century.

Kaolin, Pottery and the Křepelův mlýn Complex

The history of Zbraslavec also includes pottery making. The kaolin deposits on Mount Hůra in the Zbraslavec area contributed to the development of this local craft. The first large pottery was built in 1880. Those interested in regional materials and traditional processing can therefore find a clear connection here between the landscape, raw materials, and the history of craftsmanship.

Mount Hůra and the first large pottery built in 1880 link two specific reference points in this history: the raw-material site and the documented beginning of larger-scale craft production.

In the southern part of Zbraslavec, on the left bank of the Úmoří, lies the sawmill and the former Křepelův mlýn mill complex. The designation “former mill” explicitly refers to its historical significance. Together with the pottery history, this site broadens the perspective beyond individual buildings to earlier forms of work and land use in the surrounding area. The “Pod kaštany” sports complex is also part of the village landscape.

Cycling and Hiking Connections around the Village

Cycle Route 5141 runs through Zbraslavec and connects Kunštát, Drnovice, Lysice, Žerůtky, Býkovice, and Černá Hora. A marked local cycle route also runs through Zbraslavec.

The various trails have different focuses: Cycle Route 5141 and the local cycle route are designated for cycling, while the green marking is for hiking; the educational trail supplements the routes with stops at local sights.

On foot, a green hiking trail marking also leads through the Úmoří valley toward Hluboké u Kunštátu. As of 2017, the NS Drnovicko educational trail also ran from Drnovice through Zbraslavec and Kunice to Lhota u Lysic. As of 2017, this educational trail had at least 14 stops and focused on local sights.

Other Places

At the same destination level are also Závist, Rozsíčka, Vísky, Kunštát, Lubě, Kotvrdovice, Štěchov and Crhov.

For the broader travel overview: Blansko District.