Želkovice – Discover the Church, Lounek and Orchards

Želkovice combines a distinctive sacred building, historic details and a landscape where orchards and the steppe grasslands of Lounek offer different impressions. If, when choosing your destination, you would like to consider culture and rural discoveries together, you will find specific points of interest here: a church on a hill, a path towards Lounek, blossoms in spring and a traditional event with a fixed date in 2026.

St. Peter and Paul: Rotunda with Special Details

The Roman Catholic branch church of St. Peter and Paul stands on a hill above the western edge of Želkovice. Its rotunda has a slightly oval floor plan and opens to the east onto a rectangular-ended chancel. Originally, this chancel had a horseshoe-shaped apse. In 1852 and 1853, a Neo-Romanesque nave was added to the rotunda according to plans by the engineer Wetzl.

A sculpture of a Turkish head is set into the masonry of the rotunda. It commemorates the Russo-Austrian war against the Turks. The church grounds also include a perimeter wall with a wrought-iron double-leaf gate. The Church of St. Peter and Paul and the cemetery wall surrounding it are continuously maintained. This gives the ensemble several specific historical and architectural details to look out for when exploring Želkovice.

Another monument stands at the northern upper end of the elongated village green: a statue of Saint Joseph. The statue and its base are made of sandstone. It is a high-quality late Baroque work by an artist who remains unknown. A dedicatory inscription gives the year 1762.

Orchards and the Path to Lounek

The area around Želkovice is home to extensive orchards, predominantly apple orchards. In spring, the white or pink blossoms of the fruit trees offer views of the surrounding landscape. This visibly changes the character of the area over the course of the year, without requiring you to combine several different sights.

In the immediate vicinity, a broad path leads from the Church of St. Peter and Paul southeast towards Lounek. Its slopes and summit offer views of the surrounding agricultural landscape. The summit is mostly fenced off, but can be reached from the east. Spring pheasants’ eyes, pasqueflowers and other rare plants grow on the steppe grasslands at the summit.

Traditional Stavění Máje

The municipality of Želkovice announced the traditional Stavění Máje event for the morning of Saturday, 2 May 2026. At Stavění Máje, men can take part in erecting the maypole, while women and girls can participate in decorating it. The event complements the historical and landscape impressions with a local tradition following a clearly defined procedure.

Other Places to Explore

For further selection in the Czech Republic, you can also visit the pages on Lubenec Lubenec, Tuchořice Tuchořice, Veltěže Veltěže, Chraberce Chraberce, Libčeves Libčeves, Čeradice U Žatce Čeradice U Žatce, Mecholupy U Zatce Mecholupy U Zatce and Blšany U Loun Blšany U Loun.

For the higher-level travel overview: Louny District.